Reading the Jesus Files
Children's sermon
Illustration
Preaching
Sermon
Worship
For February 22, 2026:
Reading the Jesus Files
by Chris Keating
Matthew 4:1-11
Fresh from his baptism, his hair damp and feet muddy, Jesus is escorted by the Spirit into the wilderness. What first seems to be a time for contemplative hiking suddenly descends into a trail of anguish. The wilderness, scripture tells us, is almost always a place of painful discernment and struggle. Matthew makes it clear that the Spirit leads Jesus into a void where Satan awaits.
Our annual prologue to Lent reads like a dossier of temptation. In the Jesus’ files, we learn about how those forty days and forty nights placed Jesus face to face with siren calls to become popular, powerful, and prestigious.
Is this Jesus’ version of TV’s “Temptation Island,” minus the sex, or a cautionary tale of what might happen to us if we cave into our Lenten fasts from candy and social media?
Somehow that feels like pinto beans compared to what’s at stake in the gospel. Matthew is recounting more than Jesus foregoing momentary pleasure or avoiding snacks he didn’t really need. This year, as always, we start Lent with the reminder of the ways Jesus confronts a central question: Are you really all you claim to be?
Reading the Jesus’ files brings to mind the sordid tales told in the Jeffrey Epstein files. Those files depict a different sort of search for popularity, power, and prestige. But they also reveal a story of elite men confronted by a similar question. Inside the pages of the Epstein files, we hear the same question asked: “Are you really all you claim to be?”
In the News
Perusing the millions of documents released by the US Department of Justice regarding the Jeffrey Epstein scandal is not for the faint-hearted. The DOJ’s “Epstein Library” may be one of the only government websites restricted to adults over 18.
Concealed for years, the files are now available to anyone with access to a computer. The wide-ranging documents include flight logs, emails, videos, and text messages from people The New Yorker magazine describes as “a range of élites eager to curry favor with a criminal beyond the imaginings of the police blotter or the Marquis de Sade.”
Taking a dive into this cesspool leaves you wanting more than a shower to remove the filth. A high-pressure scrubbing along the lines of the decontamination scene depicted in the classic movie Silkwood is more appropriate.
Among the unearthed items is an interview with Epstein by an unnamed journalist. The journalist probes Epstein for any sign of contrition. Epstein remains stoic, telling the reporter that he believed the mothers standing in line to receive the charity he provided would have taken it regardless if the devil himself was handling donations. Pushing back, the interviewer asks, “Do you think you’re the devil himself?”
Epstein continues to demur, but the interviewer insists it’s a fair question. Epstein seems to shrug, answering, “I think I have a pretty good mirror.”
The irony is that the mirror reveals the profile of a depraved serial sexual offender blended with one who had achieved meteoric success in the world of finance. According to an attorney who has represented more than 200 of Epstein’s survivors, Epstein lived two lives: one as a serial sex offender who nearly daily abused young girls, and the other as a curator of relationships with some of the most powerful persons in the world.
Scores of famous and powerful people are named in the files, including (formerly Prince) Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Steve Bannon, Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Richard Branson. Though much information was redacted by the government, somehow the DOJ still managed to allow more than 500 references to the names and contact information of Epstein’s victims slip through the cracks.
The insights of the files provide a view into his deviant personality, while making it clear there were no innocent bystanders. Years ago, Brad Edwards, an attorney representing Epstein’s victims, told a judge that Epstein’s combined wealth and power likely made him the most dangerous sexual predator in US history.
Epstein used his charisma to lure elite academics, politicians, business leaders, and others to his illicit Bahamian island. Like the devil escorting Jesus to the pinnacles of power, Epstein showed his friends just what their access to him could provide.
That is the story told by the pictures of Epstein’s island of temptation. The images include a room outfitted with a dentist’s chair and an weirdly creepy array of masks of men’s faces. Another shows a library with chairs flanking a seminar-style whiteboard that includes the words “power,” “politics,” “truth,” and “deception.” Some files are short emails, others are explicitly pornographic.
The files make it clear that the temptations of the Epstein universe go far beyond the stuff Sunday school kids give up for Lent. They show that Epstein assured his followers that even though they had the kingdoms of the world within their grasp, they still needed more. This was the mask worn by the man in the mirror: all this could be yours if you just worship me.
In the Scriptures
Because the story of Jesus’ temptation is a stalwart feature of the Lenten lectionary, preachers may struggle to find new points of entry. Fortunately, the context of Matthew’s presentation of this material offers critical help. In both theme and content, chapter four follows closely on the story of Jesus’ baptism in verses 3:13-17. With God’s affirmation of Jesus still echoing, the Spirit leads Jesus from baptism to confirmation.
The narrative includes details worth pondering, including the connection to Jesus’ baptism, the significance of the location, Jesus’ disciplined fasting, and the appearance of the tempter. The geography of Matthew 4 is significant, especially as the tempter tries to assuage Jesus’ fatigue by whisking him off to more appealing destinations like the pinnacle of the temple. As the infancy narratives have touched on Israel’s experiences of exodus and exile, so now Jesus enters his own wilderness wanderings. Warren Carter helpfully suggests caution with these comparisons, however, especially if Israel’s faithless temptations are compared to Jesus’ faithfulness. Carter notes such a “move unacceptably emerges from and reinforces errant claims of Christian superiority and of Israel’s rejection from divine purposes.”
Jesus is led into the wilderness where the reality of his God-affirmed identity is called into question. In the tempter’s hands, the question is more than “if you are the Son of God.” More likely is the suggestion by Eugene Boring that “if” could just as likely be translated as “since.” (See Anna Case Winters, Matthew: Belief Commentary). Like Epstein staring into the mirror, Jesus’ identity is tested. Anna Case Winters puts it this way:
The question at issue is not whether Jesus is the Son of God, but since he is the Son of God, what will that mean, how will he live out his relationship to God? The temptations he faces will each in turn urge him to take his relationship to God as a position of privilege, using it to meet his own needs, receive protection from the vulnerability of his humanity, and gain power over all the kingdoms of the world. Is this what it means to be “the Son of God?” Or will Jesus understand his calling in terms of God’s redemptive work and take up a role of serving God and God’s people toward that end — even if the end was suffering and death for him? (Winters, Matthew, p. 52.)
In the Sermon
Jesus’ temptations offer an opportunity to explore the various way Lent invites us into a season of individual and corporate discernment. As Jesus is confronted with the meaning of his identity as God’s beloved, so too is the congregation led toward contemplating what that means for individuals and the church.
The Jesus files reveal the identity of one who came to serve, not to be served. Those files offer images and accounts of the One who summoned people to claim that same God-given identity. Unlike the Epstein files, the Jesus files uphold the possibilities of a world defined not by craven power and deviant exchanges, but by truth, mercy, and love.
The Epstein files show us the depths humans are willing to descend in search of power, fame, and control. Yet the Jesus files offer more than just a counter narrative. They offer words of life and healing. They narrate a hope we need to hear.
Epstein’s villainy emerged from the way he looked at himself in the mirror. A mirror held before Jesus would reveal something more than empty-eyed greed. Where Epstein looked for the devil, Jesus looked for victims. Where Epstein’s fists clenched power and greed, Jesus’ hands offered mercy and justice. The idea of trading away his identity was never in question.
That’s the promise of the Jesus files, and a promise our world so desperately needs to hear.
* * * * *
SECOND THOUGHTS
Worship Me
by Dean Feldmeyer
Matthew 4:1-11
Quick quiz: How many times and where does the phrase “worship me” appear in the New Testament? And who says it?
Answer: Twice. The phrase appears one time in Matthew (4:1-11) and Luke (4:1-13). It is spoken by Satan when he is tempting Jesus in the wilderness.
So, to summarize — Watch out! When you feel yourself tempted to honor or show great reverence for something, to regard something or someone with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion to something — that thing might just be God for you.
In the Scripture
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’ ” (vv. 8-10)
It’s a fairly straightforward account. Twice the devil has tried to tempt Jesus into proving himself — turning stones into bread and leaping from the top of the temple — and twice he has failed.
So, now he tries to tempt him with power. He takes Jesus to the top of a mountain from which is visible all of the cities and countries as far as the eye can see. “I will give you all of these (the known world) to rule,” he says, “if you will just worship me.”
Jesus responds with a paraphrase of Deuteronomy 6:6-10, from the Decalogue, or maybe Deuteronomy 6:13, both of which forbid the worship of anything or anyone other than YHWH. And he follows this up with an authoritative dismissal of Satan.
In the News
Those who study political rhetoric call it “messianic leadership language.” It usually speaks of salvation and protection, casting the speaker as the only person who can save and protect the voter. Donald Trump is not unfamiliar with that style of communication and used it in his campaign speeches.
In a 2015 announcement ,as Trump formed an exploratory committee for a presidential run, he framed himself as uniquely capable of restoring American strength and respect. “I am the only one who can make America truly great again!”
And again, in a speech he delivered in Bedminster, New Jersey, after an arraignment, he told supporters, “I am the only one who can save this nation.”
In Kentucky, Republican US House Representative Thomas Massie and retired Navy SEAL officer Ed Gallrein, are running a savage primary campaign against each other seeing how many times they can accuse each other of being “woke” — both promising to save America from all things progressive.
And it’s not just politicians who employ messianic language of salvation and protection. ADT’s television ads promise to keep your family safe from harm and offer a frightening account of what can happen if you don’t use their system.
This car will save you from loneliness. These clothes will save you from nerdiness.
Just dedicate yourself to them. Regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion. Give them your money, your vote, your patronage, and you will be all you want or need to be.
In the Sermon
As soon as the clergy dare to speak from the pulpit about some controversial issue in our culture, or as soon as pastors step out of the pulpit and into the streets to join those who demonstrate against injustice, or even put a political bumper sticker on their car, we will hear the strident voices of those who want us to “stay in our lane,” to “stay out of politics and stick with religion.”
And all this is true unless the preacher’s message happens to agree with the views of the listener. Then we are encouraged to preach on endlessly regarding that topic.
In the years leading up to and during the Civil War, the pulpits of America echoed with loud proclamations condemning and defending slavery with both sides quoting the Bible to justify their position.
In our own time, conservative evangelical churches and progressive mainline protestant churches preach loudly and often, one side praising Donald Trump in near messianic terms and the other condemning him as if he were Satan incarnate. And both sides use scripture in their sermons.
The issue is not the mixing of politics and scripture/theology in the sermon. The real issue is — which comes first?
Does our Christian theology inform our political opinions or do our political opinions inform our theology? Do we study the Bible thoroughly and then allow that study to inform our political stand? Or do we choose a political stand and then cherry pick a verse here and a verse there to justify our political stand?
To do one is to operate out of a faithful relationship to the word of God. To do the other is idolatry.
Of course, the issue does not apply to politics alone.
We might just as easily ask if our theology informs our relationship to the things in our life or does our love of the things in our life inform our theology? Or does our love of things nullify all together any consideration of theology. Can a Christian find justification in the Bible for owning a BMW or a Corvette, a second house on the lake or condo on the beach?
And what about our other ethics? Are we Christians at home and at church only? Or does our Christian faith extend into the marketplace as well? Is our business ethic based on the New Testament or on the bottom line only?
These are the questions that spring from today’s scripture lesson. These are the questions that we must answer in all that we do at church, at home, at work, at play, on the job site, or at school. Whom do I worship? Whom do I follow? Did I bring my Christian faith with me, or did I leave it at the door when I entered here?
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Mary Austin:
Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7
Curiosity
Curiosity killed the cat, the old saying goes. It also gets Adam and Eve in trouble, although I suspect God knew that would happen, having made them.
Jud Brewer says that curiosity is baked into us, as it was for Eve and Adam. “Curiosity is an innate natural and universal capacity that we all have. It naturally blossoms when we are children. When we can tap into our own curiosity, it helps us discover how the world works, drawing us in with a childlike fascination. Leon Lederman, who was director of Fermilab and won the 1988 Nobel prize in physics, said: “Children are born scientists. They do everything scientists do. They test how strong things are. They measure falling bodies. … they learn the physics of the world around them. They are all perfect scientists … They ask questions, they drive parents crazy with why? Why? Why?”
Brewer says we need more curiosity, not less, writing, “As adults, we often struggle with trying to tap into that wonder state that we had as a kid that feels so good; it gets overrun by a different type of curiosity, one instilled by instant access to information and goaded on by Google. Yo-yo Ma, a pioneer in music (and cello virtuoso), who said, “I’m the curious kid, always going to the edge.” How can we channel his inner kid to awaken our inner explorer?”
Without curiosity, Adam and Eve would have lived a dull life, with only the sameness of the garden every day.
* * *
Matthew 4:1-11
Meeting Up With the Devil
Out in the wilderness, the devil offers Jesus some interesting temptations. Parker Palmer notes that we look in the wrong place for the devil. He writes:
Given the life I’ve been privileged to live, I know that the devil’s real work is white supremacy. That sick set of beliefs was also the key to the MAGA president’s razor-thin 2024 win. His pledge to “lower the price of eggs” was not what took him to the top — he barely had time to mention it amid his torrent of lies about marauding thieves, murderers, rapists, and pet-eating legal immigrants. He won by playing the white supremacy card in a country where too many white folks are afraid of losing cultural dominance and white privilege. That’s why his supporters adore his attacks on DEI, and cheer at videos of chained and bowed deportees who were deprived of due process — even as the cost of living keeps rising, recession looms and chaos reigns at home and abroad.
But, Houston, we have a problem: white supremacy is a colossal White lie. If slavery, Jim Crow, the New Jim Crow and voter suppression don’t make that clear, ample evidence is close at hand. Listen to any white supremacist and see for yourself how un-supreme he or she is. You’ll find examples on cable TV, down the street, at some churches, in a nearby bar, at your statehouse and on Capitol Hill. How could this country have flourished in any worthy way if such folks were the only show in town?
This temptation is perennial in our civic life, and we never vanquish it.
* * *
Matthew 4:1-11
Resting in the Desert
As Jesus waits in the desert, he’s taking the first of many rests that will fuel his work. The wilderness is boring, dull, and lonely, and yet it must also be deeply restful. In this, Jesus offers us a powerful example.
Benjamin Schaefer notes that most of what we call rest isn’t restful. “I define shadow rest as any form of “rest” that is not actually restful. In my experience, the most common forms of shadow rest are media, social media, and online devices. Sitting down at the end of the day to watch an episode of television, or better yet, a movie — something with a clearly defined beginning and end — may function as a form of rest as long as I am present and engaged with whatever I’m watching. But staying up until 2:00 AM binging an entire Netflix series is not rest. Neither is losing three hours passively scrolling on my phone.”
For us, our phones are always at hand. Schafer practices turning his phone off, to have a true rest. He shares, “I would be lying on the sofa, reading a novel, and three pages in, I would watch as my hand reached for my phone, seemingly without my permission. Then, when I picked up my phone, I was met with a dark screen because I had turned my phone off. Thanks to that interruption in what had become a compulsive habit, I could ask myself, “Do I really need to look up which Fleetwood Mac album Stevie Nicks’s song ‘Gypsy’ appeared on or how many people died from COVID today right this minute?” The answer was always, No, I did not. My brain had simply been rewired for distraction. And distraction is not rest.”
Jesus is immune to distraction, perhaps because he understands how to rest.
* * *
Matthew 4:1-11
Dissolved Into God
In Aflame: Learning from Silence, Pico Iyer writes about the stillness he finds at a monastery. At a Zen monastery, he listens to a Zen monk, and has an experience like the one Jesus had in the desert.
“We all want to dissolve,” the old Zen monk in red bobble cap and thin glasses tells me, with a wry chuckle, as he greets me in the chill mountains behind Los Angeles, three hundred miles south of Big Sur, where I’ve come at the end of December. “We all need the experience of forgetting who we are. I think that’s what love is: forgetting who you are.” He flashes a crooked grin. “Forgetting who you are is such a delicious experience. And so frightening.”
Perhaps Jesus feels this same mixture of delicious freedom and fear, as he spends his forty days in the desert.
* * * * * *
From team member Katy Stenta:
Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7
One cannot help but hear echoes of Pam Bondi saying that the stock market is above 50,000 and that is what one should be paying attention to, not the rape of thousands of children, when Adam and Eve try to blame anything and everything instead of taking responsibility for their mistake. The shame they feel and the fact that they need to cover it all up feels visceral and real. They do not like to feel exposed. However, the need for clear communication of the truth to name who did what and to protect those who have been harmed, is now bigger than ever.
* * *
Psalm 32
Courtney Milan, who skated competitively, said that in the Olympics “It’s fairly common to wave flags for everyone. You’ll see people at skating competitions with bags full of flags for everyone there.” The Olympic culture is a supportive one. It is hard to get to the Olympics — people support one another. The cheering and good news is the protective cover to help, even when one loses. The shelter in the storm. This is the kind of culture that the Olympics is trying to foster, one where countries talk and cheer on one another. One where good news is appreciated by all. One where winning is less important than doing one’s best. It stands in stark contrast to a world of billionaires, profits, and capitalism.
* * *
Romans 5:12-19
Sin and the law are not the same thing. Surely the operations of ICE make that clear. The building and populating of the concentration camps in the United States could be made 100% legal through the machinations of the government, executive orders, and reinterpretation of policies already on the books. However, that will never make them humane. An article in The Guardian by Moira Donegan describing the conditions of the detention centers clearly identifies them as concentration camps, something that no country ever needs. They are no more or less than places to imprison and control unwanted populations, to torture, and scare them. It is inhumane. The Bible makes clear that Christ is all about grace and understanding. Jesus wants justification and life for all. Life giving practices are the Christian ones.
* * *
Matthew 4:1-11
As Jesus talks about temptation, the worship of billionaires comes to mind. Many people emulate millionaires and billionaires because we understand, at a basic level, that what rich people can get away with is very different than poor people. The Epstein documents have made that clear. This means that we tend to treat rich people very differently from middle class and poor people. We emulate them, we listen to them, we turn them into demagogues. We say things like “but they were laughing all the way to the bank.” (I personally dislike that phrase.) However, thinking that those who happen to be born into wealth are better is ridiculous, because, as Jesus says, one cannot live on bread alone. Being rich can change your brain so that you have less empathy. It can cloud your moral judgment and actually stand in the way of happiness. Jesus’ time in the desert clarifies that the only thing we should be worshiping is God.
* * * * * *
From team member Nazish Naseem:
Genesis 2:15-17
Covenantal vocation and sacred boundary
Imagine a newly appointed high priest placed within a sacred temple by a sovereign king. The temple is filled with abundance — provision, beauty, and delegated authority. The priest is commissioned not merely to enjoy the space but to serve and guard it, maintaining its sanctity, inspiring reverence for God’s sacred boundaries.
However, at the center of the temple stands one object reserved exclusively for the king’s authority — a symbol of ultimate sovereignty. The priest may oversee everything else, but this central symbol marks a boundary: the distinction between delegated stewardship and ultimate rule.
The prohibition is not arbitrary; it is covenantal. It establishes relational order:
Thus, Genesis 2:15-17 illustrates structured freedom within sacred vocation. Humanity’s role is priestly stewardship under divine kingship. The tree functions as a sacramental boundary marking that moral authority belongs to God alone. Obedience sustains life because it preserves the right relationship with the source of life.
* * *
Genesis 3:1-7
Covenantal rupture through mistrust and autonomous redefinition of truth
Consider a constitutional kingdom whose stability depends on trust in the wisdom of its sovereign. A subtle advisor approaches a royal steward and begins not with rebellion, but with reinterpretation:
“Did the king really mean what he said? Perhaps his command was restrictive. Perhaps he fears your advancement.”
The advisor reframes the law as a limitation rather than a protection. The steward moves from trust to suspicion, from suspicion to evaluation, and from evaluation to transgression.
Upon violating the central statute, the steward does not ascend to shared sovereignty. Instead, the very fabric of the kingdom begins to unravel. Authority becomes insecurity. Confidence becomes shame. Transparency gives way to concealment.
This mirrors verses 1-7. The serpent’s strategy is epistemological — it destabilizes confidence in divine speech. The woman’s reasoning process (good for food, pleasing to the eyes, desirable for wisdom) reflects a shift from receptive obedience to autonomous moral assessment.
When the eyes are “opened,” what emerges is not divinity but vulnerability. The first human act after transgression is self-covering — an attempt at self-atonement. The rupture is relational before it is environmental.
Thus, the passage illustrates that sin is fundamentally the pursuit of epistemological sovereignty — the attempt to define good and evil apart from God-resulting in alienation from God, from one another, and from the self, which impacts our moral boundaries and relationships today.
* * *
Psalm 32
From Silence to Song
Psalm 32, attributed to David, highlights the importance of confession and trusting God’s forgiveness as a spiritual journey from secrecy to celebration.
The Weight of Silence (vv. 1-5)
Imagine a traveler walking a long, dusty road, a hidden stone pressed against his chest.
To everyone else, he seems fine — he smiles, greets others, walks steadily. Yet with each step, the stone digs deeper into his shoulders. He tells himself, “I can carry this. I’ll handle it later.”
But days pass, and the weight grows. His energy fades. His joy disappears. Even the sun feels hotter, the path steeper.
David captures this struggle:
“When I kept silent, my bones wasted away… For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.”
Silence did not shield him. It consumed him. Hiding guilt made the burden unbearable.
Finally, he stops pretending. He opens his coat and lifts the stone, speaking honestly to God:
“I acknowledged my sin to you.”
Immediately, the weight vanishes, bringing a deep sense of relief and reassurance. The burden that once seemed unbreakable is gone, and God’s forgiveness offers new hope and peace.
“You forgave the iniquity of my sin.”
The traveler breathes freely for the first time in months. His steps are lighter. His heart is no longer weighed down by shame. The blessing of confession and forgiveness is tangible — he walks upright, alive, and renewed.
* * *
Psalm 32 (vv. 6-11)
The Path of Joy
Now the road is bright and open, symbolizing spiritual renewal, as the forgiven traveler notices God’s guiding presence beside him.
He feels invisible hands pointing the way, steadying him when he falters, showing the safe path forward.
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.”
The steps once heavy now spring with lightness. The burden is gone, replaced by security and guidance. He understands that life is no longer about hiding or fearing mistakes — it is about walking in trust. David’s words echo in his heart:
“Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!” Joy radiates around him like sunlight breaking through clouds, reminding us of God’s steadfast love that surrounds and protects us, filling us with trust and confidence.
The journey has transformed: from the suffocating weight of silence to the freedom of a song. His steps now echo trust, hope, and celebration. Each stride whispers the truth of Psalm 32 — grace is stronger than shame, and confession leads to life.
* * * * * *
WORSHIP
by George Reed
Call to Worship
One: Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven.
All: Happy are those to whom God imputes no iniquity.
One: Let us confess our sins to God who forgives all our guilt.
All: God is our hiding place who preserves us from trouble.
One: Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous.
All: Shout for joy to our God, all you upright in heart.
OR
One: Come to the light of God which overcomes the darkness.
All: We long for light so that we may find our way.
One: Trust in the One who brings light for our journey.
All: We place ourselves in the loving care of God.
One: Look for God within and in the faces of others.
All: We will seek God at all times in all people.
Hymns and Songs
Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days
UMH: 269
H82: 142
PH: 81
GTG: 166
NCH: 211
CH: 180
W&P: 252
Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
UMH: 358
H82: 652/653
PH: 345
GTG: 169
NCH: 502
CH: 594
LBW: 506
W&P: 470
AMEC: 344
Jesus Calls Us
UMH: 398
H82: 549/550
GTG: 720
NNBH: 183
NCH: 171/172
CH: 337
LBW: 494
ELW: 696
W&P: 345
AMEC: 238
Take My Life and Let It Be
UMH: 399
H82: 707
PH: 391
GTG: 697
NNBH: 213
NCH: 448
CH: 609
LBW: 406
ELW: 583/685
W&P: 466
AMEC: 292
Renew: 150
Breathe on Me, Breath of God
UMH: 420
H82: 508
PH: 316
GTG: 286
AAHH: 317
NNBH: 126
NCH: 292
CH: 254
LBW: 488
W&P: 461
AMEC: 192
O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee
UMH: 430
H82: 659/660
PH: 357
GTG: 738
NNBH: 445
NCH: 503
CH: 602
LBW: 492
ELW: 818
W&P: 589
AMEC: 299
Be Thou My Vision
UMH: 451
H82: 488
PH: 339
GTG: 450
NCH: 451
CH: 595
ELW: 793
W&P: 502
AMEC: 281
STLT: 20
Renew: 151
My Faith Look Up to Thee
UMH: 452
H82: 691
PH: 383
GTG: 829
AAHH: 456
NNBH: 273
CH: 576
LBW: 479
ELW: 759
W&P: 419
AMEC: 415
Holly Spirit, Truth Divine
UMH: 465
PH: 321
NCH: 63
CH: 241
LBW: 257
ELW: 398
Trust and Obey
UMH: 467
AAHH: 380
NNBH: 322
CH: 556
W&P: 443
AMEC: 377
Change My Heart, O God
CCB: 56
Renew: 143
Make Me a Servant
CCB: 90
Music Resources Key
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
GTG: Glory to God, The Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
ELW: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
W&P: Worship & Praise
AMEC: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal
STLT: Singing the Living Tradition
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day/Collect
O God who is perfect light in whom there is no darkness:
Grant us the courage to open our hearts to you
that our darkness may be dispelled and we be filled with light;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We praise you, O God, because you are perfect light. In you there is no shadow or darkness. Help us to open our hearts so that your light may shine within, dispelling our darkness and filling us with your light. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
One: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins and especially our failure to face the dark places within us.
All: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. You created us in light and breathed your own Spirit within us and, yet, have places of darkness within. We have fear, anger, guilt, and places we cannot yet name. Out of these we speak and act in ways that do not reflect our being followers of Jesus. Give us the grace as we open our hearts to you to face our darkness, confess our sins, and invite your Spirit within. Amen.
One: God rejoices when we open our lives to the work of the Spirit. Receive the light of Christ within and follow him now and always.
Prayers of the People
We glorify your Name, O God, of Light and Love. You are the sure beacon which leads us on the path of life.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. You created us in light and breathed your own Spirit within us and, yet, have places of darkness within. We have fear, anger, guilt, and places we cannot yet name. Out of these we speak and act in ways that do not reflect our being followers of Jesus. Give us the grace as we open our hearts to you to face our darkness, confess our sins, and invite your Spirit within.
We give you thanks for your constant love and guidance. You walk with us even though we are unaware of your presence sometimes. Your light shines in our darkness and gives us hope. Even when we fail to follow you never fail to lead us. We thank you for those who surround us with prayer and caring. We are blessed to have faithful disciples who show us the way to go. We thank you for Jesus who was willing to endure all things that we might be led to life eternal.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray for all who are in need. We see around us that many are covered in deep darkness. People who struggle with finding their way in life and do not know where to look for light and guidance. People caught in the web of power and violence. May we be faithful disciples of Jesus so that we can reflect your love for them.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
Hear us as we pray for others: (Time for silent or spoken prayer.)
All these things we ask in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ who taught us to pray saying:
Our Father....Amen.
(Or if the Our Father is not used at this point in the service.)
All this we ask in the name of the blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
* * * * * *
CHILDREN’S SERMON
God Is A Hiding Place
by Tom Willadsen
Psalm 32
After the little ones gather up front, ask them “Where do you feel safe?” and “Who makes you feel safe?” Then read Psalm 32:7:
You are a hiding place for me;
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with glad cries of deliverance.
Tell a story of a time you felt afraid. Describe what it felt like. Did your heart race? Did you think you were going to get hurt? Were you afraid that some who is special to you would get hurt?
For me, the thing I am most afraid of is tornadoes. When I have nightmares, it is because there are tornadoes around. Sometimes when I’m super scared there’s a tornado on both sides of my house. When I was a boy, we lived in a place that had tornado warnings a lot. And there would be announcements on the TV and radio and the sirens would sound. Whenever there was a tornado warning, my family would go to the basement and take a transistor radio and wait for the all clear statement. It was scary, but it helped that my whole family would be together. The basement was a safe place. Sometimes I imagined that we were hiding from the tornado in the basement!
The Bible says that God is a hiding place. What does that look like, when you think of God being a hiding place? Give the little ones some time to think about this.
I think hiding places are safe places. So when I think of God being a hiding place, a safe place to get away from danger, I picture myself sitting in God’s lap, maybe God is reading a story to me while I’m there. I know that God wants me to be safe, and I am safe with God. Do you feel that too?
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, February 22, 2026 issue.
Copyright 2026 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
- Reading the Jesus Files by Chris Keating. Jesus temptations bring us face to face with the questions of his identity and calling as God’s Son, inviting us to discover the possibilities of Lent.
- Second Thoughts: Worship Me by Dean Feldmeyer. Worship: (verb transitive) 1. to honor or show reverence for as a divine being or supernatural power
2. to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion (Merriam-Webster Dictionary) - Sermon illustrations by Nazish Naseem, Mary Austin, Katy Stenta.
- Worship resources by George Reed.
- Children’s sermon: God is A Hiding Place by Tom Willaden based on Psalm 32.
Reading the Jesus Filesby Chris Keating
Matthew 4:1-11
Fresh from his baptism, his hair damp and feet muddy, Jesus is escorted by the Spirit into the wilderness. What first seems to be a time for contemplative hiking suddenly descends into a trail of anguish. The wilderness, scripture tells us, is almost always a place of painful discernment and struggle. Matthew makes it clear that the Spirit leads Jesus into a void where Satan awaits.
Our annual prologue to Lent reads like a dossier of temptation. In the Jesus’ files, we learn about how those forty days and forty nights placed Jesus face to face with siren calls to become popular, powerful, and prestigious.
Is this Jesus’ version of TV’s “Temptation Island,” minus the sex, or a cautionary tale of what might happen to us if we cave into our Lenten fasts from candy and social media?
Somehow that feels like pinto beans compared to what’s at stake in the gospel. Matthew is recounting more than Jesus foregoing momentary pleasure or avoiding snacks he didn’t really need. This year, as always, we start Lent with the reminder of the ways Jesus confronts a central question: Are you really all you claim to be?
Reading the Jesus’ files brings to mind the sordid tales told in the Jeffrey Epstein files. Those files depict a different sort of search for popularity, power, and prestige. But they also reveal a story of elite men confronted by a similar question. Inside the pages of the Epstein files, we hear the same question asked: “Are you really all you claim to be?”
In the News
Perusing the millions of documents released by the US Department of Justice regarding the Jeffrey Epstein scandal is not for the faint-hearted. The DOJ’s “Epstein Library” may be one of the only government websites restricted to adults over 18.
Concealed for years, the files are now available to anyone with access to a computer. The wide-ranging documents include flight logs, emails, videos, and text messages from people The New Yorker magazine describes as “a range of élites eager to curry favor with a criminal beyond the imaginings of the police blotter or the Marquis de Sade.”
Taking a dive into this cesspool leaves you wanting more than a shower to remove the filth. A high-pressure scrubbing along the lines of the decontamination scene depicted in the classic movie Silkwood is more appropriate.
Among the unearthed items is an interview with Epstein by an unnamed journalist. The journalist probes Epstein for any sign of contrition. Epstein remains stoic, telling the reporter that he believed the mothers standing in line to receive the charity he provided would have taken it regardless if the devil himself was handling donations. Pushing back, the interviewer asks, “Do you think you’re the devil himself?”
Epstein continues to demur, but the interviewer insists it’s a fair question. Epstein seems to shrug, answering, “I think I have a pretty good mirror.”
The irony is that the mirror reveals the profile of a depraved serial sexual offender blended with one who had achieved meteoric success in the world of finance. According to an attorney who has represented more than 200 of Epstein’s survivors, Epstein lived two lives: one as a serial sex offender who nearly daily abused young girls, and the other as a curator of relationships with some of the most powerful persons in the world.
Scores of famous and powerful people are named in the files, including (formerly Prince) Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Steve Bannon, Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Richard Branson. Though much information was redacted by the government, somehow the DOJ still managed to allow more than 500 references to the names and contact information of Epstein’s victims slip through the cracks.
The insights of the files provide a view into his deviant personality, while making it clear there were no innocent bystanders. Years ago, Brad Edwards, an attorney representing Epstein’s victims, told a judge that Epstein’s combined wealth and power likely made him the most dangerous sexual predator in US history.
Epstein used his charisma to lure elite academics, politicians, business leaders, and others to his illicit Bahamian island. Like the devil escorting Jesus to the pinnacles of power, Epstein showed his friends just what their access to him could provide.
That is the story told by the pictures of Epstein’s island of temptation. The images include a room outfitted with a dentist’s chair and an weirdly creepy array of masks of men’s faces. Another shows a library with chairs flanking a seminar-style whiteboard that includes the words “power,” “politics,” “truth,” and “deception.” Some files are short emails, others are explicitly pornographic.
The files make it clear that the temptations of the Epstein universe go far beyond the stuff Sunday school kids give up for Lent. They show that Epstein assured his followers that even though they had the kingdoms of the world within their grasp, they still needed more. This was the mask worn by the man in the mirror: all this could be yours if you just worship me.
In the Scriptures
Because the story of Jesus’ temptation is a stalwart feature of the Lenten lectionary, preachers may struggle to find new points of entry. Fortunately, the context of Matthew’s presentation of this material offers critical help. In both theme and content, chapter four follows closely on the story of Jesus’ baptism in verses 3:13-17. With God’s affirmation of Jesus still echoing, the Spirit leads Jesus from baptism to confirmation.
The narrative includes details worth pondering, including the connection to Jesus’ baptism, the significance of the location, Jesus’ disciplined fasting, and the appearance of the tempter. The geography of Matthew 4 is significant, especially as the tempter tries to assuage Jesus’ fatigue by whisking him off to more appealing destinations like the pinnacle of the temple. As the infancy narratives have touched on Israel’s experiences of exodus and exile, so now Jesus enters his own wilderness wanderings. Warren Carter helpfully suggests caution with these comparisons, however, especially if Israel’s faithless temptations are compared to Jesus’ faithfulness. Carter notes such a “move unacceptably emerges from and reinforces errant claims of Christian superiority and of Israel’s rejection from divine purposes.”
Jesus is led into the wilderness where the reality of his God-affirmed identity is called into question. In the tempter’s hands, the question is more than “if you are the Son of God.” More likely is the suggestion by Eugene Boring that “if” could just as likely be translated as “since.” (See Anna Case Winters, Matthew: Belief Commentary). Like Epstein staring into the mirror, Jesus’ identity is tested. Anna Case Winters puts it this way:
The question at issue is not whether Jesus is the Son of God, but since he is the Son of God, what will that mean, how will he live out his relationship to God? The temptations he faces will each in turn urge him to take his relationship to God as a position of privilege, using it to meet his own needs, receive protection from the vulnerability of his humanity, and gain power over all the kingdoms of the world. Is this what it means to be “the Son of God?” Or will Jesus understand his calling in terms of God’s redemptive work and take up a role of serving God and God’s people toward that end — even if the end was suffering and death for him? (Winters, Matthew, p. 52.)
In the Sermon
Jesus’ temptations offer an opportunity to explore the various way Lent invites us into a season of individual and corporate discernment. As Jesus is confronted with the meaning of his identity as God’s beloved, so too is the congregation led toward contemplating what that means for individuals and the church.
The Jesus files reveal the identity of one who came to serve, not to be served. Those files offer images and accounts of the One who summoned people to claim that same God-given identity. Unlike the Epstein files, the Jesus files uphold the possibilities of a world defined not by craven power and deviant exchanges, but by truth, mercy, and love.
The Epstein files show us the depths humans are willing to descend in search of power, fame, and control. Yet the Jesus files offer more than just a counter narrative. They offer words of life and healing. They narrate a hope we need to hear.
Epstein’s villainy emerged from the way he looked at himself in the mirror. A mirror held before Jesus would reveal something more than empty-eyed greed. Where Epstein looked for the devil, Jesus looked for victims. Where Epstein’s fists clenched power and greed, Jesus’ hands offered mercy and justice. The idea of trading away his identity was never in question.
That’s the promise of the Jesus files, and a promise our world so desperately needs to hear.
* * * * *
SECOND THOUGHTSWorship Me
by Dean Feldmeyer
Matthew 4:1-11
Quick quiz: How many times and where does the phrase “worship me” appear in the New Testament? And who says it?
Answer: Twice. The phrase appears one time in Matthew (4:1-11) and Luke (4:1-13). It is spoken by Satan when he is tempting Jesus in the wilderness.
So, to summarize — Watch out! When you feel yourself tempted to honor or show great reverence for something, to regard something or someone with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion to something — that thing might just be God for you.
In the Scripture
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’ ” (vv. 8-10)
It’s a fairly straightforward account. Twice the devil has tried to tempt Jesus into proving himself — turning stones into bread and leaping from the top of the temple — and twice he has failed.
So, now he tries to tempt him with power. He takes Jesus to the top of a mountain from which is visible all of the cities and countries as far as the eye can see. “I will give you all of these (the known world) to rule,” he says, “if you will just worship me.”
Jesus responds with a paraphrase of Deuteronomy 6:6-10, from the Decalogue, or maybe Deuteronomy 6:13, both of which forbid the worship of anything or anyone other than YHWH. And he follows this up with an authoritative dismissal of Satan.
In the News
Those who study political rhetoric call it “messianic leadership language.” It usually speaks of salvation and protection, casting the speaker as the only person who can save and protect the voter. Donald Trump is not unfamiliar with that style of communication and used it in his campaign speeches.
In a 2015 announcement ,as Trump formed an exploratory committee for a presidential run, he framed himself as uniquely capable of restoring American strength and respect. “I am the only one who can make America truly great again!”
And again, in a speech he delivered in Bedminster, New Jersey, after an arraignment, he told supporters, “I am the only one who can save this nation.”
In Kentucky, Republican US House Representative Thomas Massie and retired Navy SEAL officer Ed Gallrein, are running a savage primary campaign against each other seeing how many times they can accuse each other of being “woke” — both promising to save America from all things progressive.
And it’s not just politicians who employ messianic language of salvation and protection. ADT’s television ads promise to keep your family safe from harm and offer a frightening account of what can happen if you don’t use their system.
This car will save you from loneliness. These clothes will save you from nerdiness.
Just dedicate yourself to them. Regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion. Give them your money, your vote, your patronage, and you will be all you want or need to be.
In the Sermon
As soon as the clergy dare to speak from the pulpit about some controversial issue in our culture, or as soon as pastors step out of the pulpit and into the streets to join those who demonstrate against injustice, or even put a political bumper sticker on their car, we will hear the strident voices of those who want us to “stay in our lane,” to “stay out of politics and stick with religion.”
And all this is true unless the preacher’s message happens to agree with the views of the listener. Then we are encouraged to preach on endlessly regarding that topic.
In the years leading up to and during the Civil War, the pulpits of America echoed with loud proclamations condemning and defending slavery with both sides quoting the Bible to justify their position.
In our own time, conservative evangelical churches and progressive mainline protestant churches preach loudly and often, one side praising Donald Trump in near messianic terms and the other condemning him as if he were Satan incarnate. And both sides use scripture in their sermons.
The issue is not the mixing of politics and scripture/theology in the sermon. The real issue is — which comes first?
Does our Christian theology inform our political opinions or do our political opinions inform our theology? Do we study the Bible thoroughly and then allow that study to inform our political stand? Or do we choose a political stand and then cherry pick a verse here and a verse there to justify our political stand?
To do one is to operate out of a faithful relationship to the word of God. To do the other is idolatry.
Of course, the issue does not apply to politics alone.
We might just as easily ask if our theology informs our relationship to the things in our life or does our love of the things in our life inform our theology? Or does our love of things nullify all together any consideration of theology. Can a Christian find justification in the Bible for owning a BMW or a Corvette, a second house on the lake or condo on the beach?
And what about our other ethics? Are we Christians at home and at church only? Or does our Christian faith extend into the marketplace as well? Is our business ethic based on the New Testament or on the bottom line only?
These are the questions that spring from today’s scripture lesson. These are the questions that we must answer in all that we do at church, at home, at work, at play, on the job site, or at school. Whom do I worship? Whom do I follow? Did I bring my Christian faith with me, or did I leave it at the door when I entered here?
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Mary Austin:Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7
Curiosity
Curiosity killed the cat, the old saying goes. It also gets Adam and Eve in trouble, although I suspect God knew that would happen, having made them.
Jud Brewer says that curiosity is baked into us, as it was for Eve and Adam. “Curiosity is an innate natural and universal capacity that we all have. It naturally blossoms when we are children. When we can tap into our own curiosity, it helps us discover how the world works, drawing us in with a childlike fascination. Leon Lederman, who was director of Fermilab and won the 1988 Nobel prize in physics, said: “Children are born scientists. They do everything scientists do. They test how strong things are. They measure falling bodies. … they learn the physics of the world around them. They are all perfect scientists … They ask questions, they drive parents crazy with why? Why? Why?”
Brewer says we need more curiosity, not less, writing, “As adults, we often struggle with trying to tap into that wonder state that we had as a kid that feels so good; it gets overrun by a different type of curiosity, one instilled by instant access to information and goaded on by Google. Yo-yo Ma, a pioneer in music (and cello virtuoso), who said, “I’m the curious kid, always going to the edge.” How can we channel his inner kid to awaken our inner explorer?”
Without curiosity, Adam and Eve would have lived a dull life, with only the sameness of the garden every day.
* * *
Matthew 4:1-11
Meeting Up With the Devil
Out in the wilderness, the devil offers Jesus some interesting temptations. Parker Palmer notes that we look in the wrong place for the devil. He writes:
Given the life I’ve been privileged to live, I know that the devil’s real work is white supremacy. That sick set of beliefs was also the key to the MAGA president’s razor-thin 2024 win. His pledge to “lower the price of eggs” was not what took him to the top — he barely had time to mention it amid his torrent of lies about marauding thieves, murderers, rapists, and pet-eating legal immigrants. He won by playing the white supremacy card in a country where too many white folks are afraid of losing cultural dominance and white privilege. That’s why his supporters adore his attacks on DEI, and cheer at videos of chained and bowed deportees who were deprived of due process — even as the cost of living keeps rising, recession looms and chaos reigns at home and abroad.
But, Houston, we have a problem: white supremacy is a colossal White lie. If slavery, Jim Crow, the New Jim Crow and voter suppression don’t make that clear, ample evidence is close at hand. Listen to any white supremacist and see for yourself how un-supreme he or she is. You’ll find examples on cable TV, down the street, at some churches, in a nearby bar, at your statehouse and on Capitol Hill. How could this country have flourished in any worthy way if such folks were the only show in town?
This temptation is perennial in our civic life, and we never vanquish it.
* * *
Matthew 4:1-11
Resting in the Desert
As Jesus waits in the desert, he’s taking the first of many rests that will fuel his work. The wilderness is boring, dull, and lonely, and yet it must also be deeply restful. In this, Jesus offers us a powerful example.
Benjamin Schaefer notes that most of what we call rest isn’t restful. “I define shadow rest as any form of “rest” that is not actually restful. In my experience, the most common forms of shadow rest are media, social media, and online devices. Sitting down at the end of the day to watch an episode of television, or better yet, a movie — something with a clearly defined beginning and end — may function as a form of rest as long as I am present and engaged with whatever I’m watching. But staying up until 2:00 AM binging an entire Netflix series is not rest. Neither is losing three hours passively scrolling on my phone.”
For us, our phones are always at hand. Schafer practices turning his phone off, to have a true rest. He shares, “I would be lying on the sofa, reading a novel, and three pages in, I would watch as my hand reached for my phone, seemingly without my permission. Then, when I picked up my phone, I was met with a dark screen because I had turned my phone off. Thanks to that interruption in what had become a compulsive habit, I could ask myself, “Do I really need to look up which Fleetwood Mac album Stevie Nicks’s song ‘Gypsy’ appeared on or how many people died from COVID today right this minute?” The answer was always, No, I did not. My brain had simply been rewired for distraction. And distraction is not rest.”
Jesus is immune to distraction, perhaps because he understands how to rest.
* * *
Matthew 4:1-11
Dissolved Into God
In Aflame: Learning from Silence, Pico Iyer writes about the stillness he finds at a monastery. At a Zen monastery, he listens to a Zen monk, and has an experience like the one Jesus had in the desert.
“We all want to dissolve,” the old Zen monk in red bobble cap and thin glasses tells me, with a wry chuckle, as he greets me in the chill mountains behind Los Angeles, three hundred miles south of Big Sur, where I’ve come at the end of December. “We all need the experience of forgetting who we are. I think that’s what love is: forgetting who you are.” He flashes a crooked grin. “Forgetting who you are is such a delicious experience. And so frightening.”
Perhaps Jesus feels this same mixture of delicious freedom and fear, as he spends his forty days in the desert.
* * * * * *
From team member Katy Stenta:Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7
One cannot help but hear echoes of Pam Bondi saying that the stock market is above 50,000 and that is what one should be paying attention to, not the rape of thousands of children, when Adam and Eve try to blame anything and everything instead of taking responsibility for their mistake. The shame they feel and the fact that they need to cover it all up feels visceral and real. They do not like to feel exposed. However, the need for clear communication of the truth to name who did what and to protect those who have been harmed, is now bigger than ever.
* * *
Psalm 32
Courtney Milan, who skated competitively, said that in the Olympics “It’s fairly common to wave flags for everyone. You’ll see people at skating competitions with bags full of flags for everyone there.” The Olympic culture is a supportive one. It is hard to get to the Olympics — people support one another. The cheering and good news is the protective cover to help, even when one loses. The shelter in the storm. This is the kind of culture that the Olympics is trying to foster, one where countries talk and cheer on one another. One where good news is appreciated by all. One where winning is less important than doing one’s best. It stands in stark contrast to a world of billionaires, profits, and capitalism.
* * *
Romans 5:12-19
Sin and the law are not the same thing. Surely the operations of ICE make that clear. The building and populating of the concentration camps in the United States could be made 100% legal through the machinations of the government, executive orders, and reinterpretation of policies already on the books. However, that will never make them humane. An article in The Guardian by Moira Donegan describing the conditions of the detention centers clearly identifies them as concentration camps, something that no country ever needs. They are no more or less than places to imprison and control unwanted populations, to torture, and scare them. It is inhumane. The Bible makes clear that Christ is all about grace and understanding. Jesus wants justification and life for all. Life giving practices are the Christian ones.
* * *
Matthew 4:1-11
As Jesus talks about temptation, the worship of billionaires comes to mind. Many people emulate millionaires and billionaires because we understand, at a basic level, that what rich people can get away with is very different than poor people. The Epstein documents have made that clear. This means that we tend to treat rich people very differently from middle class and poor people. We emulate them, we listen to them, we turn them into demagogues. We say things like “but they were laughing all the way to the bank.” (I personally dislike that phrase.) However, thinking that those who happen to be born into wealth are better is ridiculous, because, as Jesus says, one cannot live on bread alone. Being rich can change your brain so that you have less empathy. It can cloud your moral judgment and actually stand in the way of happiness. Jesus’ time in the desert clarifies that the only thing we should be worshiping is God.
* * * * * *
From team member Nazish Naseem:Genesis 2:15-17
Covenantal vocation and sacred boundary
Imagine a newly appointed high priest placed within a sacred temple by a sovereign king. The temple is filled with abundance — provision, beauty, and delegated authority. The priest is commissioned not merely to enjoy the space but to serve and guard it, maintaining its sanctity, inspiring reverence for God’s sacred boundaries.
However, at the center of the temple stands one object reserved exclusively for the king’s authority — a symbol of ultimate sovereignty. The priest may oversee everything else, but this central symbol marks a boundary: the distinction between delegated stewardship and ultimate rule.
The prohibition is not arbitrary; it is covenantal. It establishes relational order:
- The king remains the determiner of law and wisdom.
- The priest exercises authority only in faithful dependence.
Thus, Genesis 2:15-17 illustrates structured freedom within sacred vocation. Humanity’s role is priestly stewardship under divine kingship. The tree functions as a sacramental boundary marking that moral authority belongs to God alone. Obedience sustains life because it preserves the right relationship with the source of life.
* * *
Genesis 3:1-7
Covenantal rupture through mistrust and autonomous redefinition of truth
Consider a constitutional kingdom whose stability depends on trust in the wisdom of its sovereign. A subtle advisor approaches a royal steward and begins not with rebellion, but with reinterpretation:
“Did the king really mean what he said? Perhaps his command was restrictive. Perhaps he fears your advancement.”
The advisor reframes the law as a limitation rather than a protection. The steward moves from trust to suspicion, from suspicion to evaluation, and from evaluation to transgression.
Upon violating the central statute, the steward does not ascend to shared sovereignty. Instead, the very fabric of the kingdom begins to unravel. Authority becomes insecurity. Confidence becomes shame. Transparency gives way to concealment.
This mirrors verses 1-7. The serpent’s strategy is epistemological — it destabilizes confidence in divine speech. The woman’s reasoning process (good for food, pleasing to the eyes, desirable for wisdom) reflects a shift from receptive obedience to autonomous moral assessment.
When the eyes are “opened,” what emerges is not divinity but vulnerability. The first human act after transgression is self-covering — an attempt at self-atonement. The rupture is relational before it is environmental.
Thus, the passage illustrates that sin is fundamentally the pursuit of epistemological sovereignty — the attempt to define good and evil apart from God-resulting in alienation from God, from one another, and from the self, which impacts our moral boundaries and relationships today.
* * *
Psalm 32
From Silence to Song
Psalm 32, attributed to David, highlights the importance of confession and trusting God’s forgiveness as a spiritual journey from secrecy to celebration.
The Weight of Silence (vv. 1-5)
Imagine a traveler walking a long, dusty road, a hidden stone pressed against his chest.
To everyone else, he seems fine — he smiles, greets others, walks steadily. Yet with each step, the stone digs deeper into his shoulders. He tells himself, “I can carry this. I’ll handle it later.”
But days pass, and the weight grows. His energy fades. His joy disappears. Even the sun feels hotter, the path steeper.
David captures this struggle:
“When I kept silent, my bones wasted away… For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.”
Silence did not shield him. It consumed him. Hiding guilt made the burden unbearable.
Finally, he stops pretending. He opens his coat and lifts the stone, speaking honestly to God:
“I acknowledged my sin to you.”
Immediately, the weight vanishes, bringing a deep sense of relief and reassurance. The burden that once seemed unbreakable is gone, and God’s forgiveness offers new hope and peace.
“You forgave the iniquity of my sin.”
The traveler breathes freely for the first time in months. His steps are lighter. His heart is no longer weighed down by shame. The blessing of confession and forgiveness is tangible — he walks upright, alive, and renewed.
* * *
Psalm 32 (vv. 6-11)
The Path of Joy
Now the road is bright and open, symbolizing spiritual renewal, as the forgiven traveler notices God’s guiding presence beside him.
He feels invisible hands pointing the way, steadying him when he falters, showing the safe path forward.
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.”
The steps once heavy now spring with lightness. The burden is gone, replaced by security and guidance. He understands that life is no longer about hiding or fearing mistakes — it is about walking in trust. David’s words echo in his heart:
“Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!” Joy radiates around him like sunlight breaking through clouds, reminding us of God’s steadfast love that surrounds and protects us, filling us with trust and confidence.
The journey has transformed: from the suffocating weight of silence to the freedom of a song. His steps now echo trust, hope, and celebration. Each stride whispers the truth of Psalm 32 — grace is stronger than shame, and confession leads to life.
* * * * * *
WORSHIPby George Reed
Call to Worship
One: Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven.
All: Happy are those to whom God imputes no iniquity.
One: Let us confess our sins to God who forgives all our guilt.
All: God is our hiding place who preserves us from trouble.
One: Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous.
All: Shout for joy to our God, all you upright in heart.
OR
One: Come to the light of God which overcomes the darkness.
All: We long for light so that we may find our way.
One: Trust in the One who brings light for our journey.
All: We place ourselves in the loving care of God.
One: Look for God within and in the faces of others.
All: We will seek God at all times in all people.
Hymns and Songs
Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days
UMH: 269
H82: 142
PH: 81
GTG: 166
NCH: 211
CH: 180
W&P: 252
Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
UMH: 358
H82: 652/653
PH: 345
GTG: 169
NCH: 502
CH: 594
LBW: 506
W&P: 470
AMEC: 344
Jesus Calls Us
UMH: 398
H82: 549/550
GTG: 720
NNBH: 183
NCH: 171/172
CH: 337
LBW: 494
ELW: 696
W&P: 345
AMEC: 238
Take My Life and Let It Be
UMH: 399
H82: 707
PH: 391
GTG: 697
NNBH: 213
NCH: 448
CH: 609
LBW: 406
ELW: 583/685
W&P: 466
AMEC: 292
Renew: 150
Breathe on Me, Breath of God
UMH: 420
H82: 508
PH: 316
GTG: 286
AAHH: 317
NNBH: 126
NCH: 292
CH: 254
LBW: 488
W&P: 461
AMEC: 192
O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee
UMH: 430
H82: 659/660
PH: 357
GTG: 738
NNBH: 445
NCH: 503
CH: 602
LBW: 492
ELW: 818
W&P: 589
AMEC: 299
Be Thou My Vision
UMH: 451
H82: 488
PH: 339
GTG: 450
NCH: 451
CH: 595
ELW: 793
W&P: 502
AMEC: 281
STLT: 20
Renew: 151
My Faith Look Up to Thee
UMH: 452
H82: 691
PH: 383
GTG: 829
AAHH: 456
NNBH: 273
CH: 576
LBW: 479
ELW: 759
W&P: 419
AMEC: 415
Holly Spirit, Truth Divine
UMH: 465
PH: 321
NCH: 63
CH: 241
LBW: 257
ELW: 398
Trust and Obey
UMH: 467
AAHH: 380
NNBH: 322
CH: 556
W&P: 443
AMEC: 377
Change My Heart, O God
CCB: 56
Renew: 143
Make Me a Servant
CCB: 90
Music Resources Key
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
GTG: Glory to God, The Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
ELW: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
W&P: Worship & Praise
AMEC: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal
STLT: Singing the Living Tradition
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day/Collect
O God who is perfect light in whom there is no darkness:
Grant us the courage to open our hearts to you
that our darkness may be dispelled and we be filled with light;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We praise you, O God, because you are perfect light. In you there is no shadow or darkness. Help us to open our hearts so that your light may shine within, dispelling our darkness and filling us with your light. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
One: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins and especially our failure to face the dark places within us.
All: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. You created us in light and breathed your own Spirit within us and, yet, have places of darkness within. We have fear, anger, guilt, and places we cannot yet name. Out of these we speak and act in ways that do not reflect our being followers of Jesus. Give us the grace as we open our hearts to you to face our darkness, confess our sins, and invite your Spirit within. Amen.
One: God rejoices when we open our lives to the work of the Spirit. Receive the light of Christ within and follow him now and always.
Prayers of the People
We glorify your Name, O God, of Light and Love. You are the sure beacon which leads us on the path of life.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. You created us in light and breathed your own Spirit within us and, yet, have places of darkness within. We have fear, anger, guilt, and places we cannot yet name. Out of these we speak and act in ways that do not reflect our being followers of Jesus. Give us the grace as we open our hearts to you to face our darkness, confess our sins, and invite your Spirit within.
We give you thanks for your constant love and guidance. You walk with us even though we are unaware of your presence sometimes. Your light shines in our darkness and gives us hope. Even when we fail to follow you never fail to lead us. We thank you for those who surround us with prayer and caring. We are blessed to have faithful disciples who show us the way to go. We thank you for Jesus who was willing to endure all things that we might be led to life eternal.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray for all who are in need. We see around us that many are covered in deep darkness. People who struggle with finding their way in life and do not know where to look for light and guidance. People caught in the web of power and violence. May we be faithful disciples of Jesus so that we can reflect your love for them.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
Hear us as we pray for others: (Time for silent or spoken prayer.)
All these things we ask in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ who taught us to pray saying:
Our Father....Amen.
(Or if the Our Father is not used at this point in the service.)
All this we ask in the name of the blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
* * * * * *
CHILDREN’S SERMONGod Is A Hiding Place
by Tom Willadsen
Psalm 32
After the little ones gather up front, ask them “Where do you feel safe?” and “Who makes you feel safe?” Then read Psalm 32:7:
You are a hiding place for me;
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with glad cries of deliverance.
Tell a story of a time you felt afraid. Describe what it felt like. Did your heart race? Did you think you were going to get hurt? Were you afraid that some who is special to you would get hurt?
For me, the thing I am most afraid of is tornadoes. When I have nightmares, it is because there are tornadoes around. Sometimes when I’m super scared there’s a tornado on both sides of my house. When I was a boy, we lived in a place that had tornado warnings a lot. And there would be announcements on the TV and radio and the sirens would sound. Whenever there was a tornado warning, my family would go to the basement and take a transistor radio and wait for the all clear statement. It was scary, but it helped that my whole family would be together. The basement was a safe place. Sometimes I imagined that we were hiding from the tornado in the basement!
The Bible says that God is a hiding place. What does that look like, when you think of God being a hiding place? Give the little ones some time to think about this.
I think hiding places are safe places. So when I think of God being a hiding place, a safe place to get away from danger, I picture myself sitting in God’s lap, maybe God is reading a story to me while I’m there. I know that God wants me to be safe, and I am safe with God. Do you feel that too?
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, February 22, 2026 issue.
Copyright 2026 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
