Armed For Life In The Wilderness

Invocavit - February 13, 2005

Matthew 4:1-11

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

It’s a jungle out there. At least, that was a popular phrase for describing life in the work-a-day world not too long ago. It is still is use in some circles today. It is a dog-eat-dog world in the work place.

In our text, Jesus went out into the wilderness to be tempted. But, I would like you to think about this, what is our world like? Satan is out there everywhere, everyday, trying all sorts of things to tempt you and me, and lead us astray.

And, if you think about it, calling the world a jungle, or a wilderness, really does apply to life in American society today. At least, if you are a Christian, today’s world certainly isn’t our home. And it certainly isn’t friendly to Christians. We could say that life in our world in 2005, is life in the wilderness.

What, you don’t believe me? Turn on the TV. Baywatch has been around for years, it is simply temptation to lust after scantily clad women and hunks of man-flesh. But, stuff has gotten worse since Baywatch debuted. It is tough to find a show on television that is truly 100% acceptable to Christians who are honest in their faith when they turn on the TV.

There’s Sex In the City, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, One Tree Hill, Will and Grace, Desperate Housewives, The Bachelorette, and the list goes on. Even some of the cartoons are geared more for adults without kids anywhere near the TV. And of course, how many football haters turned on the Super Bowl this year, especially during halftime, just hoping for some sort of “wardrobe malfunction”.

Discovery and the History Channel, 20/20 and 60 Minutes have had their programs looking for the historical Jesus. And if not that, they have had numerous programs trying to debunk the historicity of the Bible. Only problem is, archaeologically, the deeper they dig, the more they prove the Bible correct. Yet they continue to scoff at and laugh at Christians. Ted Turner being the biggest scoffer and laugher at the things of the faith.

You need more evidence that things are bad? Let’s face it, it doesn’t start with TV, TV only reflects the mood and morality of society. Did you ever believe that we’d need a law in this nation that defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman? Those who say Christians should be more open-minded about this issue get all bent out of shape when we try to get creation as an alternative theory to evolution in our schools. And yet, in the scientific world, evolution is still unproven.

At the same time, in many schools, children are reprimanded for carrying or reading a Bible. Where is freedom of speech when a valedictorian is told they cannot say a prayer or mention God in their graduation speech? Even in Clintonville, some of our catechumens have been told that they cannot read their Catechism during study hall? Is that freedom of religion?

You want another example that we live in the wilderness? More children have been killed in the ongoing holocaust of abortion in this country than have been killed as veterans of our military in ALL wars we have fought.

We could go on listing the evidence of rampant sinfulness in our own society, but I think you get the idea. Of course, my telling this to you is like preaching to the choir, these are probably not your sins. Yet, there are many temptations to sin, to which we do succumb. Yes, it is a wilderness out there.

Christ went into the wilderness. His three temptations are symptomatic of all the temptations that you and I endure.

First, there was the temptation to make a stone into bread, to make food. In other words, Satan tempts Jesus to be concerned about satisfying His belly, concerned about making His flesh happy. This is familiar. We all like to have happy flesh. Sometimes though, the pursuit of the pleasures of this life overcome the more important things of life. Jesus’ response to the temptation? “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”

How often in our life is God’s Word the foremost thought of each and every day? How often is God’s Word the first thing you open to read in the morning? Is it how you end each day? Does prayer come from your mouth morning, evening, and every meal - not to mention other times in the day? Is God foremost in your thoughts as you make every decision, whether or not to do something is pleasing to His will?

To be honest, how often is it the world’s view of God or God’s Word that dictates our decision making process. I will confess my sin: more often than I’d like, God isn’t always first and foremost in all my thoughts. There are times when His Word and will are not first.

Jesus overcame this temptation, He fulfilled God’s will for His Word. But Satan wasn’t through with Him - just as he isn’t through with us.

Next, Satan tried to get Jesus to doubt God, to test God. He tempts us in the same way, and there are many times that we do, aren’t there? It is easy to complain and blame God for why things happen to you. We like to test God, “If you are so loving God, then why is Uncle Aluiscious in the hospital again?” Or maybe, we test God to see if He’ll do what we want, “God, if you do this, then I’ll be in church every Sunday.”

Finally, Satan tempted Jesus with power. Here’s a temptation which overcomes many of us. You want to be influential and have people listen to you. Isn’t it great to have people look up to you? All Jesus had to do in order to receive the power Satan promised, was to worship him.

The temptation to have other gods is great. “Here, play the Lotto, go to the casino - get rich quick and the world will be yours.” It is easy to worship money. Worship of self happens when we indulge every desire of the flesh. We even worship our family - spouse and children take priority. Anything to which we give more time than God, is an idol to us.

How did we come to this sad state? How come we are so susceptible to sin? Why are we so prone to do those things we know we shouldn’t do, and then late, wish we hadn’t?

We could use the excuse, “the devil made me do it.” And having said that, think we’re done with it. We could say, “it’s in my genes.” That’s another popular cop out today. Whatever the excuse is, it is simply an attempt to take the blame away from ourselves for what we do.

Ultimately, you are responsible for your own actions - just as I am. Some even try to excuse it by saying that we’re hamstrung before we begin because of Psalm 51: Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me. I guess, in a way, we were born with a genetic defect - sinfulness. We have the gene problem of being born of sinful flesh.

So, if this is the problem, why bother fighting it? And many don’t.

We could give up. But instead, I point you to something else. Today, I point you to the baptismal font. I want you to think about it. I want you to think about what happened there. It has to do with you.

How many of you were baptized today? How many of you remember the day of your baptism, and what took place? Not just what, but remember it happening to you. How many of you know what your baptism means to you today?

Your baptism means that today you are armed for life in the wilderness. You are equipped for the battlefield of life. Jesus says to us in John’s Gospel, “That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of Spirit is spirit.” That, dear friends in Christ, is important. Why? Because our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places, just as Paul writes.

And how can you fight these things? You and I cannot, at least not if we are left on our own. Not if you are born only of flesh and blood. This is why Christ was baptized into your sin, and you were baptized into Christ - reborn of water and Spirit. For as you were baptized into Christ’s death, you were also raised with Him to a new life.

Paul says it so well. We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. (Romans 6:4_6 ESV)

In baptism you are united to Christ. In our text, we read that Christ defeated Satan - He overcame all temptation. You are I are unable to do that. But, you are united to Christ. In Christ, you have already done that. In your baptism you were given the Holy Spirit who dwells within you. And as you gather around Word and Sacrament, the Spirit strengthens you as Christ comes to you in these means of grace.

No, your baptism doesn’t guarantee you heaven. Any one of us can fall away from the faith. But, every time you see water, remember your baptism. Let the water remind you that God chose you to be His child - He made you His child - through water and the Word. In baptism, you were united to all Christ has done for you. In Christ, you are armed for life in the wilderness, for in Christ you do more than live - you are already victorious.

All Satan’s wily tricks were pulled out to try and trip up Jesus to sin. And over them all, Christ was victorious. Satan tried to get Jesus to fail, wanted Him to turn from His path to the cross, but Jesus overcame him. Jesus did go to the cross, and died upon it, and then rose three days later. His resurrection proclaimed that His death defeated death for all people - for all time.

In every baptism, God’s Spirit is given to indwell another child, to arm him or her for the fight of their life. Today, God’s Spirit is given you in the Word, renewing you in your baptism - to arm you to return into the wilderness and face the week ahead. You are armed for life in the wilderness - and in Christ, you are already victorious. Amen.

The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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