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Introduction to Worship for 3/5/2017

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And So It Begins

Life is full of movement – sometimes toward something new, sometimes away from something bad, but always an adventure. The readings for this week could be seen as inviting us into an adventure that will last throughout the Season of Lent. Each of the weekly focus passages – primarily from the gospel of John – may be familiar to us, but they contain a sense of surprise and adventure for those in the stories themselves, as they find certainty in the midst of uncertainty.

Matthew 4:1–11

This week’s reading from the gospel of Matthew tells a story of the beginnings of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus is led by God’s spirit into the wilderness to be tested by Satan. Wilderness is a place of seeking, journeying, and struggling with the possibilities. It is a powerful image in the Hebrew Scriptures: the people of Israel and the prophets Elijah and Elisha all had wilderness experiences that forced them into choices and decisions. It is as if Jesus is faced with the same tests as the people of Israel when Moses led them out of Egypt.

Each temptation or test Jesus faces increases in complexity, from the physical needs of hunger in the wilderness, to the possibilities of political and religious power in Jerusalem, to the mountaintop where one might meet with God. Should he use his power to feed himself, to draw people to his cause by working miracles, or perhaps use undue influence to bring change? Jesus relies on the grace of God to rebuff Satan and to choose wisely.

Often, when we are setting out on a journey or beginning a new project we find ourselves facing choices. How do we respond? How do our choices influence the outcome?

We may not know where we are going, but we are invited to set out – to begin the adventure that is Lent. We do so knowing we can challenge temptations we might face, knowing that despite our mistakes God is still with us, and that grace is greater than sin. How supported do these things make you feel as you embark on this season?

Connecting with life

Some people love to start new adventures, and others approach them with a little more trepidation. No matter how we generally approach such things, however, there is always a certain degree of anxiety based on the things that we do not know, on the uncertainties that every new situation presents to us. Think about a time you have undertaken something new.

  • Did you find yourself spending time “in the wilderness” to prepare?
  • Do you think God’s spirit sets us up to be tested or challenged?

Note that Jesus is in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights—thought by many scholars to be a Hebrew euphemism for “a long time.” Whether we take it literally or not, the point is that Jesus is in the wilderness for a lot more time than this brief encounter with the devil would require.

  • What other things do you imagine Jesus might have faced during his time in the wilderness?

The word translated “wilderness” can also be translated as “desert” – the point of the original word is a place that is desolate. Yet it is not always to be understood as a negative; sometimes it is good to “get away from it all.”

  • What do you think is the role or symbolism of the wilderness in this story?

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