March 6, 2022

First Sunday in Lent

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
  • First reading
    • Deuteronomy 26:1-11
  • Psalm
    • Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16
  • Second reading
    • Romans 10:8b-13
  • Gospel
    • Luke 4:1-13

The gospel from Luke:
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished.

Temptation in the Desert ca. 1886-1894
Tissot, James 1836-1902
Brooklyn Museum Watercolor
New York NY*
Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.

The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.'”

Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to him, “To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.'”

Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.'” Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'”

When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.

Sermon:
Pastor Stevensen today points out that our three scripture readings interact. In Deuteronomy, we read of Moses’ telling the Israelites that “The Lord brought us out of Egypt …..and brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land filled with milk and honey.” Only God could have done this. They were told to only trust God. In Luke we read that the devil said to Jesus after showing him all the kingdoms of the world “If you will worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered, “It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him.” Only God can give life on Earth. In Romans, Paul has written “……if you believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you will be saved.” Pastor continues toward a concluding reminder of “God’s glorius Resurrection of His Son.”

*Notes:
“…when his (Tissot) carefully researched collection of 350 watercolors depicting the life of Jesus was first published as a book in 1896, it found a large and enthusiastic audience. No one who had followed his previous career could have anticipated that this painter of urban life in Paris and London would undertake the project of painting virtually every event in the Gospels.

The Life of Our Lord Jesus Christ project took nearly ten years to complete. When it was done, it chronicled the entire life of Jesus as recorded in the New Testament in a series of 350 watercolors. To research the project Tissot traveled to Egypt, Syria, and Palestine in 1886–87, and again in 1890.

While in the Holy Land he closely observed the landscape, the vegetation, the architecture, and the manner of dress, and filled sketchbooks with what he saw. He talked with rabbis and studied Talmudic literature as well as theological and historical volumes. He believed that there was still a remaining “aura” in the places where the Gospel events took place, and he spoke of having mystical experiences that added to his careful research. What he wanted to create was something as close as possible to an eyewitness account of the life of Jesus.” [from Terry Glaspey’s “75 Masterpieces Every Christian Should Know”]

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