1. At the beginning of Lent

Today is the first Sunday of Lent. Lent is the period preceding Easter that in the Christian Church is devoted to fasting, abstinence, and penitence in commemoration of Christ’s fasting in the wilderness. It runs from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday and so includes forty weekdays. Lent is also called ‘quaresima’ in Italian or ‘ Carême’ in French, which mean ‘ forty days,’ derived from Latin*.

Easter is one of mobile feasts and this year it falls on April 5. Ash Wednesday is the 17th February from which we observe 46 days (40 weekdays) till Easter the period of Lent. The duration is fixed to symbolize the event of ‘ The temptations of Jesus,’ in which he was tempted for forty days by the devil in the desert. (see Luke 4:1-2)

We read today the concerning passage from Luke’s Gospel. Luke described the beginning of Jesus’ ministry this way ; - When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened(Luke 3:21)

At that moment, Jesus recognized his real identity, the son of God, and understood the mission given by God. Then he was led by the Holy spirit to reflect on what he should do exactly to fulfill the assignment. ; - Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. (Luke 4:1-2)

The verses above reveal that God’s will intervened to sent Jesus to the desert through the power of the Holy Spirit. Then, as Luke wrote the devil murmured to Jesus there.

A japanese psychiatrist and novel author Otohiko Kaga wrote in one of his works that ‘murmurs of devil’ might be a symbolical reality* (’murmurs of devil. ‘ - ISBN 4-08-720354-9) He treated more than 10 patients who had attempted suicide. And the majority of them thought they heard devil’s voice just before the attempt. They said the voice incited them to commit the act. Though the expression ‘ murmurs of devil’ is metaphoric, they tried to kill themselves literally as if the act gave insignificant result. For example one said, “When I saw the table I found a knife on it. Then I stubbed myself almost unknowingly. ” Another said, ” I was walking on a footbridge in feeling my life useless. Then, I climbed up the handrail of the footbridge and thrown down myself without considering result.”

Very often, those who attempt suicide are under depression and desire to kill to themselves. Such a desire might be embedded in bottom of human mind. Thereby, an apparently meaningless happening can lead persons to suicide. Dr. Kaga thought that the very internal impulse might be called ‘ murmur of devil’. Dr. Kaga continued reflecting on the issue with reference to ” Temptations of Jesus.”

Further, he also wrote ; – I cannot know in which way Jesus was tempted exactly. However I can say that those three kinds of temptations is allusion to certain events. Those events must give strong impact to contemporaries of the Gospel writers. In this modern world, not only in Jesus’ time, ‘murmurs of evil’ is provoking humans’ desires. The episode of the Gospels implies the fact very well, I think.
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* etymology of Lent http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09152a.htm

2. Three temptations

According to Luke, the devil tempted Jesus three times. The first temptation is ; - “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” (Luke 4:3)

At the end of the forty-days of fast Jesus gat hungry. So the evil tried to provoke Jesus’ physical need, hunger. However the temptation also implies the possibility of providing poor Jewish people with bread. Jesus should be rather attracted by this aspect of the temptation because, in that era, the majority of people lived on scarcely sufficient food. Nonetheless Jesus rejected this way the proposal of the devil ; - Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone.’"(Luke 4:4)

As a matter of fact, the crowd looked for bread. And Jesus had a strong compassion on those poor people. Thereby he used divine power to produce enormous quantity of food for 5000 men on the lakeside of the Sea of Galilee. The miraculous act impressed so strongly the crowd that they wanted to make Jesus the king of Judea. (see John 6:14-15)

Social movements to supply enough food to the poor occurred repeatedly through human history. Fro instance, communists had standardized thought that the shortage of nourishment is caused by unfairness of social structure. So they try to overthrow an existing social order. But, after achieving revolution, the leader founded a monstrous system of tyranny based on totalitarianism. The French Revolution started with movements of the poor who could not have enough food. They had a good aim at first but the result was a system founded by bloody killing between sects.

Those historical facts reveal that human efforts of making a better world are always exposed to temptations of the devil. Because they don’t recognize, ‘Man does not live on bread alone.’ And as long as we don’t admit that our life is given by and depend on God, humans will never learn to give up weapons to kill each other on the pretext of making better world. The history teaches us that the real peace cannot realize by humans’ efforts alone.

Then the devil said ,; - ” So if you worship me, all authority and splendor will be yours.” (see Luke 4:6-7) He suggested that Jesus could set free Jewish people from domination of Rome by using those earthy power. Even more, Jesus could establish the kingdom of God that way !! Indeed, the Jewish people were suffering under Roman rulers.
But Jesus’ answer was ; - “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”

However, the people wanted before all independence from Rome. For that reason they wanted a king who could defeat Romans. And they would think that the man should be Jesus. In that time, many men pretended to be the savior, or the messiah, then rose in rebellion against Rome. Finally, in 66, Zealots’ uprising movement opened large widened Jewish rebellions. It broke the Jewish-Romans war*. Though rebels defeated once a Roman Legion and established independent government, it finished in the victory of Romans. As a result, Jerusalem was occupied and the Temple of Jerusalem was completely destroyed in 70. It was the end of the Jewish country.

Meanwhile the early church, just after the birth, did not support the revolt and previously escaped from Jerusalem. Because believers had known, ” The sword cannot realize the kingdom of God.” In contrast to them, those who yielded to temptation of “Authority and splendor will be yours,” offered by the devil, led their country to destruction.

The third one was ; - “If you are the son of God, throw yourself down from this high roof of the Temple. God will command his angels to guard you carefully.” (see Luke 4:9)

The devil might suggest also that the performance should convince the crowd of Jesus’ real identity, the Savior. Their belief in Jesus could allow him to establish the kingdom of God. Jesus rebuffed again, ; - “It says: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’"(Luke4:12)

But the people required repeatedly proofs of his divinity, as Matthew also reported. ; - When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah."(Matthew 27:40) Jesus rejected their claim at that time too. Thus he died on the Cross and realized the Resurrection.

His disciples met resurrected Jesus and recognized that he died, despite his divinity, in order to save humans. Thus they were made authentic followers of Jesus. By witnessing symbolical proofs alone we cannot change our nature. Only when we knew that God loves us so much that he acted for our sake, we can be newly born. If Jesus accepted the temptations of the devil and avoided the Cross, the church was never formed. However we who live in the modern world still seek proofs. We want Jesus to heal our illness or set us free from earthy sufferings. We ask him to make us happy. And we think that only if it happens we can believe in God. We dare do so as if we try to use the faith as means of transaction.
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*First Jewish–Roman War http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Jewish–Roman_War

3. Temptations given to us

Today we will read those Jesus’ answers to Satin as message given to our church. The first one is ‘Man does not live on bread alone.’ One of aims of our church is to serve this community just here. However inhabitants of the district might seek in the church physical healing or material support which can release them from earthy difficulties. And ” The temptations of Jesus” teachs us that responding to those requirements cannot produce any spiritual fruit. Earthy bread might satisfy physical need temporarily but cannot delete all daily needs in future. If we act as voluntaries to support homeless persons or help those who suffer from mental illness, it must not be the first mission given to the church. The most important role of the church is to spread the Good News and lead neighbors to recognition of their sin, then to repentance. That way they will meet Jesus who accords all of us the forgiveness. Our most important assignment is to serve them by spreading the Good News.

The second one is “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.” The church must not look for visible success by increasing church members. We are now a tiny flock of 30 believers but we won’t aim to become congregation of 100 or 200 members. Because there is a more important goal. Even remaining a small group, we wish to establish a community in which each member lives by practicing and witnessing to the Good News.

And the third response of Jesus to Satin was “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” Our church is willing to spread the message that the Salvation is similar to effects of healing act. Indeed, when sick persons are cured they must feel happy. But no human can escape from the ultimate death. We are like prisoners sentenced to death in waiting the execution, as Pascal* remarked. Therefore the most important thing for humans is not temporarily cure of illness but the Salvation which prevails the death. We can be saved even remaining sick or poor. The Good News allow us to keep calm under any circumstances and conditions. That is the very Salvation.

Today’s invocation verses are Psalm 119:71-72 ; - It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.

Even though the poet witnessed that the affliction was given by God, he is not annoyed by it because he know that he seek God thanks to those pain and suffering. As a matter of fact harsh trials lead us to acknowledge our powerlessness and to look for God. Thus we can meet God.

Mr. Kaga said that temptations are generated by desires existing in our mind. Jesus also had the desire to save and emancipate humans at any rate. Thereby he was tempted. If there is no willingness, temptation will be meaningless. Our assignment is to serve the community by spreading the Good News. For that purpose, we want to reconstruct the church building. The total construction work must represent our willingness.

On the next church congress, we will discuss about building plan. Of course, construction of building requires a huge amount of money. There must be numerous problems and difficulties for this tiny flock to realize it. But it should deserve efforts. Because when we had changed the only entrance door made in iron for the new one with glass, new visitors increased in number. Once the church shows openness to the community, inhabitants respond in their turn. Our first aim of reconstruction is to carry out our mission in more efficient way. And the definite assignment given by God should allow us to reach at the goal.

We must remark that Jesus continuously refused to use his divine power for himself till the end of temptations. Now we interpret his answers this way ; “Man does not live on bread alone,” means economic condition does not determine humans life. “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only,” suggests that belief in God willingly allows us to realize the new church building. “Do not put the Lord your God to the test,” compels us to live by trusting our entity to God who gives whatever we need.

From now we are about to fight against many difficulties, shortage of construction costs, for example. But it is OK. Because through those trials our faith must mature, as the poet of Psalm sang, “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. ”

Trials are indispensable for us to see a world which was invisible. Therefore Paul wrote ; - “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."(Hebrews 12:5-6)

Some ones get severe illness and some others experience painful business failures. Or unhappy relationship of family members might depress us. But, exactly under pains, we pray. Those pryers lead us to the strong faith in God. When we acknowledge the fact, pains and difficulties turn into blessings of the Salvation. I want to give a message of Jesus to suffering persons who should wonder why they must suffer. ; - “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) We overcome not with human efforts but with the power of prayers. I wish you to have such a faith in God.
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* Blaise Pascal http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaise_Pascal