Lead Us Not Into Temptation
Lent 3, Year C
How did you cope with news reports this week? I was distressed and overwhelmed by the news. Fighting between Israel and Hamas resumed, causing the deaths and injuries of hundreds of children and noncombatant adults. The fire near Heathrow airport disrupted 1300 flights around the world. The Measles outbreak in Texas expanded. As you dealt with the bad news, were you tempted to assign blame? As you reflected on the lay-offs of federal employees, were you tempted to worry about your welfare and safety? Did you wondered why God would allow or cause such suffering and death? In today’s Gospel lesson, people turned to Jesus to deal with similar temptations in the aftermath of horrific events. These events generated fear and confusion. An unexpected building collapse killed and injured people. Pilate, whose penchant for evil deeds were known, executed
Galileans and used their blood in worship ceremonies. Those terrible incidents tempted people to question their faith. Whose sins were responsible for the deaths and suffering? Why had God allowed or caused suffering and deaths?
Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth advising them to use disastrous events as teachable moments. In that letter Paul recounted ancient occurrences of sins and disciplines during Israel’s exodus from Egypt that are recorded in Scripture. He also described the sins being committed by members of the Corinthian faith community. Paul told them to treat the reports of disasters and difficulties as warnings. “Watch out,” Paul said, “so that you do not also fall into sin.” 1 Corinthians 10:12b.
Jesus consoled the people who turned to him after those horrific events tempted them to question why God would allowed random accidents and evil actors to inflict suffering and death on innocent people. Jesus told this parable. A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, 'See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?' He replied, 'Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down. Luke 13:6-9
In this parable, God (the vineyard owner) expects us (the fruit trees) to be productive. God (the vineyard owner) also gives the tree (us) a chance to bear fruit. God permitted the gardener (Jesus) to spread manure around the tree root. God also allowed time for the vital nutrient offered by the gardener, to be absorbed by the tree and bring forth new growth. This parable demonstrates that God has expectations and that God is willing to invest the time and resources to necessary to get the results God expects. Paul provided comparable consolation and instruction to the Corinthians. God, Paul declared …is faithful, and will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with every test God also provides the way out so that you may be able to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13
The consolation and instruction offered by Paul and Jesus shift our focus. This shift “lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” It delivers us for the temptation of obsessing about who is at fault. It delivers us from the temptation of wondering whether our suffer is cause by us or others. It delivers us from the evil of questioning whether God permits or causes disasters. The shift in attention delivers us to the truth that “the kingdom, power and glory are God’s, now and forever.” Jesus and Paul remind us that the God we love and serve, offers a remedy for every type of sin. God does not grant free will in order to wait for us to misuse our freedom and punish us for our misdeeds. God grants freedom so that, in the words of prophet Micah, we have the capacity “to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with God.” Micah 6:8. The Ash Wednesday liturgy echos this same truth, “God desires not the death of sinners but rather that we turn from wickedness and live.” BCP page 269 God’s preference for love, justice, mercy and humility is so great that God facilitates redemption and fosters reconciliation. God sends messengers to warn, encourage, instruct and correct. God is a very present help in time of trouble. Psalm 46:1 God sets a table before us in the presence of our enemies. Psalm 23:5 When we are tempted, when we sin we have an Advocate, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the perfect offering for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2
When difficulties in our lives and in the world tempt us to question God and our faith, we would do well to shift our focus. Everyone is tempted. Both innocent and guilty people are tested by desires and disasters, happiness and horrors. Paul said, no test will overtake you that has not been experienced by others. Jesus said, “God makes the sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.” Matthew 5:45. Why? Why is God indiscriminately generous? God makes the rain to fall, sun to shine, and manure to be spread about the roots of righteous and unrighteous people so everyone can be delivered from evil, so that everyone knows that the kingdom, and the power, and the glory belong to God. God is indiscriminately generous so that we and others can overcome temptations and bear fruit worthy of repentance. Luke 3:8a
