[Propertalk] Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Lent 1B- “Temptation Produces ‘Live’ Spelled Backward” (It's great to be back after a bout with the flu!)

[Joe Parrish]

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From: Judy <judy_boli at ecunet.org>
To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic at ecunet.org>
Sent: Sat, Feb 17, 2018 4:35 pm
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Lent 1B- “Temptation Produces ‘Live’ Spelled Backward” (It's great to be back after a bout with the flu!)



Dear Friends,
 
This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “Temptation Produces‘Live’ Spelled Backward” and deals with the gospel (Mark 1: 9-13).  Here it is: 
 
Do you know that old gospel song: “Yield Not toTemptation”?  That’s our subject-temptation.  While I was preparing fortoday’s sermon, I came upon a list of truths about life that we can learn fromsmall children (James W. Moore):
1)      No matter how hard you try you cannot baptize a cat.
2)      When your mom is mad at your dad, don’t let her brushyour hair.
3)      Never ask your 3-year-old brother to hold a tomato… oran egg.
4)      You can’t trust dogs to watch your food for you.
5)      Don’t sneeze when somebody is cutting your hair.
 
Actually,we’re not focusing on cute truths about life, we’re thinking about truthsconcerning temptation, because Lent is the season in which we practice- in thewords of the old hymn- “Yield Not to Temptation.”  You’ll notice, I’m re-using two stories,because they explain the truths of temptation better than I can any other way.
1)      WE ARE DRAWN TOWARD ANYTHING WE’RE TOLD WE CAN’TDO.  We’re like moths drawn toward aflame.  If we can’t do it/ have it- wewant it.
2)      THE DEVIL CANNOT FORCEUS.  ALL HE CAN DO IS SIMPLY TRY TOCONVINCE US.  When we’re under huge assault, it’s so easy to forgetthat Jesus has overcome, so the power to overcome is in our hands.  The devil cannot force us.  All he can do is simply try to convinceus.  The trouble is- we get convinced alltoo easily.  
3)      OVERCOMING TEMPTATION IS NOTA MATTER OF EDUCATION.  INSTEAD IT’S AMATTER OF WILL.
4)      BELIEVING THAT “I CAN GET AWAY WITH IT.  NO ONE WILL CATCH ME.  I CAN OUTSMART GOD AND EVERYBODY ELSE!”…nottrue!  
 
Lentis for serious Christians like spring training is for serious baseballplayers.  It’s our chance to learn toplay the game- the game of life to the best of our ability.  Let’s look at each of the truths about temptation.
 
FIRST-WE ARE DRAWN TOWARD ANYTHING WE’RE TOLD WE CAN’T DO.  We’re like moths drawn toward a flame.  All that’s necessary is for us to know thereis something we should do, and we don’t want to do it (or something weshouldn’t do, and we want to do it). Sounds like Adam and Eve all over again. What did you give up for Lent?  Ifit’s doughnuts, I know your car just happens to drive by the doughnutshop.  If it’s smoking, I know you lookat those cigarettes when you pay for your gas. It’s no accident that Jesus taught us to pray: “Lead us not intotemptation, but deliver us from evil,” better translated: “Save us from thetime of trial, and deliver us from evil.” Jesus came to give us life, allow us to live our lives to thefullest.  (“I am the way, the truth, andthe LIFE.”)  What is “live’ spelledbackward?  Sure, “E-V-I-L”- what thedevil wants to trick us into choosing.
 
SECOND-THE DEVIL CANNOT FORCE US.  ALL HE CAN DOIS SIMPLY TRY TO CONVINCE US.  Thetrouble is- we get convinced all too easily. Remember the story I told you last year of the lady who just loved toshop?  The problem was- both of theircredit cards were maxed out, and she had promised her husband that she wouldnot buy anything that was not absolutely necessary.  Well, Lent came soon after she made thepromise, and her Lenten commitment was that she would exercise every day.  Since it was pouring rain, she couldn’t walkoutside; so she decided to go to the mall to walk and get her exercise.  “Don’t worry, dear,” she told her husbandbefore leaving.  “I won’t buy anything- Ipromise you.”  Her walk in the mallstarted out just fine, but then, as she strode past one of her favorite stores,she saw this beautiful dress in the window. You know what she did- stopped walking to look at it.  She noticed that it was in her favorite colorand would match the shoes she purchased the week before.  “It won’t hurt if I just go in the store tolook.  They probably won’t have my sizeanyway.”  When she checked out the rack,there was that gorgeous dress; and it was in her perfect color and correctsize.  “Wow!” she thought.  “It won’t hurt to just try it on.  Trying it on is not the same thing as buyingit.”  You know what she did- took it intothe dressing room to try it on.  After itwas on, she looked at her image in the mirror, and she really did lookgood.  All of a sudden, she came to hersenses and remembered her promise to her husband.  “Get thee behind me, Satan!” sheordered.  “I’m not buying thisdress!”  From behind her came a softvoice that said- “Gee, that’s a shame. It looks really good back here too!”
 
THIRD-OVERCOMING TEMPTATION IS NOT SIMPLY A MATTER OF EDUCATION.  ALTHOUGH WE DO NEED OUR FACTS, THE REALPROBLEM IS ONE OF THE WILL- CHOOSING LONG-TERM WELL-BEING OVER SHORT-TERMHAPPINESS. Do you recall the Old Testament story of the temptation and sin ofAdam and Eve?  It’s a good example ofthis fact about temptation.  Theirproblem was not education.  They knew thefacts- don’t eat the fruit.  If they did,they would die.  They understood what Godwanted them to do.  Their problem was noteducation- it was choice.  They WANTED toeat the fruit.  It looked good, so theydid what they wanted and went against God’s teaching.  
 
FOURTH-BELIEVING THAT “I CAN GET AWAY WITH IT. NO ONE WILL CATCH ME.  I CANOUTSMART GOD AND EVERYBODY ELSE!”…not true! The Bible (Numbers 32:23) reminds us: “Be sure your sin will find youout.”  Do you remember the old story ofthe two lovers?  It was Valentine’s Day,and the young couple was in love.  Theproblem was- they were college students, and they had an important testscheduled for that morning.  They decidedto forget about the class just this once, make a good excuse, and hope theinstructor would let them make up the test; so they took a long drive.  When they went to class the next day, theytold the instructor that they had a flat tire, so they couldn’t get toclass.  She replied with sympathy andsaid they could take the test right then. As soon as they were ready to write, she said, “Now the first question:which tire was flat?”  (i.e. short termhappiness over long term well-being.) The Rev. Dr. Anthony Evans reminds us: “Used improperly, credit cardsoperate a lot like sin: enjoy now, pay later.”
 
So- truths about temptation:
1)     From a moth drawn to a flame: WE ARE DRAWN TOWARD ANYTHING WE’RE TOLDWE CAN’T DO.
2)     From the wife trying to overcome the temptation to buy the dress: THEDEVIL CAN’T FORCE US.  ALL HE CAN DO ISTRY TO CONVINCE US.”
3)     From Adam and Eve and the first sin: THE OVERCOMING TEMPTATION IS NOTSIMPLY A MATTER OF EDUCATION.  ALTHOUGHWE DO NEED OUR FACTS, THE REAL PROBLEM IS ONE OF THE WILL- CHOOSING LONG-TERMWELL-BEING OVER SHORT-TERM HAPPINESS.
4)     From the lovers trying to out-smart their teacher: BE SURE YOUR SINWILL FIND YOU OUT.
 
MayGod bless us as we keep a holy Lent full of life-giving spiritual growth.
 
For anyone who is interested,this sermon and updated African-American wisdom statements are posted on ourparish’s web site under “Sermons & Stuff”. The address is: http://www.stpaulsepisag.org .
 
Blessed preaching,
Judy Boli
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Saginaw, Michigan

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