Trusting Fully

​Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 | Psalm 32 | Romans 5:12-19 | Matthew 4:1-11
​By Rev. Heather J. Blais, Rector

There is something captivating and grounding about the wilderness. It peels back everything safe and familiar. Our routines. Our noisy and busy lives. Our grievances and complaints. We find ourselves engaging with a much larger ecosystem. It has the effect of right sizing the scale and scope of our preoccupations, calming our nervous system, offering us clarity and focus. 

This is the kind of wilderness I often imagine in our gospel lesson. Recently, at a clergy gathering, the Rev. Rachel Field, facilitator of an Episcopal Path to Creation Justice, reframed the meaning of wilderness. She observed that wilderness in a biblical sense is not the same as our post enlightenment sense of wilderness as rugged aloneness. Instead wilderness is the margins of society. By following the Spirit into the wilderness, Jesus is entering into a deeper relationship with the margins of society. And throughout his ministry, Jesus will remain on the margins. 

In the wilderness, Jesus begins 40 days of self-examination, prayer, and fasting. Reflecting on hard questions: 
What does it mean to be God's beloved child?
What kind of leader is he going to be?
How will he use his power and authority?

Following these forty days, I imagine he had a greater sense of clarity and purpose. Similar to what we might receive after an extended time in nature or on retreat.  Matthew does not specify, instead telling us Jesus is now famished.  

It is during this liminal space, following forty days of prayer and fasting yet before his public ministry begins, that Jesus is tested. Matthew tells us the test was carried out by the ‘tempter’, later described as the ‘devil’ and ‘Satan’ (Mt. 11:3, 10). Matthew makes no other references to ‘tempter’, and uses ‘devil’ and ‘Satan’ twice more each. ‘Devil’ is used to describe the evil actions carried out by some in the Parable of the Weeds, and again in Matthew 25,
“...for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me” (Mt 13, 25: 41-42). 
These actions are in stark contrast with those of the Living God, whose Way is Love. 

Meanwhile, ‘satan’ next appears after Jesus is identified as God’s chosen servant, and some Pharisees suggest he is working on behalf of demonic forces (Mt 12). Jesus responds to the accusation by making it clear that it is only by the Spirit of God that Jesus is able to cast out demons. The second time is when Jesus informs his disciples that he will soon suffer at the hands of the most elite religious leaders, be killed, and rise again (Mt 16). Peter pulls Jesus aside, rebuking him, until Jesus interrupts, “‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling-block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things’” (Mt 16, 23). In each of these instances, Jesus makes it clear that everything he says and does is in service to God. Jesus casts out demons, heals, and proclaims God’s message of justice, mercy, and righteousness by the Spirit of God. 

Whatever we may make of the tempter, devil, or satan; however uncomfortable it makes us, we know there is evil in the world. We may not see a tempter in our daily lives, but we have seen evil. We see it in the most broken places of our world, where innocents needlessly suffer at the hands of those who ruthlessly abuse their power. While each and every person is made in the image and likeness of God, it does not mean we choose to lean into that identity as God’s beloved. We may judge those who act in evil ways now, but they were once innocent babes. We all have the capacity to turn away from God and increasingly towards selfish and evil ends. But when we choose God, we strive to turn towards goodness. We see God’s goodness and in our bones know a love stronger than death. We have seen that in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

But I am getting ahead of myself. Back to the tempter. 

When the tempter first appears in today’s gospel, Jesus is famished. He suggests that if Jesus is the Son of God, he could turn stones into loaves of bread. We know Jesus can perform such miracles, and on the Way of Love there is more than enough food for all who are hungry. Twice in Matthew’s gospel we see Jesus take a few loaves of bread and some fish, to feed thousands of hungry people (Mt 14, 15). In this instance, the tempter suggests Jesus use his God-given gifts to serve himself. Taking gifts meant for a greater good and misusing them. And not only that, but also taking the easy way out, forgoing the process. Snap one’s fingers and poof, immediate gratification. 

Our culture knows something about forgoing process and immediate gratification. How often are quick and easy solutions in service to God? How often do they better our world or care for creation? It seems more often than not they are in service of me, myself, and I. Minimizing our own discomfort, while at the same time perpetuating the capitalist machine that makes more and more money for the ultra rich. 

Jesus turns to the scriptures he leaned on during his time in the wilderness, telling the tempter, “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that  comes from the mouth of God” (Mt 4:4). 


The tempter then takes Jesus to the temple, bringing him all the way to the very top. He suggests, if you are really the Son of God, throw yourself down and God’s angels will save you. The tempter tests the fault lines of Jesus’ trust in God. Mirroring when Jesus is crucified, and the two bandits crucified next to him taunt, “‘If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross’” (Mt 27:40).  

We know something about forgoing trust for certainty, for proving ourselves. In the face of adversity and instability, we may fail to put our trust in God. Sometimes quite blatantly - negotiating with God, God if you do such and such, I’ll trust in you.  Or maybe a partial trust in God, occasionally turning to God in prayer.  All while faithfully and consistently turning to our smartphones, social media, and the news; or any number of instruments misused and mistaken for healing agents. Choosing distraction over trust in God. What might a day where we fully trusted God look like? 

Jesus again turns to the scriptures he leaned on during his time in the wilderness, telling the tempter,  “Do not put the Lord your God to the test” (Mt 4:7). 

Finally, the tempter took Jesus to a high mountain and offered him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. Jesus could have it all, if he would bow down and worship the tempter. All it would cost him was identity and his faith.  We know during those forty days, Jesus reflected on what kind of leader he was going to be, and how he would use the power God had given him. This was the moment of truth. Would Jesus choose selfishness, greed and power over?

We know something about those things too. Do we want to have it all? Do we want to control and drive things? If the answer is yes, we know we are fully human.  Yet as people of faith, we also know that the Way of Love shows us there is enough for all when we share out of our abundance. That much more good can be accomplished when we lean into the slower rhythms of collaboration and mutual respect. When we understand that every kingdom, every splendor belongs to God alone. 

Once more, Jesus turns to the scriptures he leaned on during his time in the wilderness, telling the tempter, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him” (Mt 4:10). 

The passage concludes with the tempter leaving Jesus. Suddenly angels came and waited on him. God asks us to be faithful, to fully trust. In turn, God will provide. It will not be on our terms and conditions, but if we trust, it will be enough. 

Our call is to join Jesus on the Way of Love. Dedicating our lives in service to loving God, our neighbors, and creating a better world grounded in justice, mercy, and God’s sense of righteousness. Grounding our very lives in God. Striving to live into our faith day after day, hour after hour, minute after minute. Knowing that we are sometimes going to muck it up, and that’s okay. 
But we also need to know that when we muck it up, our relationship with God becomes distorted. This distortion can make it hard to see the truth of God’s redeeming love clearly. In turn, we stay away instead of reconciling and starting again anew. But starting again is not a punishment or a sign of failure. It is a gift, and a sign of faithfulness and our love of God. 

Our calling this Lent is to take seriously the work of self-examination and reflection.
How are we looking for the easy way out? 
Where are we only partially trusting in God? 
In what ways is God calling us to be more collaborative? 

We also might consider the questions Jesus’ reflected on in the wilderness:
What does it mean to be God's beloved child?
What kind of person are we going to be?
How will we use our power, authority, and privilege?

Wherever we are on our faith journey, whether we feel close to God or distant, know God is waiting for us. Eager and ready for us to trust fully. Amen. 

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