Christ’s tests face us every day, and with the Spirit’s help, we will pass through and bring life and hope to this world.

Pr. Joseph G. Crippen
The First Sunday in Lent, year C
Texts: Luke 13:31-35 (adding Isaiah 58:1-12 from Ash Wednesday’s lectionary)

Beloved in Christ, grace to you, and peace in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

It’s more accurate to call what Jesus experienced in the desert “testing,” not “temptation.”

During and after the forty days he spent in the wilderness following his baptism, Jesus was challenged to decide what the way of Messiah would be. And the way of a true human being in this world.

But this wasn’t a once-off situation. These tests came back to Jesus repeatedly, including during his anguished prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane before his torture and death. What he chooses here at the start of his ministry he faces again and again.

There’s something else, too. All who wish to follow Christ face these same tests. And they’re also not a once-off deal. Individually, collectively, followers of Christ repeatedly face these tests.

The smart play, then, is to cheat off of Jesus’ answer sheet. Learn from his testing how you’ll face yours. How we’ll face ours. And what’s at stake is literally the life of the world.

Here are the three tests.

First, how will you help a world struggling with hunger, poverty, want? It’s not just Jesus considering making a sandwich out of rocks. The question is will the inequality, waste of abundant resources, the split between the few who hoard and the many who suffer, be miraculously fixed? Jesus, with divine power, could instantly make it possible for everyone to have enough food, shelter, clothing, health care. He chooses not to. There’s another way.

Second, how can you get people to obey God and do God’s will? Will you bow to the demonic powers that control and dominate to get what they want? Jesus could use his power to control the whole world, force people into whatever he felt needed to be done. He chooses not to. There’s another way.

And third, do you need God to prove you’ll be safe and protected before you act? Will you sit still and do nothing until you know you can’t be harmed, until you’re assured you’ll have to sacrifice nothing? This is particularly critical for Jesus in Gethsemane, where he could have resisted the cross, but chooses not to. There’s another way.

We face the same question of turning stones into bread, every day.

As we see catastrophic escalation of serious societal problems we’ve already been working on for years, what do we do? Sit back and pray that God take care of all this, miraculously rescue immigrants from deportation, create job opportunities, directly provide food and housing to those who lack? Change stones to bread?

We began this Lenten journey Wednesday with words from Isaiah 58, words worth pondering every day of this season and our lives. And for this test, the prophet is clear. God’s not interested in our prayer and fasting that puts it all on God to do. Isaiah says God needs us to act ourselves to heal what needs healing.

“This is the fast that I want from you,” God says in Isaiah, “that you loose the bonds of injustice, break every yoke. Share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house.” That’s God’s answer to the need for bread: you and I are to take care of this. The way of Messiah invites all people into the abundance of God’s gifts so they’ll share that abundance until all are safe, healthy, fed, sheltered, clothed. That’s how all will be healed.

The second test is far more dangerous to fail.

How do you make this a world in harmony with God? Ever since Constantine the Church has far too often chosen the way of power and domination. And so we’ve led wars and holocausts and inquisitions and heretic burnings, all in the name of God. The Christian right these days is just another manifestation of Christians failing this second test and joining with the demonic powers in the world.

There’s a huge need for God’s way of love and justice, and peace for all, to flourish in these days. We’re seeing the beginning of what’s already a horror show that likely will be a global disaster devastating many, especially the most vulnerable.

But God says through Isaiah,“you will be the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in.” The answer to this test, as Jesus knew, isn’t to control, be in charge, use power to do what we want. Far too much evil and wickedness happens when Christians do that. The answer is to live as a vibrant minority, like yeast in flour Jesus says, working as hard as we can to make a difference wherever we can. Rebuilding ruins, raising up foundations, as Isaiah says. Even while others are knocking them down. To live as Christ’s love in all we do and trust that even if no one else does, we’re doing what God needs us to do.

The third test preys on our despair and fear.

Christ’s way might cost us. Stretch us in ways we’re not comfortable, ask us to give up and let go of things we’re not ready to get rid of. We’re tempted to sit tight and do nothing, hoping the worst of what’s happening won’t come to our door and haul us out.

But Christ says what happens to our neighbor happens to us. Even if we’re not fired or deported or arrested or vilified or persecuted, if any of God’s children are suffering, we’re suffering. This has been the Christian way from the beginning. Tomorrow, March 10, the church commemorates Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman, both of whom stepped out into the unknown and risked their lives for the sake of God’s children. Friday was the 60th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, where the peaceful civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery was stopped with brutality on the Edmund Pettis bridge.

The answer to the fear in this test is learning to trust God is with us and will strengthen and bless us in this work, in this caring, in this restoring, in this resistance. There’s no guarantee it won’t cost, or hurt. In fact, it probably will, Jesus always says. But this is the Way. This is who we are. We step forward and act, even if we don’t know what’s going to happen.

It’s not really cheating to crib off of Jesus’ answers.

In fact, the evangelists wrote this down for that very reason. To give you and me hope that there is a way forward. The only way God wants to see, because when people are changed, the healing of the world actually can survive and spread and grow.

But keep your eyes open. Hold each other’s hands. These tests will keep coming. They’ll change their looks, appear like something else to trick you. You’ll face these constantly, with God’s healing at stake.

But be of good courage. God is with you, the Spirit is changing you and giving you strength and hope. Together, we’ll face these tests and keep seeking the life of God for all. And as Isaiah says, when we’re doing this together, our light will break forth like the dawn and healing will spring up quickly. We’ll be like a watered garden, Isaiah says, offering God’s abundant love for the life of all things, even if sometimes all we see around us is desert.

In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen

You are being transfigured into Christ for the world, even if now you feel a failure or even feel resistance to God’s call. And all will be healed because of it.

Pr. Joseph G. Crippen
The Transfiguration of Our Lord, year C

Text: Luke 9:28-43a

Beloved in Christ, grace to you, and peace in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Take your eyes off of Jesus shining like lightning.

Just for a few minutes. This is the feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord, so you’d think we should focus on that scene, ask questions about what’s going on, dwell on it.

But maybe instead of trying to put up a couple tents so we can sit and gaze at God’s glory shining from Jesus we might better consider the transfiguration of the disciples.

Because the comments I heard after last week’s sermon suggest that’s the part of the Gospel we need most.

Last week was hard. Heavy. Jesus put an assignment on you and me that for many seemed too much. “I’m not there yet,” many said afterward, Not ready to live Jesus’ commands: love your enemies. Do good to those who hate. Bless those who curse. Pray for those who mistreat.

It isn’t that you’re not willing to work against the cruelty and evil that keeps pouring out of our leaders, with more and more danger and threatening situations week after week. It’s the commands to love, do good, pray, and bless those who are doing it.

Whether it’s you or others that are the target of evil and cruelty, these are hard commands to swallow. How are you supposed to get hate out of your heart when people do such things? How can you not be angry?

In short, you’re not yet where Jesus commands you to be.

That’s why you need the disciples today.

If anyone is obviously not where Jesus hopes, it’s these disciples. A week before this event, Jesus, Peter’s beloved Teacher, called him Satan for rebuking Jesus. Peter didn’t like him saying the path of the Messiah, the path of Christ, was leading to suffering and a cross and death. Jesus said Peter was a Satan, an opponent of God’s way.

How Peter didn’t abandon following is a mystery to me. But if he’s anything like us, all week he’d at least have hidden on the outer edges of the seventy or so women and men following Jesus, hoping not to be noticed. Then today he botches it again, babbling about making tents. Luke charitably says, “he didn’t know what he was talking about.”

Peter’s so not ready to lead, so not ready to follow Christ’s path.

And at the bottom of the hill, it’s not going well either. At the beginning of this chapter in Luke, Jesus sent out the twelve leaders, giving them power to cure diseases, cast out demons, and proclaim the reign of God. They apparently had success. But now, those remaining at the bottom of the hill can’t do anything. No one can heal this possessed, epileptic boy with his destructive seizures. One by one they fail, one by one their despair deepens. Instead of having a successful healing to show Jesus on his return, they leave him a mess that clearly irritates him.

They’re so not ready to be Christ, so not ready for this work.

But how does Jesus handle these struggling followers?

Yes, he called Peter Satan, and probably sent Peter into a tailspin of doubt and anxiety and grief. But today, a week after that, when Jesus needs his leaders at his side, he taps Peter on the shoulder to join James and John. The three key leaders, as usual. You can’t overstate the grace and love of that choice or the relief and joy Peter must have felt.

Yes, Peter’s stumbling, his heart isn’t ready to consider a path of self-giving love, or sacrifice. He’s making big mistakes and will make more. But Jesus says, “I still need you on the path with me.” Jesus consistently keeps him in the fold, patiently waits for him to grow, learn, catch up. And one day Peter will be so joined to this path he’ll be killed for the love of God in Christ he embodied and proclaimed.

And the same is true of all the others. Jesus doesn’t berate them for fumbling the healing. All of them are still enfolded in his welcome and embrace. And in the next chapter he sends them out again, this time seventy of them, for more healing and casting out demons and proclaiming.

Jesus understands this call to follow, this path of Christ is hard. And he understands that changing your heart will take time. He’s constantly ready to forgive failures, hold out a hand to get you back on your feet, and send you out again.

If you’re not fully ready to love enemies, do good to haters, bless cursers, pray for abusers, Jesus gets that. He’s got patience and love enough to know you need to learn and grow on this path.

Martin Luther understood this beautifully.

He said, “This life is not righteousness, but growth in righteousness, not health but healing, not being but becoming. This is not the end, but it is the road.”[1]

That’s it. That’s all you need to know. It’s not if you’re ready and able to do all Jesus asks. Whether it’s standing against evil or offering love to those who do it, Christ’s path is all about becoming.

We’re not where we will be. You are not where you will be. But as long as you want to be on the right road, Christ’s road, that’s enough. And you’ll know you’re there when you commit to loving, doing good, blessing, praying for all, even those your heart says don’t deserve it.

The Triune God spoke on that hilltop to all who follow Jesus the Christ, saying:

“This is my Son, my Beloved, my Chosen: listen to him!” Listen to the words of life Christ speaks, the path that leads to hope and healing for all people.

Listen, and then act, as Jesus urged last week. That’s how your heart will be changed. Act as Christ. Act in love. Act as best you can even if inside you’re feeling unready. Because your neighbors desperately need you. They need me. God’s threatened and hurting children need all of us to step forward on this path, ready or not.

This is your transfiguration, that more and more you become changed into the love of God in this world. And as you go, even the first steps of love you make for others are already healing and life.

In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen

[1] Martin Luther, Luther’s Works, vol. 32, The Career of the Reformer II, p. 24. “Defense and Explanation of All the Articles,” a response in March 1521, to Exsurge Domine, the papal bull of condemnation of his writings issued by Pope Leo X in July, 1520. This is from a translation by William Lazareth, not the Charles M. Jacobs translation in Luther’s Works.