WASHED AND READY
On the liturgical calendar this is
the first Sunday in Lent. While there are various ways to define both the
calendar boundaries and the spiritual significance of Lent, and how you define
these things depends on whether you are a Roman Catholic, a Protestant, or
Eastern Orthodox Christian, in all these traditions Lent is understood as a
time of spiritual preparation prior to Easter. As a Christian, regardless of
your tradition, if you observe or recognize Lent at all, it is understood in some
way as a time for reflection and discipline in our lives.
For those who recognize Lent one of
the most common ways to observe Lent has been to give up something that you
enjoy. Accordingly, then, some have refrained from smoking or using tobacco, some
have abstained from alcohol, while still others have skipped chocolate or other
sweets. Others have given up meat or some other type of food during these weeks
prior to Easter.
Since
the Reformation over 400 years ago many Protestants (some Presbyterians
included) have been skeptical and leery of such Lenten practices. This attitude
associates such Lenten observances with Roman Catholic ritual rather than with
general Christian piety. Nonetheless, to understand these sacrifices in the
best possible light is to understand them as an external outgrowth of something
internal. In other words, by depriving yourself of something you enjoy it is
possible to constantly remind yourself of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice for you
as one of God’s children. Within this narrow and specific sense such
sacrificial actions during Lent are entirely appropriate. This is true even for
Protestant or less liturgical traditions. The scripturally solid theology which
under girds Lent is not Roman Catholic or Episcopalian, it is Christian.
Indeed,
to engage in a self-conscious discipline during the season of Lent serves to
remind us of a fundamental aspect of our Christian discipleship: Temptation. The temptation to sin is
inescapable for a Christian disciple it is with every one of us every day of
our lives.
Even
our Lord Jesus Christ had to face temptation as he sought to be faithful to
God’s will. In our gospel passage this morning, the evangelist Mark provides us
with a clear and distinct bridge between the baptismal identity as a child of
God and the reality of temptation. We see this bridge by carefully noting the
course of events in these verses. First, Jesus is baptized in the river
In
typical Markan fashion, this passage is sparsely worded and simply constructed,
but its theological message is abundantly clear: Baptismal identity brings
with it the temptation to sin. It is
equally clear from this passage that baptismal identity brings with it the
promise of God’s presence and protection as we face temptation. Jesus is
baptized. He is tempted. He resists temptation, with the assistance of the
angels or God’s tangible presence. He, then, sets about his calling in verses
14 & 15 of proclaiming God’s good news and encouraging the people to repent
and draw near to the coming
Looking
closely at this passage there is an inescapable linear logic to this understanding
of Christian discipleship. First comes the washing away of our sin and God
granting us our baptismal identity as one of God’s children. Following our
baptismal identity, then, will come temptation. It is inevitable that there
will be temptations and a testing of our implanted identity as a child of God. Let
us make no mistake evil is present and powerful in the world. Nonetheless, the
promise of baptism is that we will ultimately fulfill God’s claim and calling
for our lives. As we are in Christ we will enter into his presence; we will enter
the coming
Drawing
on the powerful and visceral images of scripture to express this vision of
Christian discipleship we can say that we are washed by God’s grace before we
can sit down at the messianic feast in God’s presence. Before we can eat at
this eternal feast in the presence of God we must first be washed of our sin.
We must be spiritually washed before we can spiritually eat.
As
we read this passage and consider this model of the Christian journey it
becomes clear wherein the challenge is for us as disciples. It is that time
between our washing and receiving our baptismal identity, and the time down the
road when we sit at table during the eternal messianic feast. It is this time
in-between, this time which is our daily living, which is before us
during the Lenten season.
Think
of the matter in this way: The beginning of the Christian journey is in God’s
hands; God freely washes away our sin. God extends grace simply because of who
God is, not because we deserve it or have earned it. In turn, the destination
for the Christian journey is also solely in God’s hands. Indeed, the messianic
feast is God’s ultimate party, and the invitation list is strictly in God’s
hands – we have no influence over it. That leaves the time in-between, this
time right now, it is the time of temptation and of testing.
When
we participate in a Lenten observance of any kind, we are acknowledging the
reality of temptation as a part of the Christian life. Even though we have
received our baptismal identity, even though we have been washed, we still face
temptation and trial. Such is the nature of Christian discipleship.
Our
lives are filled with temptations. Let me point to just a few that come to
mind. We are tempted to engage in dishonesty. Particularly at this time of year
as taxes are being prepared this temptation is a strong one.
Another
temptation always before us is our human arrogance. We are constantly lured by
the temptation of self-righteousness. We know we are right about something, and
steadfastly refuse to entertain thoughts contrary to our opinion. Truly, it is
a very fine line between righteousness and self-righteousness.
Another
temptation is to be socially blind. Given that we are so materially blessed in
our society, we face the temptation to look beyond those around us in desperate
need. We know that we have worked hard to achieve the economic and social
stability that we enjoy in our lives, so we are tempted to think that when
others don’t have what we have, then it is easy to assume that they simply
didn’t work hard enough, or that we are simply smarter and better skilled. The
temptation of social blindness is quite real for us.
Every
one of us could make a list of those things which serve as temptations for us. However,
the good news from the passage before us this morning is that God is with us.
In verse 13 we are told that as Jesus was in the wilderness facing Satan and
the wild beasts, he had God’s presence with him, “and the angels waited on him.”
As
we face the specific temptations of our lives, God is also with us. We have
been washed. We have been claimed. We are God’s children. God will not
leave us alone in the wilderness as we make our journey toward the messianic
feast to come. The good news is that we have the power to resist the
temptations we face. So may it be for us. Amen.
Reverend Marc V.
Mason
March 5, 2006
First Sunday in
Lent
Trinity
Presbyterian Church
Travelers Rest, SC