We’ve been with Matthew’s passage many times in our Christian worship, we’ve heard the Word of God and we know all about temptation. In fact over the course of preaching, the trials of temptation come up in many forms, many ways.
After all, we all know about temptation – we’re experts at it! Think about that midnight raid on the fridge, especially after some of you have consumed small refreshment or two, or three…. There is always some form of temptation in our lives; the television adverts tempting us to buy, the clever marketing layout of a supermarket that puts the milk, bread, sugar and coffee furthest away in the store, whilst all the cereals aimed at kids are on the lowest shelves – in the line of vision with the wee ones and what about those sweets at the checkouts!
We’ve been exposed to stories about temptation and its effects; the American company Enron, which went belly up and caused chaos in the financial markets – cause by those who were tempted by greed. Yep, everywhere we look; everywhere we turn there is some form of temptation.
The sad fact is that despite our best intentions, we cannot escape the many temptations that lie ahead of us, we are human not divine. We are but flesh and blood and we tend to react to things instantly, instead of taking our time and thinking things through. Hence the reason why supermarkets make so much money, as they appeal to the impulse shopper, as do stores like Next, Gap and so many others – for they tempt us in with their wares prominently displayed in their windows.
A cautious reminder here ladies, the mannequins used in these stores are generally a perfect size 8 and unfortunately many of you, anyway…. come to think of it, I’ve never seen a fat mannequin in Slater’s menswear!
How many forms of temptation can you think of? (I am looking for answers from the congregation here). This so called ‘credit crunch’ the global credit crunch must surely create temptation for some? How many of you have gone into a supermarket and the bill has come to less than the amount in the trolley? It happened to the family last week in front of me, I saw her face as the cashier asked for around £80 and I saw his face as he beckoned her to get the thing paid and make a quick exit. Chances are they were a fairly ordinary couple, with kids, struggling to make ends meet and here was a golden opportunity and they took it but they also succumbed to temptation, they took the easy route.
It’s happened to me before, and I can honestly say with conviction that I too, took the easy route and yes there were pangs of guilt but they didn’t last that long, just to the store exit. I kind of consoled myself with the notion that it had happened in reverse to me so many times, because I had been charged for items twice or not in my trolley and so ‘all’s fair in love and war.’ I certainly wasn’t in a position to judge them, being flawed myself.
I guess this is where I failed the advice of Romans, “do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good”. I suppose I should have alerted the cashier to her mistake and paid the full price, as should that family who got a bargain but we are all human and we can justify anything we want with our own human thinking.
That’s the issue that Jesus addresses with Peter, he is trying to prevent Jesus from fulfilling his destiny and Jesus rebukes Peter in the strongest of terms, 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."
Jesus is recapturing that moment in the wilderness when the first to recognise him as Messiah was not disciples, not followers or Jews, but Satan himself – to his credit Satan was the very first to recognise Jesus’ divinity as Son of God. Here is Jesus once again being tempted to give up his destiny, to give up the cross and to leave behind all his worries and concerns. I often wonder if the conversation with Peter was much deeper than is reported. One could almost imagine this…
Peter: “Look, leave all this behind, you don’t have to do this, your only human, go off and marry Mary Magdalene, start a family, build on the family business, enjoy life and live to a ripe old age.”
Jesus. “What’s that you say? Do you suggest that I abandon everything that I have been sent to do, ignore my heavenly Father’s will and do my own thing, like a wayward child?”
Peter: “Well yes, if you like, after all no one will hold it against you, you know we will all follow you to the end of the earth, we will always acknowledge that you are someone special, Messiah possibly but don’t let it end this way, it’s not worth it.”
Jesus: “Abandon God, just like the children of Israel have done, hence the reason I am sent and you want me to give it all up?”
Peter: “Well yes, if you put it like that, yes, save yourself.”
Jesus: “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."
Plausible at least in some ways, and we may only have the pertinent part of the conversation recorded. However the part that we do have is in essence the sum of the whole discourse between Peter and Jesus. We can view for ourselves the relationship between the two men, the relationship between leader and disciple, man and deity.
Of course Jesus then extends his invitation to the cross to his followers, one can almost imagine that they would be aghast at such a proposition – although they are following this charismatic and probably mystical figure, they are never quite dedicated and devoted enough to go the whole road as ably demonstrated at his trial and subsequent crucifixion.
It’s in Paul’s letter to the Church at Rome that this greater need for others manifests itself much more clearly than before. It’s actually one of my favourite scriptural passages and whilst so easy to understand on a first glimpse, it has many connotations and is all too often misunderstood despite its apparent clarity.
“Let love be genuine… Outdo one another in showing honour… bless those who persecute you…live in harmony with one another…do not repay evil with evil…If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all…"if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads."
How tempting it is for us to judge! In some ways Paul’s letter reminds me of the Beatitudes of Matthew’s Gospel but it is written in an easy to understand format, spelling out what is required to be a Christian. The chances are this was written to the new Christians that Paul was attempting to educate. In doing so he perhaps unknowingly knits the two scriptural passages together, at least he has for me.
Not only are we tempted by advertising, food, wealth and something for nothing, we are tempted by the sins of the flesh. We are tempted by the thoughts that rage in our heads, those thoughts that spring into action when we are forced to make a quick decision – walking out of a supermarket whilst underpaying for the trolley load, making judgements on those we don’t like, those who loathe us, those who make life difficult and so on.
Paul is telling us to STOP! We are to stop in our tracks, stop our usual human response and train ourselves to think and act as Christians. We are to resist those natural temptations that are aroused within us; the temptation to seek revenge, the temptation to slander, to be cruel, and to fight fire with fire in other words.
Is it easy to give in to these types of temptation? Yes, and again I am flawed and admit there have been times in my life, in my career, in my personal life that I have had to fight fire with fire. I wasn’t proud, I wasn’t happy in doing so, but for me at the time there was no other alternative – I had to do what I had to do, in order to survive but each time, each time I did, I was conscious of the very essence of Paul’s letter “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." At the time, I justified my actions in thinking to myself, ‘vengeance is mine’, but Lord make me the instrument.’
Is Peter the instrument of Satan when he tries to dissuade Jesus from fulfilling his destiny? Is Peter truly trying to tempt Jesus or is Jesus using Peter as the example that even he, was subject to temptation but that he managed to remain strong and focused.
In our lives today, are we strong and focused? Do we truly practice those Christian values of loving unconditionally God’s people, even those we don’t like, and those we don’t care for, those we don’t value, those we don’t share anything in common with?
Do truly honour or Lord God? We will continue this theme again sometime in the future, but for now the seed has been sown and so I now invite you to come to the Saviour in prayer and to reflect on any actions, words or thoughts that you may have succumbed to, those actions or words, which may have hurt a persons career, damaged a friend, broken a trusting relationship or removed you further from God’s Kingdom of Light.
