Description
It is the first Sunday in Lent. Today the church family begins the journey toward Easter and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But we can’t miss what Lent offers us first. It is a journey of reflection and deepening our relationship with God. Some people see Lent as a very sombre time. Some traditions talk about giving things up for lent and we can choose to do that too. Lent presents us with an opportunity to dig deep to examine our relationship with Jesus and repent, acknowledging when we fail to live Jesus’ way. Lent is also a time where we can experience God’s great love for us.
In today’s reading from Luke 4, Jesus is preparing for his ministry. In the preceding chapter the writer of Luke has also prepared us to meet Jesus and be certain of his credentials. In his baptism (Luke 3:21-22) Jesus is identified as the beloved of God. Jesus is also identified as the son of Joseph (Luke 3:23) and so his genealogy is traced to the lineage of Adam ‘son of God’. Both these credentials show Jesus’ close relationship with God and are significant in understanding the temptations narrative. Jesus trusts God as he faces the challenge and temptation of the wilderness.
Jesus was not alone in the desert. The Spirit helped Jesus and led him in the wilderness. Now (Luke 4:2) Jesus is hungry and thirsty, which are human conditions. This reflects how deeply Jesus is connected to, and shares, our life. Jesus is tested by the devil. The devil (diabolos) is also in the desert. Diabolos is a Greek word meaning ‘accuser’. The Diabolos also knows scripture and uses it to test Jesus. Two of the testings begin with ‘If you are the Son of God’.
Jesus answers each of the tempter’s challenges with quotes from Deuteronomy, one of the main narratives of Israel’s wilderness traditions. In the wilderness they have been tested. They have learnt (often the hard way) to trust God, who has provided.
Today’s readings remind us of God’s power and purpose in those difficult situations. In Deuteronomy 26:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13, the people of Israel and Jesus both rely on God’s provision and promises. Jesus testifies to God’s faithfulness and speaks the truth of God’s provision as he rejects what the tempter offers. These Scripture verses remind us today of God’s faithfulness over the generations.