"The Journey Begins"

        Our story begins in the desert.  It’s the place where the journey begins, the journey to Jerusalem, the journey to the Cross.  In the desert Jesus is praying, all alone, and he is very hungry.  He has been there for forty days.  And then the temptations begin.  This is the beginning of the journey to the Cross. 

       Temptations can get to us when we're weak or tired, but that’s not all.  Those who seek to influence our decisions, or take advantage of us, may actually wait until the moment when we seem most weak.  I think even young children know this.  I have always felt that children can sense the moments of weakness in their parents when they beg for candy, when they want to stay up late, when they want the household rules to be bent.  Wait until the parents are worn out.

      The Evil One is especially crafty in picking the right moment to undermine people.  He did not come when Jesus was surrounded by friends, he did not make his pitch at the wedding in Cana, and he did not confront Jesus when he was with the crowd at the beach watching the fishermen.  The Evil One found Jesus when he was alone and hungry. 

       (1) "Jesus you look hungry.  Why don't you make some bread out of these rocks.  If you're really the Son of God, it should be easy."  How simple it sounds.  Make the bread, no one will know, no one will get hurt, you'll thank me later.  When did you eat last?  40 days ago?  Go on, snap your fingers and make bread.  Jesus said NO. 

       (2) Jesus was shown all of the kingdoms of the world.  "If you worship me, it will all be yours, not just Israel, but the whole world.”  Go on, you can rule the world and command everyone to live in peace.  Who wouldn’t want that? Jesus said NO WAY.                                

       (3) Jesus was taken to the highest tower of the temple in Jerusalem.  "Go ahead and jump, Jesus, because if you are the Christ, God will save you from falling."   Jesus said NOT ON YOUR LIFE.

      To say YES would have made things very easy.  If he said YES, he could go right to the finish line of the resurrection, and avoid that cross.

      It would not be necessary to give his own life to feed others if he could make the bread out of the stones on the ground.

      It wouldn't be necessary for him to visit every town and village, slowly spreading the word from one to another, because he could be put in charge of everything in only a moment.    

     It wouldn't be necessary to risk danger, arrest, or death.  If God could catch him when he jumped off the tower, then certainly God would rescue him if he ever got arrested or sentenced to death on the cross.   

     What all three offers had in common is this:  "Jesus, you can avoid the cross, take care of yourself first.”  Isn't this at the root of the temptations that we face in our lives? Take care of yourself first?  Temptations encourage us to take short-cuts to achieve success.  The tempter offered three short cuts, but Jesus said NO.  The Evil One increased the offer each time.  But each time Jesus said no, it becomes easier to say the next no.  You know why?  Each time he said no to the tempter, Jesus was saying YES to God.

      This part about saying YES is important.  We say YES as our witness to the presence and power of God in our life.  We are surrounded by evil influences, but we persist in saying YES.  Sometimes the evil influence is in us, but still we strive to say YES to God.

      Let the actions that you take in your life this week give honor to the one act that God took in Jesus Christ that sets the world free from sin.  You see, it all began when God said YES.  In the nothingness God said YES and the universe began.  In the face of evil, God said YES to Noah giving him the ark.  In the face of injustice, God said YES to the Israelites and brought them out of Egypt to a Promised Land.  In the face of an impossible obstacle, God said YES, and the walls of Jericho tumbled.  In the face of defeat, God said YES and brought Jesus out of the tomb.  In the face of the challenges that you face in your life, God says YES ... to you, YES to you this very day.

      In receiving the bread and cup at the Lord’s Table, we acknowledge the powerful impact of “YES”, God saying yes to you, and you saying YES to God.  God's YES gives you the power to transform your life, by giving you the capacity, the strength, the heart, the will, the voice to say YES.  No matter the evil, the sin, the injustice, the hurt, the sickness, God gives you the voice to say YES this very day, and by saying YES you have the power to begin the transformation of the entire world.