Sin Boldly

Genesis 2: 15-17, 3:1-7
Matthew 4: 1-11

In the scriptures today we have Adam and Eve being tempted by the snake and then there is Jesus being tempted by Satan – two people that give into temptation and another that does not. These two stories are so immensely familiar that all week long I was intimidated by them. What could I tell all of you about these scriptures that you do not already know or have not been told before?

But then I began to think of Adam and Eve and Jesus. I’ve decided to tell you their stories in my own way. There’s Eve who’s taking a stroll through the Garden before lunch time, and sees a snake that begins to talk with her. It’s a pleasant conversation and she’s intrigued by this little snake that seems to know more about the trees in the middle of the garden than she does. She calls her husband over so that he can hear what the snake has to say as well. After all, Eve wasn’t the one God had told the instructions too, it was Adam. Maybe he would be able to answer the questions better than she. Maybe he would know the truth if this little snake was lying to Eve or if he was telling the truth.

So Adam walks over and the conversation resumes. “Did God really say you must not eat from any tree in the garden?” Eve, thinking she knows the answer to this one replies, “We may eat the fruit of the trees except for the one in the middle of the garden. We can’t even touch it without dying.” Sure, she embellished the story a little, thought Adam, but she’s basically right.

And then the snake replies, “You will not die! God knows that if you eat that fruit you will be like God, knowing what is good and what is evil.” Adam stays silent because he already knew that the tree was named the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil because God had told him, so it made sense that if you ate it, you’d have that knowledge. But now, now this serpent is saying that he wouldn’t die if he ate it? So maybe, Adam thought, Maybe I WANT to know about good and evil if I’m not going to die from it. Surely, God wouldn’t be mad because I took one little bite of a piece of fruit!

Then Eve walked over to the middle of the garden and for once she took a good, long look at that forbidden tree. Before she had been afraid to even go near it because she thought to even touch it meant death. But now, she noticed how juicy and red and shiny those fruit looked; how green the leaves were and how strong the branches. So she reached up, hesitantly at first, to touch just a bit of the bark. Cringing, she waited to die but nothing happened. Adam and the snake watched with interest. Then, gathering her courage she grabbed an apple from the tree and pulled it off.

Sniffing it she looked at Adam, who looked back at her. Shrugging, Eve took a big bite. Eyes widening she noticed how juicy it was, how sweet it tasted and she handed the apple to Adam to try. Noticing Eve was not dying from this bite; he too shrugged and took a big bite. Neither of them noticed the snake slinking back into the bushes, laughing the whole time. What they did notice was that they did not have any clothes on! Embarrassed, they rushed around looking for things to make clothing with and forgot all about having disobeyed God.

Jesus is the other example of a person tempted by a wily creature. Jesus goes into the desert for forty days and forty nights without food or water or shelter. He’s sunburned, his lips are cracked, and his eyes are bloodshot. No animals will come near him because he smells so bad. He’s having visions of strange things and all he knows is that he wants to go home, he wants food, he wants water, but most of all he wants to do what is right; what His Father has sent him here to do. But now that he’s weakened he’s having doubts. He’s lived the last 30 years with these people and they are some hard eggs to crack. A stubborn lot of people who are determined to see things only one way and it’s not Jesus’ way.

Then Satan appears. He’s dressed in the nicest linen clothing and his sandals are without dust or dirt. His hair is brushed, his beard is trimmed. He smells wonderful and he has such an air of confidence and assurance about him that it takes Jesus aback. At this moment Jesus doesn’t feel like the Messiah. He doesn’t feel like a human being because every part of his body aches and smells and is burned. He doesn’t feel like God’s Son except in name because right now, he’s not sure he can do what he came here to do. And now this man, the one called Satan is here and he looks and acts like everything Jesus is not at the moment.

Jesus’ doubts intensify. What am I doing here he thinks. Why did I think I could change this world that is so stuck in its ways? Then Satan begins to speak while Jesus is having these awful thoughts. “If you’re REALLY the Son of God turn these stones into bread. You’re hungry, you need to eat or you will die. Then you won’t be able to do anything at all.”

I could do that, Jesus thinks. It would take only a little bit of the power inside of me. Power. I have power, he remembers. I’m not just a human. I’m not just the Son of God in name. God is here with me. I’m not alone. He replies to Satan, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

Satan looks satisfied instead of disappointed. That one was too easy. He’s just setting him up for the bigger push. Jesus will crumble when I get to what he really wants. What he’s desperate for. Coming closer, Satan takes Jesus to Jerusalem to the top of the highest part of the temple. Jesus is able to look down at all of the Jews in the courtyard coming to pray or leaving after praying. He can see the families milling together. He can hear the children’s laughter, the mother scolding her young child for running away. He can watch the father lift his little girl on top of his shoulders. These are his people. These are the ones he has come here for.

Watching Jesus’ face, Satan says softly, “I know you think you’re the Son of God, but you have to admit you don’t look much like the Messiah who is the king of these people. If these people saw you right now they would turn and point and laugh at you, not bow down! But if you throw yourself from this perch, if you let the angels sweep you up, they will see and they will know who you really are. They’ll believe in you.”

Jesus sees all of his people through a cloud of heavy exhaustion. He just wants to help them, to save them from themselves. They’re not evil people, not really. They’re just misguided. He’s tired, he’s hungry. His balance is precarious and he slips just a little as he continues to look down. It’d be so easy, he thinks. So easy to finish what my Father wants if I just show them who I am. The angels will.. wait. My Father. His plan. My plan. No. Jesus looks over at Satan, and says, “It also says, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test’. I will not put my Father to the test.”

Now, Satan looks a little worried, just for a moment. Jesus isn’t hesitating for very long with these answers. Every time he seems even a little tempted, something stops him. What is stopping him? Satan wondered. Why doesn’t he give in like everyone else has since Adam and Eve? What does he think about that brings him this strength to say no and to say no with conviction?

So Satan took him this time to a very high mountain and flashed pictures of all the kingdoms of the world to Jesus. He showed him Rome with all its beautiful architecture and thousands of people who worshiped a hundred different gods except for Jesus’ Father. He showed him Greece with the pretty waters and greenery and the many people who worshipped gods and goddesses. He showed him Egypt with its desert sands and beautiful pyramids and the people who worshiped other gods that were not The God.

“We can change all of that you know. I will give you all the kingdoms of the world, I will let them all know the truth about who you are and they will no longer worship anyone but you and your Father. I can do it. You know that I can. All you have to do is bow down and worship me. Such a small thing to get what you really want. You won’t have to die. You won’t have to suffer anymore. Why do this to yourself? Why go hungry and thirsty and dirty for people who don’t care or know who you are? Why allow them to kill you when I can give them to you now without death. It will be glorious. Just bow to me.”

He’s right, thought Jesus. He could give this to me. What I’ve wanted for so long. What I came here to do – to let the people know who God is and that if they worship my Father they will know love and happiness without equal or end. I could give these people to my Father, but I’d have to betray him to do it. How could I dare to worship someone who isn’t God and then turn and think my relationship with God will not be broken? Does Satan think I’m stupid? Why would I fall for this?! And then Jesus yelled at him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.”

Amen.