Matthew 4:1-11
I don’t think I’ve ever heard the First Sunday in Lent referred to as “Temptation Sunday.” But it would fit. Quite a few Sundays in the church year have informal names based upon the Gospel readings appointed for that day. During Easter season, we have “Good Shepherd Sunday.” Last Sunday was “Transfiguration Sunday,” because on the Last Sunday after the Epiphany we always hear a story of Jesus’ transfiguration. On this First Sunday in Lent we always hear one of the accounts of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. Temptation Sunday. A day to think about temptation.
The Prayer Book reminds us that Jesus was “tempted in every way as we are.” He knew and experienced the power of temptation in human life. He was tempted in every way as we are “yet did not sin.” But we do. We do sin. We succumb to temptation all of the time. There may be occasions when we hold out against temptation. But we all fail. A lot. We are tempted, and we sin.
On Ash Wednesday as part of our liturgy, the church invited all of us to the observance of a Holy Lent. The first named quality of a holy Lent is self-examination and repentance. I think many of us jump to prayer, self-denial and meditating on God’s Word when we choose our Lenten disciplines. But the Prayer Book lists self-examination and repentance first.
And I think it’s very important to remember that for Christians, self-examination and repentance are always connected. Neither stands alone. Neither has much meaning on its own. Self-examination without repentance is just a head game. Repentance without self-examination is shallow and insignificant. Self-examination is inextricably bound to repentance.
Self-examination will always uncover sin. Specific, concrete sins. Repentance is the desire for forgiveness and the action of asking God for forgiveness.
The process of self-examination and repentance should be thorough and specific. I’ve recently been reviewing Martin L. Smith’s book on the Sacrament of Reconciliation within the Episcopal Church. Before moving on to very detailed questions for self-examination, he provides these general questions for each of us to consider (Martin L. Smith, Reconciliation: Preparing for Confession in the Episcopal Church, Cowley, pp. 80-81):
- What are the big things in your life, and how does your care for God stand in comparison?
- In your heart of hearts, do you think there are some areas of life where the ways of Christ crucified are futile and unreliable?
- Are there areas of your life where you have carried on as if God had no say or interest?
- Where in your life is there fear, cynicism, defensiveness, obsession, fanaticism, hero-worship, or addiction?
- Have you consented to be dominated or owned by another person or group?
- Have you turned in upon yourself in narcissistic ways, making yourself the center of all your interests?
- What are ways in which you are basically a conformist to the unconverted “powers that be” in society, allowing secular pressures to mold your behavior and define your goals and override the Lordship of Christ?
Today’s Gospel passage also reminds us the importance of baptism to facing temptation. Jesus’ temptation immediately followed his baptism. The whole context for self-examination and repentance is baptism. In baptism we express our desire to follow Christ. But we also begin a life in which we will inevitably fall short.
Baptism is the promise that forgiveness is always available if we seek it.
Forgiveness, reconciliation, renewal and new life are always available if we are penitent. This is what God brings to this process. The third piece. Inseparable from the other two. Self-examination. Repentance. Forgiveness and renewal.
The courage and the yearning to do Lenten self-examination come from the awareness that just as surely as we are all sinners, in baptism we have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked as Christ’s own forever. God’s response to our repentance will always be reconciliation and new life.
A unified process. Self-examination, repentance, reconciliation and renewal. Lent is a wonderful opportunity to enter into this process that leads to new life.
