"Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil" Invocavit 2025

9. March 2025

Lent 1

Matthew 4:1-11

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (Mt 4:1).

This is the Word of the Lord that came to me, so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, you may have life in His + Name. AMEN.

Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. The man couldn't catch a break, could he? Imagine, you've just been baptized, and instead of a nice, warm towel and a pat on the back, you get thrown out into the middle of nowhere to fend for yourself. And who's there waiting for you? The devil. Great. Just what you need when you're feeling a bit vulnerable.

But let's take a moment to appreciate the absurdity of this situation. The devil, the embodiment of all things evil, is tempting the Son of God. That's like trying to seduce a vegan with a bacon sandwich. It's not going to work. And what sort of temptations did the devil have in store? Turning stones into bread? Yeah, that's a real temptation. "Oh, I could go for some bread right now. Wait a minute, I'm the Son of God, I can make my own." It's like a game of "Would You Rather" gone wrong.

It's almost like the devil didn't even do his homework. He would know that the Israelites had already been through this if he had. They wandered around in the wilderness for 40 years, relying on God to supply them with manna from heaven for sustenance. And what did they do when they got hungry? Complain, of course. "We want meat! We want bread! We want water!" It's like dealing with a bunch of toddlers. So, the idea that Jesus would be tempted by bread is ridiculous. 

And what about the devil taking Jesus up to a high mountain to show him all the world's kingdoms? Again, the Israelites had already been there and done that. God promised them a land, flowing with milk and honey, but it took them 40 years to get there. And what did they find when they finally arrived? A bunch of people already living there. So, what did they do? Complain, of course. But, God conquered the people living there for them. And what did that lead to? Centuries of conflict and strife. So, the idea that the promise of power and wealth would tempt Jesus is a bit laughable. He knew better than anyone that the pursuit of those things leads to nothing but trouble.

Ultimately, the devil's temptations were like a no-good magician's tricks. They were predictable and lacked any real substance. But Jesus, being the Son of God, could see through them and stay true to his mission. And that's the real lesson here. It's not about the temptations themselves; it's about Jesus staying true to the promise that he made to Adam and Eve in the garden and the purpose of his life, as well as resisting the things that try to steer him off course.

And, just as the Holy Spirit led Jesus through the devil’s temptations, the same happens to us who have been given the Spirit of Christ in Holy Baptism. The Holy Spirit is at work in us for our good, but it’s a bit like being given a map to a landmine field and told to "just trust me." It sounds like a terrible idea, but hear me out. You see, the Holy Spirit isn't just some abstract concept. He’s the person of God that's with us, always. He’s like the friendly-but-stern German-voiced GPS that never runs out of battery. And if you're like me and you often get lost in your thoughts, and forget where you were going, that's a pretty comforting thought.

So, what does that mean for temptation? It means that we don't have to rely on our own strength or willpower to resist it. We can trust the Holy Spirit to guide us and keep us on the right path. 

But let's not forget the absurdity of this situation. We're talking about being led by a Spirit, whom Jesus says is like the wind, through the most treacherous terrain of all - our sinful thoughts and feelings, and a world that is hell-bent on destroying everything God has done. It's like navigating a labyrinth blindfolded and populated with birds, insects, and ravenous hedgehogs that are all trying to kill you. But, somehow, it works. We are led through the maze, out the other side, and into the resurrection. 

We can trust in the Holy Spirit to lead us through temptation because it's not something we have to face alone. And let's face it, we're not exactly the most reliable creatures when it comes to making good decisions. Have you ever looked back on a decision you made and thought, "What was I thinking?" We all have. That's why it's so important to have the Holy Spirit leading and guiding us.

We can take comfort in the fact that we don't have to go through temptation alone. We have the Holy Spirit with us, leading us through the minefield. And if we stumble along the way, well, that's just part of being sinners in this old, evil world that God is putting to death. But we can always trust that the Holy Spirit will breathe new life into us, strengthen us, and keep us moving forward in faith.

Now, I know what you might be thinking. "But, Pastor, how do we know it's really the Holy Spirit leading us and not just our own thoughts and emotions?" And that's a valid question. It can be tough to discern the voice of the Holy Spirit from our own internal monologue. But that's where faith comes in. Faith trusts that the Holy Spirit will send us preachers, and deliver the gifts of salvation to us, so that we receive constant assurance that he is always with us, even when we can't hear him.

Let's be real here. If anyone knows a thing or two about temptation, it's Jesus. He was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, and he came out on the other side victorious. He knew that he wasn't facing temptation alone, that the Holy Spirit was with him every step of the way. And if the Holy Spirit can lead Jesus through it, well, he can lead us through it, too.

But here's the thing. The Holy Spirit isn't just there to help us resist temptation and keep our eyes and ears on Christ. He’s also there to guide us towards what's good and right. It's like having a divine compass that always points towards true north. And in an evil, dying world with so much noise and distraction, that's a pretty valuable thing.

But before you get any funny ideas about lending a hand, the Holy Spirit has taught us that we are saved by faith alone, which means that we don't have to try to earn our way into God's good graces. It's not about being a "good person" or doing everything right. It's about trusting in God's grace and the Holy Spirit leading us to where we need to go. It's like a free pass to the theme park of eternal life. All we have to do is show up.

So let's take comfort in the fact that we don't have to face temptation alone. We have the Holy Spirit with us, guiding us towards what's good and right. And let's remember that it's not about our own strength or willpower. It's about trusting in God's grace and the Holy Spirit leading us to where we need to go, no matter how twisted and dangerous the labyrinth of our lives becomes. It's a wild ride, but it's a ride worth taking because it leads to the resurrection to eternal life.

This is the Word of the Lord that came to me, so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, you may have life in His + Name. AMEN.

Rev. Christopher R. Gillespie
St. John Ev. Lutheran Church & School - Sherman Center
Random Lake, Wisconsin