Rev’d Mark B. Stirdivant, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Yucaipa, California
✝ sdg ✝

All the Lord’s ways are mercy and truth (from Tobit 3:2). That sounds pretty straightforward, easy to believe, right? God does all of that good stuff. I want the good stuff, so I believe in God. That’s a very shallow way to think of faith, but sadly, it is quite popular in our culture. Many Christians, including Lutherans, can get lured into believing some form of the idea of Karma. I know the name “Karma” comes from the Hindu religion, so right away you can perceive that it’s off-base somewhere in its philosophy, but really, all you’re concerned about is some kind of justice that’s gotta be out there in the world. That somehow those bad people are going to get what’s coming to them. That if you do enough good things, that you’ll get your reward eventually. I know that’s a tantalizing thing to believe, and it gives you great mileage in making you feel good when everything in your life seems cruel and unfair. But there are times when even Karma is not going to give you relief. There is no promise from God’s Word that backs up a hope that Karma, or whatever you call it, will settle everything. There is a promise from God’s Word about Jesus, and it is only in Him that we find God’s mercy and truth, yes, and even His justice.

Most Christians are very puzzled by the Gospel report of Jesus being tempted in the wilderness. If He couldn’t sin, then why was He tempted? If our Lord was going to do battle with Satan, then why didn’t He strike him and his minions down with a walloping battle assault? All this fasting He did, suffering, hungering and quoting Scripture words seem so weak, unassuming. If you tried that, you would be laughed off as defensive and wimpy. What did Jesus do to deserve such disgraceful treatment? The idea of Karma would make no sense here! And wouldn’t it be better for the Lord to bring an end to all suffering, or at least to shield His own children more effectively and absolutely from the assaults and crafts of the devil? We are exposed to all the tricks of the ancient enemy, and it doesn’t make logical sense that we feel left out on our own in this world. But the Lord’s logic exceeds our understanding. His foolishness is wiser than our wisest wisdom. And His ways are not our ways. For all His ways are mercy and truth.

And that is how we must hear today’s Gospel of our Lord’s temptation, His testing. Not as some mythical story of good versus evil. Not as the first skirmish in the great battle between God and the devil. And certainly not as an example for what techniques and weapons we should employ when we fight our own battles, what courage we should muster, and what perseverance is required when we battle the devil, our own sinful flesh, the world’s various temptations it throws at us, our physical infirmities and the demons that torment our heart and mind.

This is a story of Our Lord’s mercy. He gives clear evidence that He has, and that He will, freely engage and beat back the devil for us. We don’t have that assurance whenever we assume that some justice out there in the great big universe is going to come around someday. Jesus shows that His promise to be for us is not an empty promise. He pointedly enters our fray, and immerses Himself in our misery. He put on your flesh, He fought your battle against the devil and sin. And He proves that He can and has overcome not just some evil forces, but the very devil that taunts and haunts you. He won your victory.

What you have heard today, then, is the beginning of your salvation. For until now in the Church Year, the continuing story since Christmas has all been promise and expectation, pledge and hope. But when the Spirit that came to Jesus at His baptism shoves Him out into the wilderness, when the Father inserts His Son into the middle of the devil’s playing field, plopped him down into Satan’s video game, when the Lord makes Himself vulnerable to demonic and diabolic tricks–then He begins to come through on His promise; then hope becomes real; and then the Word and pledge for your forgiveness and everlasting life comes true.

Yet you still may be tempted to hear this story as history–a true event, of course, but it took place long ago and it has meaning today only because it changed the course of events way back then. But the Lord’s mercy is not mere history. And His ways are not simply past events to set the world straight, or just evidence to prove that He can do it.

When Our Lord enters the wilderness to battle Satan, you must see that the Lord is entering your own wilderness. Not just some deserted place in Judea, but the desolation of your own heart and mind—all that hurts you, all that you have used to afflict others, that is what the Lord enters, makes His own, and suffers. As the Psalms continually pray, the Lord plants Himself squarely in our muck, our slimy pit, our mire and the filth we have made. He sits in the dust and ashes with us. He descends to the lowest part of our personal hell. He wraps Himself in the things that trouble us so deeply that we cannot find the words to confess or explain them. That is our wilderness. And there is Our Lord, in the midst of it, taking on our devils, fighting back our demons.

That is the Lord’s mercy. As you are hearing the Gospel today, that’s what’s going on in your heart to create it new again. I’m not lecturing about Divine blessing coming down mysteriously from on high. No philosophy of Karma coming around and rewarding good and bad as if there were some necessary balance between those two. I don’t give you simple words of comfort, vocal sounds that are psychologically proven to settle the mind and ease the heart. This is what you’re getting today, right now: The Lord Jesus becomes your sin, bearing your infirmities and weaknesses, washing them away in your Baptism and Absolution, enduring your grief, living your hell, dying your death. All the Karma that the universe can muster came crashing down on His shoulders, requiring Divine Justice solely from His nail-pierced hands!

And in the midst of that, He says, as the hymn sings:
Hold fast to Me,
I am your Rock and Castle;
Your Ransom I Myself will be,
For you I strive and wrestle;
For I am yours and you are Mine,
And where I am you may remain;
The Foe shall not divide us.

That is the Lord’s way. And there is the Lord’s mercy for you. Not in some spectacular-looking battle between the forces of good and evil. But Jesus is right there in your wilderness, battling your devils, fighting back your demons, undoing your messes, and holding you so tightly to Himself that hell, death, devil and anything else cannot and will not snatch you from His hand. It looks to us like losing, but really, our Lord, the Word made flesh, quoting the written Word that you have today in your hands, He has won! The Bible does tell you so.

That is how you should hear today’s Gospel. For it is not just another religious story. It is the Lord sending His Son to have mercy on you. It is the Lord’s Word and sure mercies overcoming your greatest fears. It is the Lord placing Himself squarely between you and the things that threaten to undo you. It is the Lord giving you more than what Karma can ever give you—you have His strength where you have no strength. It is the Lord enduring and persevering even though your hopes fade and your faith wavers. Never fear, for all the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth.

And if that is not enough when you are really suffering a trial, remember that there are also the holy angels who minister not only to Jesus, but He sends them also to serve you. Once, you were alone and without hope – helpless before the threefold enemies of your old sinful nature, this fallen world, and the devil. But now, with all the hosts of God’s kingdom, you too are able to sing with joy the words Martin Luther penned so long ago in celebration of the blessed victory of the Savior for us all:

“Though devils all the world should fill,
all eager to devour us,
we tremble not, we fear no ill,
they shall not overpower us.
This world’s prince may still scowl
fierce as he will.
He can harm us none,
he’s judged; the deed is done;
one little word can fell him.

The Word they (our enemies) still shall let remain,
nor any thanks have for it.
He’s by our side upon the plain (of our battle)
with His good gifts and Spirit.
And take they our life,
goods, fame, child, and wife,
though these all be gone,
our victory has (still) been won.
The kingdom ours remaineth.”

In the Name of the Father and of the ✝ Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Readings:
Gen. 3:1–21 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field
Psalm 32:1–7 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven
Rom. 5:12–19 through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men
Matt. 4:1–11 Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted