WHAT ARE YOU MADE OF?

Dr. Richard J. Henderson February 29, 2004

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Psalm 91: 1-16
Luke 4:1-13

Introduction

When we are faced with a crisis in our lives, often it forces us to see who we really are. In difficult times we sometimes discover how strong we are. These times almost feel like they are testing our strength.

A man knew that he was in for a very difficult time. As he approached what he knew would be a tough experience he said to himself, "Well, Fred, I guess we'll see what you're made of." Sometimes, when we come up against difficult experiences, we see what we are made of; we see how firm the our foundation is. When we are tempted we face the question: who am I really? What do I stand for?

In the account we just read Jesus is tempted by the devil in the wilderness. Jesus has been out in the wilderness for forty days, and he hasn't eaten a thing because he is fasting. (Jesus' forty days in the wilderness relates to the forty days of Lent and the tradition many follow of fasting during this time).

Near the end of this time, when Jesus is famished, the devil wiles him saying, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread." Jesus must have been craving a piece of bread by that time! His response though is, "One does not live by bread alone." He quotes Deuteronomy 8:3.

Then the devil takes him to a high place and says, "I will give you all of this - authority over these kingdoms - if you just worship me." Again Jesus responds by quoting Deuteronomy. "Worship the Lord God and serve only him."

Then the devil takes him to Jerusalem - to the pinnacle of the temple. He says, "Throw yourself off, because God will protect you and bear you up." This time the devil quotes scripture from the Psalms. Jesus answers with another quotation from Deuteronomy - Do not put the Lord to the test.

When he was tested, Jesus drew from what he had learned in his life. He called on the training he had earlier in life. We don't think much about it, and the gospels don't spend much time explaining it, but Jesus grew up going to the synagogue. Sabbath after Sabbath he attended the synagogue and learned about his faith. He learned the Bible, which in that day was only the Old Testament.

Here as he faces a crisis he recalls what he has learned and he draws on his relationship with God. Because of this he is able to stand firm. Jesus was able to endure because he had an intimate relationship with God and thorough training in his faith. In that moment, when he really needed it, his training supported him.

The temptation Jesus faced was to be someone other than who he was called to be. The devil is trying to make him into somebody else. Jesus is the humble Son of God. He isn't showy, or one who does glitzy shows to demonstrate his power, but a man who lives with ordinary people and lives an extraordinary life.

Look at the temptations: 1) feed yourself with bread, 2) become the ruler of the world by worshipping the devil, 3) show off by jumping from the temple and being rescued by angels. Let's face it, each of those was a difficult temptation. Anyone would want any one of them. But Jesus wouldn't be Son of God if he did them.

Aren't our temptations similar? We, too, are tempted to be someone other than the people God called us to be. The temptation is to be a liar, rather than one committed to speaking truth. We are tempted to be cheaters, rather than people who deal honestly. We are tempted to be prejudiced, racists, haters; rather than people showing God's love. The temptation is to be other than God's faithful people. When someone has made a big mistake, how often do we hear them say, "I don't know what I was thinking; that's not me."

A woman went to see her counselor to talk about a terrible mistake she had made. In the process of talking with him, she said, "I think I'm a better person than this. I feel horrible about the people I have hurt. And I don't like the person I am becoming. I need forgiveness for what I've done, and I want my real self back."

Jesus was tempted by the devil to be someone other than who God called him to be. When we are tempted, it is to be someone other than who God called us to be.

Did you notice how Jesus responded to each of his temptations? He quoted from the scriptures. Jesus wasn't born with the whole Old Testament memorized. He had to learn it in the same way you and I do. He sat with his class around the teacher and heard the stories, and memorized the verses, and probably did those great little take-home projects kids always do in Sunday school.

When Jesus was tempted he drew on what he had learned. It supported him in his time of need. We don't always realize how important our training is. Sometimes we only learn how important our training is when we face difficult choices. The good we learned from home and church can support us in our times of need.

That class of children gathered on little wooden chairs around the Sunday School teacher listening to a Bible story didn't seem so important, but one day that lesson may come back to help us.

The devotional passage you read two months ago didn't seem that relevant until later when you were faced with a challenge where it applied exactly. A lifetime of little things adds up. What you've learned, how you've been taught, what you read, helps you stand firm. All those gifts - the Sunday school class, youth group discussions, Bible readings, worships services, and adult classes, are like your roots of faith going deeper into the ground.

They are watered and fed by what we do, what we hear, where we go, the things we read. In time those roots grow stronger. Then when the storm winds beat down, we can stand strong and firm, because we have the solid roots to hold us.

On March 16, 1968, Hugh Thompson was flying out in front of the troops in Viet Nam. His job was to fly low, ahead of the troops and warn them of any enemies they might be facing. As he and his crew flew along they saw civilians crouched in a ditch. They were women, children, some infants, and old men. Many of them were injured. United States troops were approaching. Thompson landed his helicopter and told the troops to help these people. "We'll help them," one soldier said, "out of their misery."

"I'm not joking, help these people," Thompson said. OK.

As he took off his co-pilot saw the United States troops fire with machine guns at the civilians huddled in that ditch. "My God!" The co-pilot said, "They're killing them!"

A short time later Thompson saw a group of Vietnamese hiding behind a homemade bunker. American forces were coming toward them. Thompson figured if they didn't do something in fifteen seconds those people would be dead.

He landed his helicopter between the civilians and the United States troops. He ordered his men to shoot at the Americans if they shot at him. Then he jumped from the helicopter and rescued the civilians. His life was in danger because he was rescuing innocent women, children, and old people.

He reported what had happened there at My Lai to his superiors. His report wasn't well received. He was threatened because he had reported what no one wanted to hear.

It was another thirty years before he received the prestigious Soldier's Award. Emory University recently gave Hugh Thompson an honorary degree. When accepting the award he told where he found the courage to stand up to do what he did. He surprised everyone by saying, "My mother and father taught me the difference between right and wrong. When I was growing up I learned the Golden Rule - 'Do unto others as you would like them to do unto you.' That's what I did that day." When suddenly a crisis broke into his life, Thompson responded with what he had learned. How he was raised.

We may not think much about the Sunday school teachers, or the conversations at the dinner table, or the Bible verses we know, but there will be a time when we need that moral strength to meet a crisis.

Amen.

©Richard J. Henderson 2004