The Lenten Journey

Text: Luke 4:1-13                                                                                                                                  Lent 1 2025

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

          The saying that “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” comes from a late 4^th Century Chinese proverb. And while we don’t advocate the Eastern religious context in which that phrase was originally written, the meaning is striking in whatever context it’s spoken. Regardless of how far off the end, or the goal, is, the first step, and every one in between, is vital in order to reach the destination. Whether that’s a physical destination or one of reaching a goal you’ve set for yourself. And you’ll never be able to take that final step of accomplishment if that first step is never taken.

We think of Lent as a journey. 40 days. A little more actually, but we don’t count the Sundays which are in, but not of, Lent. We know the goal. We know the road. We took the first step on Wednesday as we entered the season recognizing our sinfulness and our need for the Savior whose death and resurrection we anticipate in just 6 weeks. Perhaps you’re measuring the journey by your success in staying away from whatever it is you may have given up for the season. Or on how well you’re doing with adding something positive into your routine, as I suggested in my recent Sounder article. Maybe you’re literally counting your steps in this journey if fitness is your goal. These are good and positive things. But if they’re all you’re doing during this season, you’re missing the mark. Because these things are all focused on your journey. Which is important for sure. But even more important is your focus on Jesus’ journey. His road from the wilderness to the cross, and out of the empty tomb, is the most important journey during this season. And

HIS JOURNEY IS WHAT GUIDES OUR JOURNEY.

          And Jesus’ journey begins with our text today as He’s tempted in the wilderness by the one who continues to tempt us and lead us astray. Make no mistake, the devil continues to be at work in the world today. Mark tells us that this 40 days of fasting and temptation in the wilderness occurred immediately after Jesus’ baptism. And that the Holy Spirit drove Jesus out into the wilderness. Literally the Greek, ekballo, means that the Spirit threw Him out there. Not that Jesus wouldn’t have gone on His own, but what we have here is the whole Trinity working together, as we also have the Father sending angels to minister to Him during this trying time. What’s clear is that all three persons of the Godhead are on board with this journey that Jesus is taking. From baptism, to and through the cross, and up out of the grave. This is Jesus’ journey. Walking the road that we couldn’t walk, so that we wouldn’t have to walk it. He takes the path that we so often stray from.

And we have the privilege throughout the Lenten season to walk this road with Jesus. Not just to remember what He’s done for us, but to see that as we walk the path, His journey can strengthen us to take the steps he calls us to take. And even though our struggle will never compare to that of our Lord, our journey often mirrors His. We can be hungry too when we’ve gone without. I hope none of you have ever been forty days hungry. But when we do hunger and thirst for the things of this world, sometimes it’s the things that nourish and sustain us, and other times it’s the things that we simply want. In these times we would love to rely on our own abilities to get ourselves out of trouble. To pull ourselves up. To provide for what we lack. I’m sure Jesus would have liked nothing better in that moment when the devil tempted Him to “command this stone to become bread,” than to have said the word and ended His own hunger. But that wasn’t the Lord’s will. And it’s not the Lord’s will that we rely on our own strength or power either. Of course, He works through worldly means to provide the things that we need, but Jesus’ reminder that, “Man does not live on bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” is a powerful reminder for us as well to trust in the Lord for all things.

Maybe you’re lacking something today. Maybe it’s food. I know there are some of you that are concerned about your own health, or that of loved ones. Some of you are just searching for strength to face the day. Others desire security in your relationships. Don’t depend on yourself for all these things. On your own you’ll never be able to meet all these needs. And to Jesus’ point, “Man does not live on bread alone.” Woman does not live on health. We don’t live on strength or security. But we do know that “every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” will be uplifting and strengthening. These words, when we heed them, lead us to health of mind and body and soul.

And it’s not just these physical temptations that we’ll face in this, and every, season of our lives. Satan will continue to prey on our vanity and our pride, just as he tried to do with Jesus. We would love to be offered all the kingdoms of the world, as Jesus was. And as much as Jesus knew that He was the Creator of all these things, there still had to be that human part of Him that was tempted to become the earthly king that His followers wanted Him to be. We might think that these seemingly silly temptations of the devil would have been easy for Jesus to rebuff, but we have to remember that His human nature is very real. He felt the same pain we feel. He endured the same hunger we have. And He experienced emotions as we do. In His divine nature, Jesus could have simply rebuffed the devils temptations, but His human nature struggled with the very same things you and I struggle with. Only He never gave in. Which is why His sacrifice was the perfect one. Without sin. Because it needed to be.

And Satan didn’t stop at appealing to Jesus’ physical needs or earthly wants and desires. He took his temptations to the next level when he took Jesus to “the pinnacle of the temple and said to Him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” I think this might be the biggest temptation for us as well. “Does God really care about me? Would He even notice if I was falling and catch me before I hit the ground.” Satan plays on those fears that we have of being alone and living life without the assurance of that safety net.

I think there are times when our greatest concern is for our safety and security. To the point where everything around us can become a threat. And what are we saying if we live our lives constantly in this kind of fear? I have a book on my shelf with the title Afraid of All Things. Just reading the title might give you the impression that this is a good thing. To be afraid of all things. But the subtitle tells a different, and better, story. The subtitle is Tornadoes, Cancer, Adoption, and Other Stuff You Need the Gospel For. What we’re saying when we live with this fear of all things is that we don’t really trust that God is in control. That He really does care about us. That He will catch us if we’re falling. And if He doesn’t, that’s ok too, because He has a better plan than we can understand.

What’s Jesus’ reply? “Don’t put the Lord your God to the test.” God would have sent those angels so that Jesus wouldn’t have struck His foot against a stone. Just like Jesus, while on the cross, could have appealed to His Father, “and He will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels.” But if He had done that, the journey wouldn’t have been complete. The Father’s will would not have been done.

And so, in this season of Lent, we remember the journey that Jesus did take. The one that guides our journey. And we remember that our Father in heaven strengthens us as He strengthened His Son. To face the temptations of this world and the devil. Every one of us will take a slightly different path. But the one we all want to take is the one where we’re led by God, following His example. We say of God’s Law that it is a curb, a mirror, and a guide. This third use of the Law, as a guide, is where God shows us where to place our feet along this journey. Which path to take. The road is laid out. Not that we don’t have choices, but the path is narrow, and having an example like Jesus who walked the road before us, and who overcame the temptations we now face, gives us the strength to take that first step. Where He walks beside us, and even carries us along if necessary, until we reach that destination that He has prepared for us.

Whatever you’re facing today may seem like a journey of a thousand miles. And it may be. But the journey will never be complete if you don’t take that first step. Or the second or the third. What’s so important to remember though is that those steps will only get you to the destination you desire, and that God desires for you, if you place your feet in the spots that He directs you. If you allow Him to lead you by the hand and guide you. And if you allow Him, when you’re too weary to do it on your own, to bear the burdens you’re unable to bear yourself. For “His yoke is easy and His burden is light.” He’s happy to lead and direct and even carry you when the journey is too much. He’s already carried your sins to the cross. Let Him carry you on this journey as well. May your Lenten journey be one of solemn reflection, spiritual growth, and great joy at walking along with Jesus, whose journey guides yours. Amen.

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.