Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7, Romans 5:12-19, Matthew 4:1-11- As Christians who are embarking on our Lenten journey for 2014 there is encouragement and guidance from our three readings.We learn lessons from these readings that can be summed up this way:

Satan; he cannot not create; the best he can hope to do is to sow a seed of disobedience, appeal to our ego or play upon our sense of inadequacy. 

Those are the only weapons he has.  He can’t bully us.  He can only distort the truth. Satan has no real power he cannot force us all he can do is find our point of weakness and build on it.  Don’t you find that encouraging?  Satan is not nearly as powerful as he makes himself out to be.  He is not formidable foe he tells us he is.  He is more like the wizard in Oz, merely a sly and crafty, a little being behind the curtain with a megaphone.

Sin and grace are not alternative choices.  Grace and sin operate in the same environment.  Death comes through sin, “the wages of sin is death” that dominion that had its beginning because of Adam is less powerful than the dominion of grace that comes because of Christ.  The old hymn is right we receive “grace greater than all our sin.”

We have the example of Christ; who is totally dependent upon and obedient to the Father.  Jesus trusts God to the point of not even trying to use his own power against the devil.   He relied on the very Word of God for protection.  We often call on the Lord as a last resort, Christ called on him first. 

And what does Jesus say?  When Satan saw inadequacy, hunger Jesus replied; “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”  

When Satan appealed to his ego by reminding him of his importance, Jesus he replied; “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”  And when Satan offered him the world in exchange for his worship, when he tried to lure him into disobedience and Jesus said no, I know who has the power, who is provision and who is majestic above all “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.”  If Jesus is obedient and relies on God the Father completely and trusts him with his very life, as his brothers and sisters can we not take guidance from his actions and encouragement from his faith and trust? 

To help us on our Lenten journey 2014 we can be assured that the devil is not as powerful as he thinks he is. 

God’s grace is greater than our sin. 

And we have the example of Christ example being obedient, calling on God first, using the Scriptures as a shield and protection, and trusting God in all things.  Armed with the Scriptures, grace and the knowledge of the devil’s impotence we can walk our Lenten journey filled with confidence and courage.  

Blessings and love,

Pastor Dottie