Lent 1: Matthew 4:1: Page 1 of 3
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1 Sunday in Lent: March 9, 2014
“Please Confirm Your Identity”
Grace, Mercy, and Peace be unto you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus
Christ. Amen. In our technological world, there are many times when I have to confirm my
identity. Can you say your last name, date of birth, mother’s maiden name, name of first pet,
and a whole host of other security questions to make sure that I am who I say I am. Identity is
important and the words that we use to identify ourselves are important. Words mean
something. So which words and whose words, do you use? Especially in times of temptation,
who do you identify with, or rather, who identifies you?
In our Gospel lesson, Matthew chapter 4 we hear, “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the
wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” To understand the temptations of Jesus, we must
remember the context of this verse. Right before Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness
to be tempted by the devil, He was baptized. The glory of the heavens opening, the Spirit
resting on Him, and the Father speaking, “This is my beloved Son,” is quickly driven to
temptations in the wilderness. Jesus is baptized. His identity is confirmed as the Son of God.
His identity is solidified by the Father Himself in front of many witnesses, then Jesus is led into
the wilderness, into the world where He is tempted.
As we take the temptations of Jesus holistically, we see some very striking parallels to our own
time. First the devil is called by three different names. He is called daibolos – slanderer,
peiradson – tempter, and satana – adversary. By using three names, Satan is shown by the many
modes of operation in which he works. There is not just one way that Satan arms himself and
attacks Jesus and the faithful. Satan has many ways and many schemes.
Satan uses our own sinful flesh to lure us into unchastity, laziness, gluttony, drunkenness, greed,
deceit, acts of fraud and deception against our neighbor; our sinful nature commits these acts
against another member of God’s own family. He also uses the world that tries to drive us by
word and deed into anger and impatience, hatred, envy, enmity, violence, injustice, cursing,
reviling, slander, arrogance, pride, fondness for luxury, honor, fame, and power at the expense
of our neighbors.
And it doesn’t end there. The devil baits and badgers us on all sides, especially in matters of
conscience and spiritual matters; where he tries to make us scorn and despise the Word and the
works of God; to tear us away from faith, hope, and love, to draw us into unbelief, false
security, and stubbornness, to drive us into despair or worse, denial of God.
All of these attacks, schemes, and threats of the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh are a
direct attack on our identity. We are tempted the same as Christ was. Look at the temptations
again. In the first temptation, the devil assumes Jesus has miraculous powers and he questions
how Jesus would use that power. Would He use it for Himself or for the glory of God as He was
supposed to? The second temptation is an issue of whether or not Jesus would trust in the
promises of God. In the third temptation, it is presumed and tried if the Son, if Jesus, would
blatantly worship and serve someone other than God. We rightly read the fall of Adam this
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morning as we see the same elements in Adam’s temptation and Jesus’ recorded temptations.
There are issues of food, trust, worship, service and obedience. We even have the same
questions asked about God’s Words.
In the 2nd and 3rd temptations, Jesus is not the only one who uses God’s Word. Satan turns to
God’s word. During the first temptation, Jesus appeals to the Word of God for defense of God’s
glory, just as Eve did in Genesis. Once it has been established that God’s Word is going to be
the source, Satan’s trickery does not end there. Just like Adam and Eve, Satan tries to twist and
turn God’s Word. The devil tries to take God’s Word and perform theological gymnastics with
it, to try and cast doubt on it. “Did God really say? Ok, but did He really mean? Can you really
be sure?”
The issue comes back again to identity. You, brothers and sisters in Christ, you have been
baptized. You have been incorporated into the family of God. You have been given son-ship and
are an heir of the Kingdom of God. Through the blessed baptismal waters you bear the Name of
the Holy Trinity, and you bear the mark of redemption through the very blood of Christ. Your
identity has been marked and sealed by the Holy Spirit Himself. Jesus shows for us today a
picture of the Christian life. Jesus’ work is not a matter of finding the right Bible verse, but we
use God’s Word correctly to recognize Satan’s attacks on our identity as God’s children.
Just as Satan tried to get Jesus to misunderstand or contradict His mission as God’s Son, he does
the same to you. As Christians, in this life, we will still struggle with sin, but Christ has freed
you. Washed in the blood of Christ, you stand at the foot of the cross and His blood poured out
for you cleanses you from your iniquity. As you recognize Satan’s attacks, and your failures,
you come to the foot of the cross and He frees you from your bondage. His blood covers you
and by His stripes you are healed.
Our identity as God’s children, we learn much from our text today. What did Jesus use when
tempted by Satan in many and various ways? He used God’s Word. Even when Satan tried to
twist God’s word around, Jesus continued to use God’s Word and Jesus spoke it clearly and
rightly. The temptation to use God’s word for something other than God intended still happens
in our world today. Our identity as God’s children must be clearly taught and understood
through the right and proper teaching of God’s Word. His Word is the only source of faith and
doctrine. Man does not live by bread alone, but by every Word that comes from the mouth of
God. In our dealings with each other, we use words that kill and words that make alive. If we
disagree, we look to Scripture for the answer. We learn and walk together. God’s clear word is
what must guide, teach, and direct us.
We must constantly be in study of the Scriptures, because Satan still uses his theatrical
whimsiness to try and cast doubt on the clear and pure Word of God. He continues to try and
infiltrate the church and her leaders, to try and get them to profane the name of God and the
Word of God by teaching their own words and not God’s words.
As we live baptized, forgiven and our identity is one that is given by God Himself, we do pray
that the devil, the world, and our sinful nature may not deceive us or mislead us into false
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belief, despair, and other great shame and vice. Although we are attacked by these things, we
pray that we may finally overcome them and win the victory. As we live, know that Christ has
won that victory. He did not fall into temptation. He was victorious where Adam, Eve, you and I
fail. He was obedient even to the point of death. He has won the victory, and He has given it to
you. You are no longer slaves to sin, but slaves to righteousness. You have been given a new
identity. You are children of the Most High God. He has claimed you as His own, and given you
His life, His strength, His love and His mercy.
Your identity is confirmed, signed, and sealed by God Himself whom you remind yourself as
you wake up, go to sleep, and saying the creed, beginning the Divine Service, and during
absolution when you make the sign of the cross and touch yourself and are reminded that my
identity has been given to me by God Himself. My identity is secure in the ark of the Christian
Church where He reminds and strengthens my identity. My identity is fed by the very Word of
God made flesh, fed by the very body and blood of Jesus Christ, who is my head. My identity is
confirmed in Jesus. Thanks be to God! Amen.
Now may the peace of God, which passes all human understanding, keep your hearts and minds
in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.