Sermons for the Month
The Gratification Temptation
DATE: March 4, 2001
SERVICE: Lent I
TEXT: Luke 4:1-13“To all of you Saints here this morning, grace and peace to you from God our Father, from His Son, Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit. AMEN
Richard Hatch. Remember him? Last summer's Survivor survivor. The "snake" who walked off the island with a million dollars. How soon we forget. Not that our amnesia is related only to Rich. Who can name all five of the Spice Girls? Who remembers last year's Academy Award winners for Best Actor and Best Actress? The American gold medal winners from the 2000 Summer Olympics? The bottom line is this, writes Jay Martel in Rolling Stone: "Everything's a flash in the pan, so why not get the most out of your flash?" Richard Hatch had his moment in the sun, and he milked it for all it was worth, even appearing in those ubiquitous "Got Milk?" ads. Regis Philbin's still wearing monochrome suits, shirts and ties, and still asking for contestants' final answers. He's getting the most out of his flash. So is Britney Spears, who's everywhere taping TV specials, recording songs, touring, marketing dolls in her likeness and shilling products - including Polaroid's Instant Cameras. The Nasdaq creates and wipes out fortunes in a single day, fashions inspired by hip-hop are completely unpredictable, and all we know for sure about next year is that we'll all need new computers. It's easy to see why the smart money is on getting it while you can, however you can, as fast as you can. We may not have appeared on reality TV, talked to Regis, or be a rock star, but we understand the "get-it-while-you-can" mentality. We work 8 to 5, raise the kids, take a vacation now and then. We're steady, honest and decent folks. And vulnerable. Like Jesus. This "flash-in-the-pan" mentality was part of the temptation Jesus faced when he spent his 40 days in the wilderness. After all, the Devil suggested he turn a stone into bread, saying, in effect, "Go ahead, Jesus - get it while you can!" And he offered him all the kingdoms of the world, "Go ahead, Jesus - get them however you can!" And he tested him by challenging him to throw himself off the temple and into the hands of God, "Go ahead, Jesus - grab hold of the Lord's protection as fast as you can!" What's interesting is that God was already working to provide Jesus with all these tantalizing things. They would come to him eventually ... at the right time, in the right place, according to the divine plan. Jesus would certainly be fed with nourishing bread. And he would definitely become the cosmic King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Jesus would even be rescued from the finality of death by the power of God. But not yet. While we may not get it, Jesus did. He knew that temptation is so often connected to impatience. You want something that is really quite innocent in itself - a piece of bread, a chance to be a leader, a sign from God - but you get into trouble because you want it now. You're unwilling either to wait for it or to work for it, so you take shortcuts - and end up getting into trouble. Picture this: You're hungry, you crave an elegant meal, you walk into a five-star restaurant. You order up a feast - one you really can't afford - enjoy it immensely, and then charge the whole thing on your credit card. Then, because you can manage only to make the minimum payment on your monthly balance, you pay for this dinner for years and years and years, and your hundred-dollar meal ends up costing you thousands and thousands. The problem is wanting it now. You want to be a "flash" or to have your "flash-in-the-pan." The solution is to resist the lure of the moment and trust that God will satisfy you in the fullness of his own divinely-appointed time. Not that food is our only problem. Think of money ... sex ... success. All can be good or bad, depending on the timing. All are wonderful gifts of a loving and life-giving Lord, designed to bring us nourishment, opportunity, pleasure and well-being. But not if we gobble them, grab them, force them or rush them. Bread can satisfy our deep hunger, except when God says, "No, not now." World-class leadership is a goal worth pursuing, but not at the expense of making a deal with the Devil. Being a child of God is a cherished blessing, except when you challenge the Lord to a fast and dirty test of his love. The Devil so often takes good and graceful gifts and corrupts them - luring us into wanting them now, grabbing them however we can and getting them fast. And so does the world. Be a star, have it all, win the lotto, indulge yourself, get it fast, have it now - this is what society teaches us, every day and in a thousand different ways. Turn on MTV and you'll see an ever-changing parade of boy bands: First, New Kids on the Block, then Backstreet Boys, now 'N Sync. They shoot to the top of the charts like a missile, but then flame out and fall to the earth in a streak, ending up in the pile of one-hit wonders you see at the Rock Hall of Fame: Joan Jett, Vanilla Ice, Wild Cherry and Chumbawamba. You remember the pop tune "Tubthumping" by Chumbawamba, don't you? Fast, furious, wildly successful. Now gone forever. As Christians, we don't have to join the rush. In this season of Lent, this springtime of the soul, this time of slow growth and spiritual maturation, we don't have to fall into the trap of feeling that we need to grab everything we can in our flash-in-the-pan world. In the face of our society's fleeting, superficial and increasingly sinister and seductive style of success, Christianity challenges us to take the long view and focus on eternity. Here's an example of how the flash temptation works. Take a look at how we spent money as teenagers. Studies show that teens with jobs now typically take home about $100 a week, and of this amount no more than $10 usually goes into savings. The bulk of the paycheck goes into purchases, such as the wardrobe of one young man, which included two leather jackets, six sweaters, 12 pairs of jeans, four pairs of shoes, two belts and lots of shirts, including a half-dozen silk ones. A female high-school senior reported 20 pairs of dress shoes - with a purse to match each one - plus 10 pairs of sneakers. Now some might ask: What's the big deal? Jobs teach teens the value of a buck, and if they earn a few bucks they should be able to spend them. But since kids are not usually responsible for paying room and board, beginning with my generation they often fell victim to a phenomenon called "premature affluence." They race quickly toward a level of prosperity my parents took years and years to achieve, complete with the latest TVs, computers, sound systems, furniture, clothing and cars. I don't know about you but when I went to college my standard of living actually declined. Jesus reminds us, a little later in Luke, "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (12:34). He knows that we tend to throw our money at things that matter to us, whether we are committed to acquiring the latest CDs or alleviating the suffering of a neighbor. The season of Lent is a good time to reflect on where our treasures and our hearts are located, and to take the time to move them, if necessary, to a healthier and holier place. With our use of money - as well as our use of time and talent and effort and involvement - it is so important to take the long view and be mindful of eternity. Truly good things take time to develop, and we cannot expect a harvest overnight. Like a farmer who works the soil, cultivates, waters and weeds, we need to take time to invest ourselves in activities that will bear a good and lasting fruit. If we resist the lure of the quick buck, the flashy image, the easy answer and the tempting moment, God will satisfy us in the fullness of his own divinely-appointed time. "Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out," advises Jesus, "an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys" (Luke 12:33). You can win a quick million from Regis, and then have a robber clean you out. You can fill your closet with designer duds, and then have a moth eat them up. But when you invest yourself in the slow and steady work of the kingdom, you'll be building a fortune that is eternally secure. Janis Joplin was a card-carrying member of the live fast-die young set that included Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix and others in the early 70s. Joplin, who, during her Austin, Texas, days was routinely called the "ugliest man on campus," yearned for acceptance and love. That's why she suggested when love comes around, we should "Get It While You Can." In this world, if you read the papers, Lord, You know everybody's fighting on with each other. You got no one you can count on, baby, Not even your own brother. So if someone comes along, He's gonna give you some love and affection. I'd say get it while you can, yeah! Honey, get it while you can, Hey, hey, get it while you can, Don't you turn your back on love, no, no! Janis said, "Get it while you can." Jesus says, "Give it while you can," because it is only through giving and letting go that what is good and useful comes back to us. I would encourage you this Lent to let Jesus come into your heart. Let his heart be your heart. His love, your love. His dream, your dream. Then love the Janis's and the Jimmy's of this world. AMEN