( Matthew 4,1-11 ) - [ Deutsch ]
The Bible is a treasure! That's what I'm trying to show my 8th graders right now. Dear congregation, what I find so exciting about reading the Bible is that you can and often have to read between the lines in order to look deeper. To recognize the truth behind the story. And so it is with our sermon text today.
The story is known to many, perhaps it is even familiar; it contains sentences that have almost become proverbs. Right at the beginning of his gospel, just after Jesus was surprisingly baptized by John in the Jordan, after God proclaims Jesus as His Son with the words “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”, Jesus experiences something that Matthew then puts into these words:
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ ”
7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ ”
11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
This is the truth in the form of a story. Through this story we learn something that is essential for our lives.
On the way to the truth, Matthew first answers a question in passing that absolutely needs to be answered as well and that burns on the souls of many people: does the devil actually exist? And the answer in this story is clear: yes, there is a devil. Sometimes he comes from somewhere - nobody knows where - approaches us and wants something from us. Jesus is not at all surprised when the devil comes. He is not frightened and does not run away, but responds to everything the devil says. It seems as if it is only a matter of course that at some point the devil will approach one or the other of us and expect something.
The devil is very bible-proof in this story, which is amazing. Jesus and he argue with each other, but they argue with words. In the end, Jesus orders the devil to leave, which he does. Angels take the devil's place.
You could say that Jesus has won the argument. But who knows, maybe the devil will come back one day and the argument will start all over again. There is a devil. And the devil always does the same thing, as we hear and read here today; the devil always tries to do the same thing:
He wants us to belong to him. He tries to get us on his side. He promises power and influence and wealth and all the glory on earth - and a clear conscience - if we forget God and thus also forget what God wants from us. That's what it says here. This is how Jesus experienced it; and he passed the temptations because he did not allow himself to be lured.
It may be that this all sounds a little strange to us today. But that doesn't matter. Let’s first hear it as it is written. Then we soon realize what it doesn't say. It doesn't say where the devil comes from, what he looks like, where he goes or where he lives. And because it doesn't say any of that, it's probably not important. It is also not important what the devil looks like - and whether he really is a person with hands, feet, a face or horns. It is only important that there are temptations that come from somewhere and claim to make our lives much easier.
So this is important to Matthew: there are charms and temptations that want to influence or seduce us. That is part of the truth that this story tells. And it's all easier to tell and easier to understand if you give the temptations a picture and say "devil" to them.
But perhaps the truth is that there is something devilish in me. And then also in every person; something that tempts us with the same means every time. Something that tells us: you will get everything you want if you forget God.
This is exactly what the devil is trying to do - or, to put it more carefully, this is exactly what the devil is trying to do in us: we should forget God because then we will supposedly be much better off. I should forget who created the world, the animals, the plants, the humans. I am supposed to forget why I am in the world, why I live, work and am together with others. And finally, I should simply forget that Jesus lived, loved and suffered so that people in need can still be helped.
Then you'll be fine, the devil keeps trying to tell us. Forget about God, forget about worship and prayer, then you'll be fine! Take care of yourself, the temptation always says.
And that, dear congregation, is hell.
This is always one of the greatest temptations in life: to only look after yourself at school, in the family, among friends, at work, in church. That really is hell. Jesus must have known this, or at least suspected it. And because he suspected it, he gave the devil a clear rebuff in the desert - so clear that it still rings in our ears today. He gave the devil the first commandment and said: "You shall worship the Lord your God and serve him only.
For that is heaven.
And now comes the truth, which is why this whole unique and wonderful story is still told today and which I unfortunately cannot prove to you just like that. But that doesn't matter, because - which is much better - the truth is proven every day in life and has probably already been proven to you in small things and in the greatest need.
So I can simply pass on what is written here: Whoever resists evil, whoever serves God alone, will have the angels serve him. Whoever keeps the first commandment will be kept by God.
God will turn to those who serve no other gods than God, the Father of Jesus. God will turn to him who does not run away from God in trouble and distress. The angels will prepare the way for respects those who respect those no one else respects.
To feel heaven on earth is to worship and serve God alone. No one else.
That can be difficult. We are tempted again and again in life. And sometimes we recognize the temptation too late. Time and again, something or someone will try to make us serve only ourselves. That always sounds very tempting, as if we would then be doing really well.
But it is a devilish mistake. The exact opposite is true: serving God gives life. Those who remain aware of their responsibility before God with their whole life will be served by God.
And those who serve God are served by the angels.
Amen