Matthew 4: 1-11

            So let's start by talking a little bit about Satan. When someone asks me if I believe in Satan, I say Yes. If they asked me further if I believe in Satan as an identifiable person, with a pitchfork and pointy ears, or a black cape and beady eyes, I would say No. What I mean when I say I believe in Satan is that there is clearly a strong presence of evil in this world. You can't explain this world, and what people do in this world, without reference to something - or, someone, if you prefer - evil, working against God. Call it Satan, call it evil, call it systemic injustice, human failing, whatever. But it is strong, it is evil, and it is out to spoil what God wants to give us. I'm going to talk about Satan as a person in this sermon, because that is the way he is described in this morning's scripture lesson; but you can imagine Satan to be whatever evil presence you like.

            The voice from heaven let Jesus know, if he didn't already, that he was God's Son, and that meant he would do great things. But before he could get started, he had to face Satan. And here's a few things we learn about Satan in this story:

            First of all, he is an opportunist. Satan is smart enough to choose his moments wisely. He wouldn't confront Jesus when Jesus was in the full strength of his baptismal blessing. He waited, instead, until Jesus had fasted for forty days and nights, and would be weak and hungry and vulnerable.

            That's the insidious nature of temptation in our lives. It hits us when we're down. It's when things are falling apart at work that the bottle will appear in your hand; it's when a relationship has fallen apart that the overeating binge might start; it's when a dream has fallen apart that a sexual temptation might take hold. We need a strong spirit throughout life - but it is so crucial especially at the crisis points that we pay attention to prayer and the Bible and worship and spiritual friendships, because when our spiritual defenses are down, Satan will seize the opportunity.

            A second thing we learn about Satan in the story is kind of a surprising one - and that is, that Satan reads the Bible. When Jesus quotes the Bible to defend himself against Satan, Satan quotes the Bible right back at him - it's in Matthew 4:6: "(Satan) said to him, 'If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down (from this pinnacle); for it is written, "He will give his angels charge of you," and "On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone." That's Psalm 91: 11-12.

            The Bible is our guide when it comes to faith. It is the foundation of what we believe, and contains Good News for the people of God. It is also regularly used for evil purposes. It has been used to oppress people, to perpetuate injustices, and to justify evil practices. In the last presidential campaign, for example, the Bible was misused in atrocious ways to manipulate the sympathies of the voters. This presents Christians with a real dilemma. When someone says to us, "It says so right here in the Bible," we can't just assume that that is God talking. Satan uses the Bible, too. So how do we discern who it is that is speaking?

            John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, offers one of the best ways to consider this - it's called the Wesleyan Quadrilateral. Wesley taught that there were four tests to find the truth. Scripture was, of course, the primary test. But scripture itself has to be tested against tradition, experience and reason to arrive at the truth. And I would also lift up a test that the Bible offers, especially in I Corinthians 13 - which we call the love chapter, and read sentimentally at weddings. "If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but have not love, then I am nothing." And so on. Actually that chapter was written as a warning of the danger of practicing religion without love. And that can be a test for us to use: if what someone is claiming from the Bible doesn't pass the test of love - then it is not God talking.

            At the very least, this whole topic should make us humble when we quote the Bible to justify something we are trying to claim as God's truth.

            A third thing about Satan is that he lies. He distorts the truth, and he makes promises that he can't keep. Satan says that you'll be satisfied if you turn stones into bread, as if material wellbeing is all you need in this world. Jesus knows that the truth is we do not live by bread alone. Satan says that you can manipulate God. He loves you so much that you can do foolhardy things, like throw yourself down from the Temple walls, and God will send angels to catch you. Jesus knows that you can't put God to the test. Satan says that all the world is his to promise, and he'll give it to you if you'll just bow down to him. Jesus knows Satan can't give you anything; the world belongs to God, and he alone is worthy of our worship.

            We don't have to think too hard to realize where the voice of Satan is today. It's the advertisement that says that all we have to do is buy the right beer, and we'll be in the middle of a big party that will never end. It's the New York State lottery, that plays on images of greed and power to sell tickets - all you need is a dollar and a dream - if you are the Son of God, turn this stone into bread. It's the political system that trades empty promises and fear tactics for votes; it's the friend who says, "Come on, you've had a busy week; you deserve to get a little high." All lies.

            Whatever you say about Satan, he is not lazy. He is working all the time. It is said that opportunity may knock only once; but temptation bangs on your door forever. And Satan scores some impressive victories. He won with the baseball player who used illegal steroids; he won with the corporate executive doing time for trading on inside information; he won with the public official who cheated on his wife - the headlines are full of Satan's victories.

            But here's the fourth thing we can learn about Satan from the story of Jesus in the wilderness - Satan is a loser. In this great cosmic battle between Satan and Jesus, Satan hurls everything he can. But Jesus turns him aside, and he does it by simple trust and obedience to God. In the end, Satan has to retreat. But let's play the story out. When the Gospel of Luke tells the story, he says that Satan retreated until the next opportune time. The fact is, the temptation of Jesus didn't end in the wilderness  - Satan continued to tempt Jesus throughout his ministry, and Jesus continued to say, "Get behind me, Satan. Get away."

            And then Satan, the opportunist, saw and seized his opportunity in a man named Judas - a man so close to the heart of Jesus that he could walk up to him in the Garden of Gethsemane and betray him with a kiss. That's the insidious fact that should put us on guard - Satan lost the battle with Jesus himself, so he looks for opportunities to get at Jesus through the people Jesus loves. And in Judas, it looked like Satan had found the weakness, and won the day - Jesus was crucified, and evil seemed to have won. But the heart of our faith is that even death could not defeat Jesus; we believe in Easter, and the final victory of God over Satan. Satan is a loser in the battle with God.

            It is significant to notice that Jesus used three scripture quotations to turn Satan aside. The obvious lesson is that we should read and know the Bible. But there is something more profound to learn here. All three scriptures Jesus quoted come from the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy, chapters 6-8. And what's going on in Deuteronomy 6-8? The Hebrew people have just found out that they are specially chosen by God; they walk through the Red Sea to freedom. And now they are in the wilderness, trying to learn what kind of people they will be. God's answer is clear- they must be obedient, trusting people. The more they trust in God, the mightier the works they will be able to do in this world.

            And in the same Jesus has just heard the voice that tells him that he is God's Son. And he, too, ends up in the wilderness. And he, too, must answer the question of what kind of person he will be. He could use his powers to take care of his own physical needs, turning stone into bread. He could use his powers to get attention with spectacular stunts like throwing himself down from the Temple pinnacle. And then, as he stands there on the mountaintop, surveying the splendor of the whole world, he could use his power to gain the world the easy way - all he has to do is forsake God, and bow down to Satan.

            But instead, he chose to trust God and obey. And indeed, Jesus would win the whole world - but it would take death on the cross to do it, because that is the way of love, and love is the way of God.

            This weekend we honor one of the great followers of Christ of our time. Martin Luther King, Jr. also came to a point in his life when he had to choose what kind of person he would be. There was an easy route, a way that would have been safe and obscure. Or there was the way of obedience to the call of God. That way led to his death on a hotel balcony in Memphis. But it also led to one: of the great voices for justice and peace that this country has ever known. The day before he died, Dr. King talked about the view from the mountaintop. From that mountain he could see the kingdoms of the world living in racial harmony and true God-like love. He made it clear, that for the sake of that vision he was not afraid or ashamed to give his life.

            Now here's the question: what kind of people are we?

            There's a story about a soldier who was fighting in the Civil War, and his sergeant came up to him in the middle of the fight and said, "Son, give me your rifle, and go back to the rear of the battle and rest." The soldier gladly did what he was asked, but a few minutes later he came back and said, “Sergeant, give me back my rifle. There ain't no rear to this battle."

            And that's the way of our lives. There ain't no rear to the battle - all around us, on every side, the war between good and evil is going strong. Satan's voice is still there - inviting us to the easy way, the attractive way, the material way. Maybe if we don't think about the bad things, turn off the news, buy more things, live as if the poor don't exist. But there ain't no rear to the battle. Evil always knows where to find us.

            The Good News is, God also knows where to find us, and God has defeated Satan, and has chosen us and loved us, and invites us to stand on the top of the mountain. We are baptized with our Lord - and when we were baptized, this was one of the questions that was posed: Do you accept the freedom and power God gives you to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves?

            Well, do we? What kind of people will we be? Will we stand with Jesus on the mountaintop, and then walk down that mountain to be messengers of hope and justice and peace in this world? What will it take? It's easier to close our eyes and sit at home - Satan counts on it. But the view from the mountaintop belongs to those who step out in faith and trust. That may be the more demanding path; but it beats living in fear, and living in meaninglessness, and sitting in a safe cocoon wondering why God doesn't do something. It's the ones who step out who discover that God is doing plenty. What kind of people will we be?