WEBVTT 00:03:18.960 --> 00:03:21.680 Bless the Lord who forgives all our sin. 00:03:25.199 --> 00:03:29.680 Let us give thanks to God for all the gifts freely bestowed upon us. 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:34.080 For the beauty and wonder of your creation and earth and sky and sea. 00:03:34.319 --> 00:03:35.680 We thank you, Lord. 00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:40.960 For all that is gracious in the lives of women and men, revealing the image of Christ. 00:03:41.280 --> 00:03:42.479 We thank you, Lord. 00:03:42.800 --> 00:03:46.800 For our daily food and drink, our homes and families and our friends. 00:03:47.120 --> 00:03:48.479 We thank you, Lord. 00:03:48.800 --> 00:03:52.639 For minds to think, and hearts to love and hands to serve. 00:03:52.960 --> 00:03:54.240 We thank you, Lord. 00:03:54.560 --> 00:03:58.719 For health and strength to work and leisure to rest and play. 00:03:59.120 --> 00:04:00.400 We thank you, Lord. 00:04:00.639 --> 00:04:05.919 For the brave and courageous who are patient in suffering and faithful in adversity. 00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:07.360 We thank you, Lord. 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:11.120 For all valiant seekers after truth, liberty, and justice. 00:04:11.360 --> 00:04:12.560 We thank you, Lord. 00:04:12.800 --> 00:04:15.919 For the communion of saints in all times and places. 00:04:16.240 --> 00:04:17.439 We thank you, Lord. 00:04:17.600 --> 00:04:22.879 Above all, we give you thanks for the great mercies and promises given to us in Christ Jesus our Lord. 00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:24.480 To you be praise and glory. 00:04:24.560 --> 00:04:29.040 With you, O Father, and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. 00:04:29.279 --> 00:04:29.920 Amen. 00:04:30.079 --> 00:04:31.360 Let's pray together. 00:04:31.680 --> 00:04:39.360 Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hidden. 00:04:39.600 --> 00:04:51.279 Cleanse the thoughts in our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name through Christ our Lord. 00:04:51.600 --> 00:04:52.079 Amen. 00:04:52.480 --> 00:05:00.399 Hear what our Lord Jesus Christ saith: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 00:05:00.639 --> 00:05:03.360 This is the first and greatest commitment. 00:05:03.519 --> 00:05:05.439 And the second is like unto it. 00:05:05.680 --> 00:05:08.000 Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 00:05:08.240 --> 00:05:12.319 On these two commitments hang all of the Torah and the prophets. 00:06:09.839 --> 00:06:11.120 Let us pray. 00:06:12.879 --> 00:06:18.319 Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan. 00:06:18.639 --> 00:06:22.399 Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations. 00:06:22.639 --> 00:06:34.639 And as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. 00:06:34.959 --> 00:06:35.519 Amen. 00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:39.360 As you're being seated, our children are invited to children's chapel with Mr. 00:06:39.439 --> 00:06:40.399 Alex and the back. 00:06:51.040 --> 00:06:52.959 A reading from Genesis. 00:06:53.439 --> 00:06:59.120 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till and to keep it. 00:06:59.360 --> 00:07:12.319 And the Lord God commanded the man, You may freely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it, you shall die. 00:07:12.959 --> 00:07:18.720 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. 00:07:19.120 --> 00:07:25.120 He said to the woman, Did God say, You shall not eat from any tree in the garden? 00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:30.160 The woman said to the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden. 00:07:30.480 --> 00:07:39.279 But God said, You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die. 00:07:39.839 --> 00:07:50.959 But the serpent said to the woman, You will not die, for God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. 00:07:51.600 --> 00:08:03.600 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. 00:08:03.759 --> 00:08:07.680 And she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 00:08:08.959 --> 00:08:17.600 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together and made winecloths for themselves. 00:08:18.399 --> 00:08:20.720 Hear what the Spirit is saying to God's people. 00:08:30.959 --> 00:08:34.240 We will read responsively by the half verse. 00:08:34.960 --> 00:08:40.799 Happy are they whose transgressions are forgiven, and whose sin is put away. 00:08:41.759 --> 00:08:48.000 Happy are they to whom the Lord imputes no guilt, and in whose spirit there is no God. 00:08:49.039 --> 00:08:56.000 While I held my tongue, my bones withered away because of my groaning all day long. 00:08:56.720 --> 00:09:04.879 For your hand was heavy upon me day and night, and my moisture was dried up as in the heat of summer. 00:09:05.519 --> 00:09:11.039 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not conceal my guilt. 00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:19.679 I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and then you gave me the guilt of my sin. 00:09:20.480 --> 00:09:25.440 Therefore, all the faithful will make their prayers to you in time of trouble. 00:09:25.759 --> 00:09:29.759 When the great waters overflow, they shall not reach them. 00:09:30.879 --> 00:09:34.799 You are my hiding place, you preserve me from trouble. 00:09:35.279 --> 00:09:38.399 You surround me with shouts and deliverances. 00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:43.200 I will instruct you and teach you in the way that you should go. 00:09:43.600 --> 00:09:46.000 I will guide you with my eye. 00:09:46.559 --> 00:09:50.799 Do not be like horse or mule, which have no understanding. 00:09:51.120 --> 00:09:56.879 You must be fitted with bit and bridle, or else they will not stay near you. 00:09:57.600 --> 00:10:00.639 Great are the tribulations of the wicked. 00:10:00.960 --> 00:10:04.799 By the mercy and grace of those who trust in the Lord. 00:10:05.360 --> 00:10:09.360 Be glad, you righteous, and rejoice in the Lord. 00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:56.000 And so death spread to all because all have sinned. 00:10:56.480 --> 00:11:02.720 Sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. 00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:15.039 Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come. 00:11:15.919 --> 00:11:18.320 But the free gift is not like the trespass. 00:11:19.440 --> 00:11:32.000 For if the many died through the one man's trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. 00:11:33.200 --> 00:11:41.440 And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man's sin, for the judgment followed one trespass brought condemnation. 00:11:42.399 --> 00:11:46.639 But the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. 00:11:48.000 --> 00:12:04.960 If because of the one man's trespass death exercise dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man Jesus Christ. 00:12:06.639 --> 00:12:16.559 Therefore, just as the one man's trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man's act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. 00:12:17.519 --> 00:12:26.799 For just as by the one man's disobedience to many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience to many will be made righteous. 00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:31.279 Hear what the Spirit is saying to God's people. 00:15:37.360 --> 00:15:43.360 After Jesus was baptized, he was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 00:15:43.519 --> 00:15:47.679 He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. 00:15:47.919 --> 00:15:55.360 The tempter came and said to him, If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread. 00:15:55.679 --> 00:16:03.200 But Jesus answered, It is written, one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. 00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:20.559 Then the slanderer took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, He will command his angels concerning you, and on their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone. 00:16:20.960 --> 00:16:26.320 Jesus said to him, Again it is written, Do not put the Lord your God to the test. 00:16:26.799 --> 00:16:32.240 Again the slanderer took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:37.919 And he said to Jesus, All these I will give you if you will fall down and worship me. 00:16:39.360 --> 00:16:47.360 Jesus said to him, Away with you, accuser, for it is written, Worship the Lord your God and serve only him. 00:16:47.759 --> 00:16:52.240 And then the slanderer left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him. 00:16:53.360 --> 00:16:54.960 The gospel of the Lord. 00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:22.640 In the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 00:17:23.119 --> 00:17:23.440 Amen. 00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:25.039 Please be seated. 00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:33.359 It is characteristic that we start each Lent, the first Sunday in Lent, with what we call the temptation of Christ. 00:17:33.440 --> 00:17:42.240 And I want to start by suggesting to you that there is a temptation to deal with these readings in a particular way that absolves us of any responsibility. 00:17:42.319 --> 00:17:44.960 And I want to give you the temptation first. 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:49.759 The temptation is to say, Jesus did this stuff, it's really neat, he's all done with it. 00:17:50.000 --> 00:17:50.559 Yay. 00:17:50.799 --> 00:17:56.079 Another temptation is to say, hey, uh, look how good, uh look what Paul says. 00:17:56.319 --> 00:17:59.759 Everybody messed it up, and Jesus fixed it. 00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:01.200 All done. 00:18:01.519 --> 00:18:02.160 Yay. 00:18:02.480 --> 00:18:13.920 And of course, probably the greatest temptation is to read this story in Genesis 3 in a broken way that says, there is no good in us. 00:18:14.799 --> 00:18:18.640 We are full of original sin because of the saying in the garden. 00:18:18.960 --> 00:18:24.960 Look, if that takes, if any of those take you to larger life, ignore what I'm getting ready to say. 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:33.039 But I want to suggest to you that hearing those stories in those ways, very tempting, takes us nowhere. 00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:37.359 So what are the alternatives? 00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:44.240 We could spend 30 minutes on Genesis chapter 3 and still not be satisfied. 00:18:44.400 --> 00:18:53.759 But I do want to tell you, uh, it's very tempting to read Augustine's understanding of the story and not read the Bible's understanding of the story. 00:18:53.920 --> 00:18:56.079 So let me tell you how Augustine read this story. 00:18:56.240 --> 00:18:57.599 Maybe you've heard this myth. 00:18:57.759 --> 00:19:04.240 Once upon a time, everything was pure and perfect and spiritual. 00:19:06.079 --> 00:19:10.880 And then along came this evil spirit called the demi-urge. 00:19:11.359 --> 00:19:16.400 And it took all that was spiritual and wonderful and put it in a body. 00:19:16.799 --> 00:19:23.039 It made material matter, which as we know is corruptible and terrible. 00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:28.160 And that is what we call the fall. 00:19:29.440 --> 00:19:31.359 Have you heard that myth before? 00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:34.079 It's called Neoplatonism. 00:19:34.319 --> 00:19:36.480 Have you heard the word the fall before? 00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:38.240 Fall from grace? 00:19:38.480 --> 00:19:39.519 Not in the Bible. 00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:41.359 No Jewish person believes it. 00:19:41.599 --> 00:19:43.440 No Jewish person believes it. 00:19:43.519 --> 00:19:47.519 And I want to tell you, as your priest, you shouldn't believe it either, because it's wrong. 00:19:47.759 --> 00:19:50.400 According to the scriptures, only God can create. 00:19:50.559 --> 00:19:53.119 Only God, no human being can create. 00:19:53.279 --> 00:20:00.720 And according to the story, God created us in God's image and likeness, which means no matter how you feel, you can't undo it. 00:20:01.119 --> 00:20:08.400 You are not powerful enough to take God's image and likeness out of your body, no matter how hard you try. 00:20:11.279 --> 00:20:15.119 Thinking that there is no good in us is the fall. 00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:17.519 Get up from it. 00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:19.680 You don't have to stay down. 00:20:20.079 --> 00:20:23.920 These temptations of Jesus, look, they don't even make any sense. 00:20:24.799 --> 00:20:29.200 Is it wrong to turn stones into bread when you're hungry? 00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:31.440 I should think not. 00:20:33.039 --> 00:20:35.200 Is it wrong to jump off a building? 00:20:35.359 --> 00:20:37.839 I mean, when I was in middle school, that'd have been real cool. 00:20:39.200 --> 00:20:41.759 Now I actually have like no interest in it at all. 00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:42.799 Right? 00:20:42.960 --> 00:20:49.920 I mean, and look, if Jesus is the Son of God and uh, you know, the accuser shows up and says, worship me. 00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:52.880 I mean, would really Jesus be tempted to Satanism? 00:20:53.119 --> 00:20:54.799 That's just crazy, isn't it? 00:20:54.960 --> 00:20:57.839 How can God be tempted to Satanism? 00:20:58.000 --> 00:20:59.599 I mean, that just doesn't make any sense. 00:20:59.759 --> 00:21:02.960 So I want to tell you what most scholars do with those temptations. 00:21:03.119 --> 00:21:15.680 Most scholars say, hey, uh, this is Jesus being tempted to be the Messiah of popular expectation instead of who God is actually authentically calling him to be. 00:21:15.839 --> 00:21:19.839 So the Messiah of popular expectation solves all our problems. 00:21:20.079 --> 00:21:21.279 Hunger's a problem. 00:21:21.359 --> 00:21:23.119 And I don't know if you've been to the desert. 00:21:23.200 --> 00:21:26.400 You need to think desert like San Diego, not like Sahara. 00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:29.759 In San Diego, as in Israel, there's rocks everywhere. 00:21:29.839 --> 00:21:31.119 It's decomposed granite. 00:21:31.279 --> 00:21:34.319 If you could turn rocks into bread, you'd feed the world. 00:21:34.640 --> 00:21:44.000 And so, most scholars will tell you, look, this is Jesus being tempted to be the Messiah of popular expectation, to feed the hunger problem. 00:21:44.559 --> 00:21:45.759 What about the temple thing? 00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:57.440 Well, the messiah of popular expectation was supposed to show up dramatically in the temple, and the temple being something like 80 feet tall, if you jump off of that and float down, that's pretty dramatic. 00:21:57.599 --> 00:21:58.559 You gotta hope you're there. 00:21:58.640 --> 00:21:59.200 There was no YouTube. 00:21:59.359 --> 00:22:01.200 So if you miss You missed it, you missed it. 00:22:03.119 --> 00:22:08.079 And most scholars read this bit if you bow down to me. 00:22:08.240 --> 00:22:13.680 If you'll do it my way, you'll be in charge. 00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:20.079 Would Jesus being in charge of the political kingdoms of the world be a bad thing? 00:22:20.400 --> 00:22:22.480 It'd probably be pretty good. 00:22:22.960 --> 00:22:24.559 But that isn't his call. 00:22:24.880 --> 00:22:27.519 His call is not to rule over. 00:22:29.680 --> 00:22:32.960 His goal is to bring us alongside. 00:22:35.920 --> 00:22:40.160 After all, a benevolent dictator is still a dictator. 00:22:42.559 --> 00:22:44.079 I don't even like that one. 00:22:44.240 --> 00:22:46.000 I don't like that one either. 00:22:48.880 --> 00:22:51.119 I invite you to consider the frame. 00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:56.880 Jesus has gone to be baptized by John the Baptist, and he hadn't done squat. 00:22:57.039 --> 00:22:58.079 He didn't work a miracle. 00:22:58.160 --> 00:22:59.119 He didn't preach a sermon. 00:22:59.200 --> 00:22:59.920 He didn't write a book. 00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:02.720 He didn't even write one of those terrible blogs you get every morning. 00:23:02.960 --> 00:23:03.359 Nope. 00:23:03.920 --> 00:23:05.119 He did nothing. 00:23:05.359 --> 00:23:12.640 And he comes out of the water and he hears this voice say, Having done nothing, you are my beloved. 00:23:12.880 --> 00:23:14.400 With you I'm well pleased. 00:23:14.720 --> 00:23:24.960 And I put to you, he does what all of us do when we're confronted with love and whether or not we'll trust it, he's tempted to doubt that God loves him just like he is. 00:23:26.559 --> 00:23:28.799 I'm tempted to do that all the time. 00:23:29.279 --> 00:23:30.319 And so he goes out. 00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:33.200 And hear what the accuser does every time. 00:23:33.519 --> 00:23:37.759 If God loves you, tell God to do this thing. 00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:40.480 That's how you'll know. 00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:45.440 If God loves you, have God work a miracle. 00:23:45.599 --> 00:23:47.759 I pray like that sometimes, don't you? 00:23:48.319 --> 00:23:50.960 God, if you love me, you'll show up right now. 00:23:51.680 --> 00:23:53.200 My kid's having a hard day. 00:23:53.359 --> 00:23:55.200 God, if you love me, I'll get that promotion. 00:23:55.359 --> 00:23:57.039 God, if you love me, we'll get a pipe organ. 00:23:57.440 --> 00:23:58.400 Whatever it is, right? 00:23:58.559 --> 00:23:59.839 This is a way that we pray. 00:23:59.920 --> 00:24:03.759 And I want to tell you, it's tempting to pray like that, and it's wrong. 00:24:04.240 --> 00:24:04.960 It's wrong. 00:24:05.039 --> 00:24:09.759 Because look, I'm not a great mathematician, although I have a math degree, but you get this, right? 00:24:09.920 --> 00:24:13.519 How many congruences do you need to uphold the law? 00:24:13.839 --> 00:24:15.599 Well, infinite, don't you? 00:24:15.920 --> 00:24:18.960 And how many counterexamples disprove the law? 00:24:19.279 --> 00:24:19.920 One. 00:24:20.880 --> 00:24:21.519 One. 00:24:22.240 --> 00:24:25.200 So, what happens if God does what Jesus wants? 00:24:25.359 --> 00:24:28.400 Is that ultimately going to turn his trust card around? 00:24:28.480 --> 00:24:34.079 Or is he going to need God to do something again to prove God's love five minutes later? 00:24:34.319 --> 00:24:37.440 If Jesus is like me, he's going to need it in five minutes. 00:24:38.319 --> 00:24:43.599 And I want to suggest to you, love is not a matter of proof, it's a matter of trust. 00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:45.839 It's a matter of trust. 00:24:46.480 --> 00:24:48.480 I want you to hear another temptation. 00:24:48.799 --> 00:24:51.839 God, there's a lot of bad stuff in the world, you fix it. 00:24:52.720 --> 00:24:57.279 Now, I've got to tell you, sometimes I think if I won the lottery, all of the great things I would do at St. 00:24:57.440 --> 00:24:58.880 Thomas with the money. 00:24:59.119 --> 00:25:03.039 Because it'd be really great to have a new parking lot, and it'd be really great to have solar panels, right? 00:25:03.119 --> 00:25:04.559 These are like great things. 00:25:04.799 --> 00:25:09.920 Of course, you know, the problem is when one person does all the work, it's not sustainable. 00:25:10.319 --> 00:25:12.720 And we haven't changed at all. 00:25:13.119 --> 00:25:21.519 So I'm tempted for God to solve my problems, but you know, I think God is pretty tempted for me to help solve the problems of the world. 00:25:23.759 --> 00:25:27.359 So if God fed everybody, that'd be great. 00:25:28.400 --> 00:25:32.640 And then we'd probably practice inequity again, if we're really honest. 00:25:32.880 --> 00:25:37.200 If God fixed it for us, we'd probably mess it up again. 00:25:37.440 --> 00:25:38.960 Just to be honest. 00:25:40.240 --> 00:25:42.720 I don't know if you've seen that little cartoon. 00:25:42.960 --> 00:25:46.240 The one which has this guy next to Jesus on a bench. 00:25:46.400 --> 00:25:50.000 And he says, Jesus, how do you let children starve to death every week? 00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:53.440 And Jesus says, Funny, I was going to ask you the same thing. 00:25:56.480 --> 00:26:00.880 It's tempting to say, God fix it. 00:26:01.759 --> 00:26:05.839 I gotta tell you, uh how snap has turned this around. 00:26:06.000 --> 00:26:12.799 How snap only comes to me with what he considers a problem if he's also willing to say, here's what I'll do to help you solve it. 00:26:16.319 --> 00:26:18.400 That seems like the holiness of Lent. 00:26:19.359 --> 00:26:22.720 I've seen something, and here's how I want to help. 00:26:24.960 --> 00:26:27.200 I'd really just rather blame people. 00:26:29.839 --> 00:26:33.039 That's why we have Lent, by the way, and that's why we'll have it again next year. 00:26:33.359 --> 00:26:35.519 Because we're probably going to need it again. 00:26:40.720 --> 00:26:47.279 You know, it's really tempting to hear this thing we heard in the epistle today. 00:26:47.599 --> 00:26:53.839 Sin came into the world through one person, and another person can do a lot to fix it. 00:26:54.000 --> 00:26:58.400 And if we relegate that to history, I just don't think that there's a lot of congruence in my life. 00:26:58.480 --> 00:27:05.680 But if I'm honest with you, I have had people in my life hurt me, and thanks be to God, I've had other people show up and cover that over. 00:27:06.000 --> 00:27:08.079 I don't mean it never happened. 00:27:08.160 --> 00:27:16.160 No, I mean there is people who lead and share life in such a way, well, that there's hope and that there's trust again. 00:27:16.319 --> 00:27:24.559 And I think when we hear that passage, we could say Jesus took care of it, or we could hear the passage saying, you are invited to pattern your life like that. 00:27:24.720 --> 00:27:29.599 Because the truth is, I don't think you'd be in the building if somebody hadn't shown up for you once. 00:27:31.519 --> 00:27:37.039 Doesn't fix the problems, but it sure does heal them. 00:27:38.880 --> 00:27:41.759 The temptation is to put it all on God. 00:27:41.920 --> 00:27:44.559 The opportunity is to be those people. 00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:52.720 Really tempting to read Genesis 3 in just a real flat way. 00:27:52.880 --> 00:27:55.599 And like I said, I wish I had more time to talk about it. 00:27:55.680 --> 00:27:58.960 But I do want to give you a couple of thoughts that hopefully are interesting for you. 00:27:59.119 --> 00:28:07.839 You know, most often we read this just like it's written, and we say, oh, okay, this is people being tempted by the knowledge of good and evil. 00:28:07.920 --> 00:28:10.640 But our Hebrew brothers and sisters don't read it that way. 00:28:10.799 --> 00:28:13.279 There's the tree of life and there's the tree of knowledge. 00:28:13.440 --> 00:28:18.240 And the way they read it is knowledge does both good and evil. 00:28:20.000 --> 00:28:20.799 Consider. 00:28:21.680 --> 00:28:29.519 Atomic energy is real interesting, and it can have horrific consequences. 00:28:30.480 --> 00:28:31.440 Knowledge. 00:28:31.759 --> 00:28:33.039 Good and evil. 00:28:33.759 --> 00:28:39.839 This story, most of the rabbis, when they read the story, they don't see it, they don't hear the fall. 00:28:40.000 --> 00:28:48.640 What they hear is something that is really inherently human and can be really beautiful and can also cast a really dark shadow. 00:28:51.119 --> 00:28:58.240 Most often, when I have a choice before me between knowledge and life, I'll pick the knowledge. 00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:02.240 I don't know if that's bad, that's just descriptive. 00:29:02.559 --> 00:29:04.720 You may be saying, What do you mean? 00:29:04.960 --> 00:29:08.079 Well, please consider, because this happens to us. 00:29:08.319 --> 00:29:14.480 You're at a table and somebody says, You won't believe what Lila did yesterday. 00:29:14.799 --> 00:29:15.440 You know what? 00:29:15.519 --> 00:29:17.359 I shouldn't tell you that story. 00:29:18.400 --> 00:29:21.200 My response, you have to tell. 00:29:21.920 --> 00:29:24.559 You can't start that and stop. 00:29:25.039 --> 00:29:25.839 I'm curious. 00:29:26.000 --> 00:29:30.079 No, no, look, I'm telling you, it's better you not hear that story. 00:29:30.319 --> 00:29:31.759 You have to tell. 00:29:32.319 --> 00:29:35.839 We would rather have knowledge than life. 00:29:36.160 --> 00:29:37.519 More often than not. 00:29:37.680 --> 00:29:46.000 The two are not diametrically opposed, but I hope next time somebody says I shouldn't tell you that story, you'll say, I trust your judgment, thank you. 00:29:47.920 --> 00:29:48.079 Right? 00:29:48.240 --> 00:29:48.960 I mean that. 00:29:49.200 --> 00:29:49.680 I mean that. 00:29:49.839 --> 00:29:51.759 I trust your judgment, thank you. 00:29:52.000 --> 00:29:56.559 If you know how the story plays out, the people get knowledge, and look what the first thing they learn. 00:29:56.720 --> 00:30:02.559 They learn that they're naked, and then here's the real issue they become ashamed of themselves. 00:30:06.400 --> 00:30:20.319 We talked about renewal of vows last week, so I don't know if I missed the opportunity, but I do want to share with you the rabbis, when they talk about marriage, they say what happens in marriage is that two people come together naked and unashamed. 00:30:20.559 --> 00:30:23.839 And that's the sacrament of marriage in the Jewish tradition. 00:30:24.079 --> 00:30:36.319 Naked and unashamed, and I don't just mean physically, I mean they bear their vulnerabilities with one another, and instead of their partner poking those vulnerabilities, those are cradled and they're held and there is no shame. 00:30:36.559 --> 00:30:49.200 Now, I'm glad we're all wearing clothes, but I do want to suggest to you our opportunity in land is to think about how it is that we're naked with one another and unashamed as a community of Christ. 00:30:50.400 --> 00:30:58.799 How it is that we can bear our vulnerabilities and cradle one another's vulnerabilities instead of exploiting them. 00:30:59.839 --> 00:31:03.200 This, I think, is the call of the church. 00:31:03.519 --> 00:31:05.759 This is the call of Lent. 00:31:06.160 --> 00:31:08.319 You heard me do a couple of different readings. 00:31:08.480 --> 00:31:18.480 I made some word choices, uh, word changes intentionally, because a lot of times we don't realize that in the first century they didn't believe in the devil, and they didn't believe in Satan either. 00:31:18.880 --> 00:31:19.279 Nope. 00:31:19.519 --> 00:31:22.720 That has come to us through the ages, and especially through John Milton. 00:31:23.039 --> 00:31:26.640 Those are actually not proper names in the text, those are attributes. 00:31:26.799 --> 00:31:29.519 If you've read the book of Job, Satan shows up. 00:31:29.599 --> 00:31:33.279 And it's not with a capital S, it's a lowercase, and you heard me read it. 00:31:33.519 --> 00:31:36.079 Satan in Hebrew means accuser. 00:31:36.400 --> 00:31:37.839 That's what happens in Job. 00:31:38.000 --> 00:31:40.000 The Satan accuses Job. 00:31:40.160 --> 00:31:40.880 And what do you know? 00:31:40.960 --> 00:31:42.319 It's about love too. 00:31:42.640 --> 00:31:45.519 God, how do you know Job loves you? 00:31:46.319 --> 00:31:48.640 You give him everything he wants. 00:31:50.319 --> 00:31:52.720 Take it away, see if he still loves you. 00:31:53.200 --> 00:31:56.480 Sometimes we read the book of Job and we read it's about theodicy. 00:31:56.640 --> 00:31:58.160 Why do bad things happen to good people? 00:31:58.400 --> 00:32:03.359 Could be about that, but I think it also asks this question: how do you know somebody loves you? 00:32:03.599 --> 00:32:05.279 I'm gonna put to you, you don't know. 00:32:05.359 --> 00:32:06.240 You never will know. 00:32:06.400 --> 00:32:07.839 It's a choice you make. 00:32:08.240 --> 00:32:10.400 Do I know my spouse loves me? 00:32:10.640 --> 00:32:13.680 I could find a counterexample if I wanted to. 00:32:14.319 --> 00:32:14.960 I could. 00:32:15.279 --> 00:32:17.440 I've been married more than two years. 00:32:20.319 --> 00:32:26.079 Ultimately, I choose to trust because there will never be enough data to prove it. 00:32:26.319 --> 00:32:26.799 Right? 00:32:27.119 --> 00:32:29.039 This is part of the story of Job. 00:32:29.680 --> 00:32:31.839 So the accuser shows up. 00:32:32.000 --> 00:32:35.440 And hey, look, accuser's really valuable socially. 00:32:35.599 --> 00:32:38.079 We call the accuser the district attorney. 00:32:38.480 --> 00:32:41.279 And in the book of Job, the accuser works for God. 00:32:42.480 --> 00:32:47.759 Devil is another one, and that's just a Greek word, and it means literally slanderer, which is why I read it that way. 00:32:47.920 --> 00:32:49.920 They didn't believe in the devil. 00:32:50.079 --> 00:32:53.599 The slanderer shows up and says, you're not good enough. 00:32:54.079 --> 00:32:58.079 Jesus, who do you think you are to change the world? 00:33:01.200 --> 00:33:03.039 God doesn't really love you. 00:33:03.440 --> 00:33:06.960 If God loved you, you'd have magic powers. 00:33:08.160 --> 00:33:12.400 If God loved you, you'd never get a speeding ticket again. 00:33:12.640 --> 00:33:15.759 If God loved you, your children would make straight A's. 00:33:15.839 --> 00:33:16.720 That's slander. 00:33:16.880 --> 00:33:17.920 You hear it? 00:33:18.319 --> 00:33:22.160 No, if you want to believe in the red guy and that takes you to a larger life, go for it. 00:33:22.240 --> 00:33:23.680 But I don't struggle with the red guy. 00:33:23.839 --> 00:33:25.920 I struggle with slander. 00:33:26.480 --> 00:33:30.240 And I struggle with accusation, and I'm gonna tell you I don't need a red guy to do it. 00:33:30.319 --> 00:33:32.079 I do it to myself. 00:33:33.920 --> 00:33:35.839 And notice what Jesus says. 00:33:36.160 --> 00:33:36.480 No. 00:33:39.119 --> 00:33:39.440 No. 00:33:41.839 --> 00:33:44.079 I'm not gonna test God's love. 00:33:44.160 --> 00:33:46.799 I'm gonna choose to trust it. 00:33:49.200 --> 00:33:53.759 I don't know if you've ever worked for somebody who has behaviors that we call self-sabotage. 00:33:53.920 --> 00:33:54.960 Do you know what that is? 00:33:55.200 --> 00:34:04.960 That's where things start to go well, and then they try to blow it up because they're sure you're gonna reject them when you figure out who they are, so they're gonna front load that so you can get it over with. 00:34:05.839 --> 00:34:08.079 This is very un-Episcopalian of me. 00:34:08.320 --> 00:34:10.880 Does anybody know somebody who self-sabotages? 00:34:12.960 --> 00:34:14.400 Could be yourself. 00:34:15.199 --> 00:34:15.840 Right? 00:34:17.519 --> 00:34:21.360 It's tempting to sabotage ourselves. 00:34:21.840 --> 00:34:26.000 And part of our length and discipline is to say, I'm not gonna do that. 00:34:26.880 --> 00:34:29.519 I am not gonna sabotage myself. 00:34:29.679 --> 00:34:32.159 I'm gonna choose to trust in God's love. 00:34:32.320 --> 00:34:38.239 I'm gonna choose to trust in my spouse's, and I'm gonna go ahead and roll the dice and trust in yours. 00:34:41.599 --> 00:34:44.639 I don't know if that would give you a sinless life. 00:34:44.800 --> 00:34:47.119 I just think it'd give you a more joyful one. 00:34:48.400 --> 00:34:50.239 Isn't that what all this is about? 00:34:50.880 --> 00:34:54.639 No, you ever been tempted to do something good? 00:34:58.320 --> 00:35:00.800 That sounds like a paradox, doesn't it? 00:35:01.039 --> 00:35:03.920 You're only tempted to do bad stuff, right? 00:35:04.320 --> 00:35:06.159 That's how we use the word. 00:35:07.119 --> 00:35:14.639 And I want you to hear that our Jewish brothers and sisters don't hear this as the temptation between doing evil and good. 00:35:14.960 --> 00:35:24.320 Actually, they say the accuser is really great because when the accuser shows up and says, hey, you can't do blank, you have this opportunity to say, I hear that. 00:35:24.559 --> 00:35:28.960 That might be partially true, and I'm gonna resist that and go on. 00:35:29.920 --> 00:35:36.400 Accusation helps us be the people God wants us to be. 00:35:37.280 --> 00:35:41.440 And I wonder if we couldn't do some justice here in the St. 00:35:41.599 --> 00:35:46.480 Thomas community by tempting one another to do what's right. 00:35:48.800 --> 00:35:58.239 I don't know if I can tempt you to stare at your image in the mirror until you see the light of God coming out of your face, but I'd like to. 00:35:58.480 --> 00:36:00.079 I'd like to tempt you to do that. 00:36:00.239 --> 00:36:01.599 You may need a seat. 00:36:03.519 --> 00:36:08.079 It may take some time if you're like me. 00:36:08.639 --> 00:36:23.840 I don't know if I can tempt you to do this little exercise out here that Tod Parker led us through to think about what is your most valuable and essential and sentimental and rare and unusual item that you have. 00:36:24.159 --> 00:36:26.320 I don't know if I could tempt you to do that. 00:36:26.719 --> 00:36:28.000 I'd like to. 00:36:28.320 --> 00:36:33.840 Because when you contemplate those things, you realize where your treasure is and there is your heart to be found also. 00:36:34.480 --> 00:36:40.960 I don't know if I can tempt you to consider what your real values are and how you might hand those over to God. 00:36:41.280 --> 00:36:43.119 Sometimes you might need to. 00:36:45.679 --> 00:36:51.119 And I don't even know what the slanderer or accuser is saying to you. 00:36:53.119 --> 00:36:59.760 But I'm suspicious slander and accusation show up in your life and in your spiritual life. 00:37:00.000 --> 00:37:08.880 And I would love to tempt you to say, anytime that shows up, that might be partially correct. 00:37:09.440 --> 00:37:11.840 And by the grace of God, no. 00:37:12.639 --> 00:37:14.880 And by the grace of God, no. 00:37:17.360 --> 00:37:20.159 I don't know anybody that likes falling. 00:37:21.280 --> 00:37:24.880 Partially because falling means you're out of control. 00:37:25.280 --> 00:37:30.159 And I will tell you, as a runner, I every time I do a trail race, I fall. 00:37:30.400 --> 00:37:32.800 And so I don't want to do trail races anymore. 00:37:32.880 --> 00:37:43.760 Uh, because I usually bleed when that happens and uh and I have injuries, and look, I get it's all beautiful, but it just isn't really worth it for me because falling is really painful increasingly as I age. 00:37:44.000 --> 00:37:55.920 And uh one of my uh one of my uh colleagues in the diocese, he came here a couple of years ago, John Newton, and he wrote this book about how grace really is a fall because you don't have control over grace. 00:37:57.199 --> 00:37:59.039 That's what I hate about it. 00:38:00.239 --> 00:38:01.760 I like being in control. 00:38:01.840 --> 00:38:05.599 I like having hand rails, I like having a rope attached to me. 00:38:05.679 --> 00:38:08.000 No, grace doesn't have those things. 00:38:08.159 --> 00:38:17.360 But what John Newton says, the difference between grace and our experience of it is, is in the grace perspective, I am falling. 00:38:18.000 --> 00:38:22.000 But God is going to catch me and catch me gently. 00:38:22.480 --> 00:38:25.519 Now, when you fall off a building, the ground will catch you. 00:38:26.159 --> 00:38:28.800 Just not in the way you would most prefer, right? 00:38:30.000 --> 00:38:38.719 So the question is, as we fall into God's grace, are we terrified of it or could we actually enjoy it because we know God will catch us? 00:38:39.440 --> 00:38:42.880 Jesus is getting ready to take a series of spills. 00:38:43.440 --> 00:38:45.199 You've read the story, right? 00:38:45.599 --> 00:38:48.880 There's gonna be three years of spills. 00:38:49.760 --> 00:38:54.320 And here, I think he's tempted to say, how can I control them? 00:38:55.760 --> 00:38:58.880 Or can I trust that God's going to catch me? 00:39:00.239 --> 00:39:04.079 The next 44 days, that might be your temptation. 00:39:04.480 --> 00:39:08.000 Do you have to be in control of the grace in your life? 00:39:08.320 --> 00:39:14.639 Or can you let God do the control and you enjoy the ride? 00:39:16.800 --> 00:39:19.360 I'm just preaching what I need to hear. 00:39:20.079 --> 00:39:23.039 Because I'm terrified of the fall in grace. 00:39:23.280 --> 00:39:24.079