First Sunday of Lent – March 6, 2022
First Sunday of Lent – March 6, 2022
Week of February 28, 2022 | Sunday, March 6, 2022
Luke 4:1-13
“…he departed from him until an opportune time”
(Lk. 4:13)
The devil leaves Jesus, waiting for a time when Jesus would be vulnerable to attack once more. There are some who advocate that the devil does not reappear again until “Satan enters Judas” (Lk. 22:3). This is unlikely given Jesus’ confrontation with the Gerasene demoniac (Lk. 8:26-39) and his casting out of the mute demon (Lk. 11:14-23). The devil’s “opportune time” is those occasions in which the devil speaks through his intermediaries. We know these voices as “the devil, the world, and our sinful selves,” as Luther would put it in the catechism. Through this triumvirate of evil, the devil speaks—sometimes directly, as in this temptation in the wilderness scene, sometimes through the intermediaries of demonic voices, or of the world, or of our own sinful selves. The devilish voice of temptation rings loudly as the religious leaders around Jesus (Lk. 22 & 23) first shout for crucifixion and then shout for him to “save himself” (Lk. 23:35-37). The devilish voice of temptation rings loudly in your ears as that triumvirate of evil shouts unique variations of “save yourself” particularly tailored for you to hear. Jesus has the only victory over them. Only the Word of God, Jesus Christ, silences them. Jesus gives you his victory as he is handed over at the pulpit, the font, and the altar.
Prayers from someone who needs Jesus’ victory again and again…
Heavenly Father, you have sent your Son Jesus Christ to be my life, grant that he so fill my ears with your Word that I do not hear that devilish voice of temptation. For Jesus’ sake, hear my prayer.
Heavenly Father, you have sent your Son Jesus Christ to be my life, grant that he so fill my mortality that I enjoy the fruits of the Blessed Exchange: righteousness, holiness, and immortality. For Jesus’ sake, hear my prayer.
Heavenly Father, you have sent your Son Jesus Christ to be my life, grant that he so fill my days that I wait in hope for his glorious return. For Jesus’ sake, hear my prayer.
Heavenly Father, you have sent your Son Jesus Christ to be my life, grant that his clean heart replaces my sin-blackened heart that my selfish exploitation of my neighbors would end, and I treat them with spontaneous generosity. For Jesus’ sake, hear my prayer.
Heavenly Father, you have sent your Son Jesus Christ to be my life, grant that I take advantage of opportunities to preach the life of Christ into my neighbors’ ears. For Jesus’ sake, hear my prayer.
Heavenly Father, you have sent your Son Jesus Christ to be my life, grant the Institute of Lutheran Theology the gift of teaching this truth to all its students. For Jesus’ sake, hear my prayer.
Heavenly Father, you have sent your Son Jesus Christ to be my life, continue to grant that my life would be hidden with Christ in you, a treasure in heaven safe from earthly depredations and decay. For Jesus’ sake, hear my prayer.
I commend these prayers to you, Heavenly Father, and trust in your mercy. Amen