First Sunday in Lent (1905)

Matthew 4:1-11 This is the first Sunday in holy Lententide, in which we quite especially consider the great miracle by which we are redeemed from the power of the devil and again are the blessed property of our God. Oh, what is more terrible than what is found in the power of the devil?! Of course, the devil is angry about the fact that we are snatched from him. At the least, he would have completely hindered it, as the history of our text shows. Because he has not succeeded in this, he now tries night and day, that he, whom we have escaped from through faith in Christ, would distract us again from God and bring us back into his power. How? He attacks us similar to the way he once attacked our Savior. One of his most successful temptations is the attempt on God. Shall he have success with us? God forbid! As our Lord Jesus has beaten back this satanic temptation, we want to do this with God's help even as we heed and throw in the face of the devil: "You shall not tempt the Lord your God!" Because to tempt God is 1. a wicked presumption and 2. an extremely dangerous thing to do. 1. a. There stands the Lord Christ on the pinnacle of the magnificent temple, where the Most High had His dwelling. And here was where the devil came to him with the temptation to test God. If he dares to approach Christ even on holy ground, why should he not dare to make advances toward us Christians with the same temptations, which we are in the castle of our God, in His holy Church, and stand on the solid walls of His Word? Oh, what joy for the devil if He could fall down before us there! And he tempts us often and heavily. We have our God and know Him. He is the Wise, Omnipotent, Omniscient, Benevolent, Merciful, Gracious One. We have His Word, wherein He presents to us to His high majesty and divine glory. In it are contained His commands, His promises, and His threats. In it He shows us the only right way for our faith and our life. Should we now not give Him the honor He deserves, in order that we let Him be what He is and says of himself? Should we not simply believe His word and be obedient and in humility walk the way that He calls us to go? Yes, of course. b. But lo and behold, before we supply it to ourselves, and again and again the devil comes and arouses in us all sorts of thoughts of doubt - and he finds in our evil, ungodly flesh all too willing allies - should the reign of God truly be such a way, His Hand so strong, His eye all seeing, His goodness be so great, as it is extolled? Should His commands be intended so seriously, should His promises be so strong, His threats go out so surely? Should not one please God in other ways and be saved, as the Bible says? Should I know nothing at all? To what end has God given me reason and intellect? And forthwith man himself has wrought and fancied a self-chosen Divine Service, nevertheless he does not have God's Word for himself, but against himself, still to be on a more God-pleasing path, and to go quite well, as one can notice this everywhere among the sects and fanatics, but also with Lutheran Christians.

c. Oh, is it not shameful arrogance, wanton pride to cast doubt on God's exalted qualities, to put God's truthful Word on screws, to want to be wiser than God? O resist the devil, who wants to pull you from God, to bring you away from God! "You shall not tempt the Lord your God!" You are much too small, as that you were allowed to dare, to put God to the test. It is horrible sin when you devote yourself to satanic temptation. Be humble and submit yourself, believing God and His faithful Word, so that God must not punish your pride, who wants to be like God. For pride goes before a fall. God resists the arrogant and captures the proud in their own net. Tempting God is also extremely dangerous. 2. a. Satan had sought to make the Lord Christ despondent before, he wants boldly to do it now on the pinnacle of the temple and wants to comfort Him even with God's Word. We Christians stand on the solid ground of divine Scripture. We have the precious promises of God in our hardships, have the certain teaching of the Word of God as a secure signpost to heaven. Whoever relies firmly on it will not be ashamed, obtains help in every need, will finally be saved. b. But that is not right for the devil, and our flesh makes common cause with him. Many times we hear little whispers in our ears like: Ah, why do you always pray and focus so anxiously on God's Word? If one wants to get through life and make it grow into something, one must take chances, even if it is not exactly consistent with God's Word. God's Word is written for another time than ours. Dare afresh and still trust in God, that is proper faith! God does not leave Christians. You'll get through safe and sound. Don't you know that God always will keep you through his angel, and that the Christian can jump to God beyond the walls? So now jump, it will certainly succeed. And you will be blessed because of it, when you turn a bit of a different route for once, as it says in the Bible. God knows that you still mean well. And in the Bible it indeed says: The righteous falls seven times a day, and the Lord will help him. Therefore don't be so tight and anxious and despondent. A Christian must be brave. God helps you through life and even in heaven. c. Oh, when the devil begins only once to put God's word in his mouth, then he certainly has some evil purpose. Do not trust him. Say to him: Satan, you lie. You twist God's Word, falsely quote it. "You shall not tempt the Lord your God." If I follow you, I am in great danger, and plunge into ruin, temporal and eternal. God has not promised me his protection and his help when I risk something without need, act and walk without command and calling. I should not trust God without fear of God. Only when I go and remain in His ways, in the prepared order I hold and the means I use before Him, that He bestows on me, I can and may take comfort in His assistance and His help. I should not fly through the air and leap into the abyss, but walk in uprightness. Otherwise I run the risk of breaking my neck and bringing disaster. For there I am alone, without God. And if I want to go another way to heaven, as the Word of God shows me, I shall come not to heaven but to hell. So raise yourself from me, Satan, you are looking for my destruction! I will hang on to God - because I am happy that I have found Him - and will be saved. So far be it from me that I measure and lift up myself against God, that I attempt to play and mock the Lord and His goodness, faithfulness, and help. This is a dangerous game and whoever is exposed to danger perishes in it. This is how you conquer the satanic tempting of the temptation of God and remain with God and on the right track, Who brings help and finally brings you into heaven. W.H.