Getting Spiritually Fit, Part 1

Getting Spiritually Fit, Part 1: Know Yourself

Matthew 4:1-11

January 15, 2017

 

So I watched an old movie this week.  It was from way back in 1984.  Back when gasoline was barely $1.20 and the world wide web was just a gleam in Al Gore’s eye.  The movie is based upon a play about two men living in Vienna near the end of the 18th century.  Both men are composers.  Both are very talented.  And both are in fact, brilliant.  But one is not as brilliant as the other.  And Antonio Salieri resents this.  Respected and financially well off, Salieri has been appointed the court composer for Emperor Franz Joseph.  He has dedicated his life and talent to God.  He dreams of being a messenger of God through music.  Only to have a second even more brilliant man arrive on the scene.  A crude and childlike prodigy named Wolfgang.  Where composing takes Salieri tremendous effort, Wolfgang creates with ease.  He is even able to compose a symphony in his head.  Something few people in history have been able to do.   

I am talking of course about the movie Amadeus.  In the Latin, Amadeus means – God’s beloved.  If you have seen the movie, you will remember that there is this scene where Mozart meets the Emperor.  Salieri presents Mozart with a “March of Welcome,” which he had toiled to create. After hearing the march only once, Mozart plays it from memory, critiques it as a trifle, and effortlessly improvises a variation on it.  And then goes on to use a version of Salieri’s march in his own opera, The Marriage of Figaro.  Too much acclaim!  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amadeus_(film). 

This of course devastates Salieri.  To be shown up so easily in the eyes of Emperor.  And to have the acclaim that is rightfully his taken by another is more than he can handle.  He becomes consumed by jealousy.  And angry with God for being so unfair.  He is sure God loves Mozart.  But not him.  In time he becomes so tormented that he directly contributes to the death of Mozart.  By the end of the movie Salieri’s gifts and dreams are in shambles.  He has been placed in an asylum after trying to take his own life.  And he is convinced that God killed Mozart rather than allow Salieri to share even one once of the glory.

As I watched the movie, it struck me that Salieri – at least the movie version of Salieri – is someone who has forgotten who he is.  Someone who relies on what he does and he has and what other’s think of him as the source of his identity.  Much to his own destruction.  The truth is – when we forget who we are.  And we begin to look for our identity in things other than God, it leads to all kinds of brokenness.  We are going to talk about that today.  So take your Bibles and turn with me to the Gospel of Matthew chapter 4.  We are going to read verses 1 – 11. 

We are beginning a new sermon series today.  We are calling it Getting Spiritually Fit:  Embracing God in the ups and downs.  It’s the new year.  A lot of us are back at the Y for the first time in – a while.  You’ve noticed how ripped I’ve become since Christmas.  The first thing you thought of when saw me this morning was – clearly David’s back in the gym!  Right?  We all know the value of being in shape physically!  But what about being in shape spiritually?  Perhaps it’s that time of the year to get back to the gym spiritually.  

How do we do that?  We are going to talk about that over the next five weeks.  Not only are we going to look at some of the equipment we can use to strengthen our soul.  They are called spiritual disciplines.  We are also going to look at the connection between our spiritual health and our emotional maturity.  Paul says that as disciples we are on this journey of replacing our old self with our new self that is created to be like God.  A major part of that is our emotional selves.  The truth is, emotional maturity and spiritual health are inseparable (Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero page 12).    

With that in mind, we are going to do something a little different today.  Rather than just read the scripture and launch into the sermon, we are going to participate in a discipline called Lectio Divina.  Lectio Divina is Latin.  Lectio means reading.  And divina meaning divine.  First established by Saint Benedict in the 6th century, it is less a practice of reading the Bible than it is of listening to the message of Scripture as it is revealed through the Holy Spirit.  Traditionally there are four steps: read; meditate; pray and contemplate.  However, because of the setting this morning we are only going to read the Scripture three times.  Each time we read it, we will stop and reflect on a question.  The idea is to encounter God through His Living Word rather than approach the Bible like we would an encyclopedia or Wikipedia page. 

I chose to use the Lectio Divina this morning because I want to you be familiar with this practical tool.  By tool I mean that it is not an end in itself.  Rather it serves the mission of getting to know God’s heart.  The good news is you don’t need a study guide or video to do that.  All you need is your Bible or I phone.  So it’s portable.  You can take it with you anywhere you go!  And it can be used both individually and in a small group.  In a small group you are able hear how God is speaking in the lives of others.  In different ways and in different settings.  Listen now to the reading of Matthew 4:1-11. 

4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. 3The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ 4But he answered, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” ’ 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6saying 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.” ’ 7 Jesus said to him, ‘Again it is 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 and he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’ 10Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! for it is written, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.” ’ 11 Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

After first reading slide 1 – What word or phrase stands out to you?

After second reading slide 2 – Where does this passage touch your life today?

After third reading slide 3 – What is this passage of Scripture calling you to do?

So the word that immediately stood out for me is the word THEN.  THEN tells us that what we reading is linked to the passage before it.  When we see it, we know that we need to pay attention to what has just happened or we won’t fully understand what we are reading.  In this case, the what just happened is the baptism of Jesus.  In Matthew chapter 3 Jesus comes from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by his cousin John the Baptist.  It’s not completely clear as to why he would want to be baptized.  John is proclaiming a message of repentance from one’s sins.  And Jesus is sinless.  So why be baptized?  Last week I shared that I thought Jesus came to be baptized as a way of remembering who he is.  That through his baptism his identity is affirmed.  Remember how Jesus comes up out of the water, and the heavens open up and the Spirit of God descends as a dove and settles upon him.  And a voice rings out from heaven saying – this is my Son, the Beloved, in whom I am well pleased.  Matthew says that it’s THEN that Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  So that the temptation of Jesus is meant to be understood in light of Jesus’ identification as the Son of God. 

We see this in the way the devil tempts Jesus.  He says – IF you are the Son of God, then turn these stones to bread.  And IF you are the Son of God, throw yourself down.  So that the devil is intentionally sowing doubt.  He is questioning if Jesus is really who he claims to be.  And we see this in the way the devil plays upon Jesus’ humanity.  One commentary I read suggests that the devil intentionally tempts Jesus at the point of his hunger and his fear.  Each time calling into question the affirmation Jesus heard at his baptism.  Jesus if you really are the Son of God why don’t you turn these stones into bread.  40 days without eating must have made you pretty hungry.  Of course the Son of God wouldn’t be hungry.  And Jesus why not throw yourself off the mountain that the Temple is built on.  150 feet in the air would be nothing for the Son of God to fear.  Certainly for a man.  But not for the Son of God.  If that is who you really are.  So that the temptations are meant to undercut Jesus’ understanding of his identity.     

Over the Christmas holidays I read a book called Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero.  In it Scazzero argues that in tempting Jesus, the devil is trying to get Jesus to base his identity in something other than being the Son of God.  He argues that the first temptation, for example, is the temptation to base one’s identity upon our behavior.  3 The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’    

My grandfather grew up in rural Missouri.  In a family broken by addiction and abuse.  It was the kind of house where children were treated poorly.  And depending upon where you fell in the pecking order, you were treated very poorly indeed.  A good birthday meant a nickel under your dinner plate.  And a wrong step meant the buckle end of the belt.  There is a story told in my family about how one year on his birthday, Grandpa was caught walking home from school with a girl.  After his father had told him not to.  Enraged over being disobeyed and eager to teach him a lesson, my great Grandfather withheld the birthday nickel under Grandpa’s dinner plate.  

It’s a powerful story for me.  One that resonates.  Not because I withhold gifts from my children for doing something I don’t want them to.  But because for most of my life, I have struggled with believing that love is conditional and that acceptance is found in doing the right things.  Sometimes I even catch myself giving mixed signals to my children.  Saying that I love them for who they are.  But in times of frustration sounding like I love them only if they do what I think is good. 

But here is the thing.  When God affirms Jesus as His Son, Jesus had yet to perform a miracle.  He had not healed a single person that we know of.  Or cast out a single demon.  He is years from death on a cross.  And yet, God pronounces him a beloved son.  Meaning Jesus’ identity is not based upon his performance.  Or his good behavior.  And it is not contingent upon what he does.  God loves Jesus for who he is.  Just as God loves us for who we are. 

In her book, Accidental Saints, Nadia Bolz-Weber writes that God does not define our relationship by our really bad decisions or our squandering of resources.  On the other hand, our relationship with God is not determined by our virtue either.  It is not determined by being nice, or being good or even how much we do at church.  Our relationship with God is simply determined by the wastefully extravagant love of God. 

So the devil wants Jesus to base his identity upon what he does.  And he tempts Jesus to find his identity in what he has.  8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; 9 and he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’

Have you heard the story of the guy who opens the door of his decked out Bugatti sports car?  Only to have someone come along and hit it ripping it clean off?  When the police arrive at the scene, the guy is complaining bitterly about the damage to his precious and very expensive car.  Officer!  Look at what they did to my car!  Sir, calm down!  Stop being so worried about your car.  Can you see your arm has been torn off?  The man looks down at his shoulder and notices for the first time some blood where his arm had been.  He says – My Rolex!  Look at what they have done to my Rolex!

It’s a ridiculous story.  Surely, no one would be that materialistic – right?  The sad truth is marketers spend more than fifteen billion dollars each year telling us we have to have certain toys, the right clothes, the latest electronics, the most expensive cars and even the correct address!  That in fact, our very identities depend on it.  In our society we measure worth through comparisons: Who has the most money?  The most beautiful body?  The most comfortable life?  Who has the best education from what school, the most talents and awards, more degrees on their résumé?  For many of us, our sense of worth is tied to our positions at work— the money and perks.  (Scazzero, Peter; Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: It’s Impossible to Be Spiritually Mature, While Remaining Emotionally Immature (Kindle Locations 1289-1292). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.  And yet Jesus pointed out that such things are a fragile foundation for our identity.  19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  Matthew 6:19

And the devil tempts Jesus to rest his identity upon what others think of him.  5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down.  The idea being that others would see the angels come and catch Jesus and they would know he was the Son of God.

In the next to last scene of Amadeus, Salieri is confessing his part in Mozart’s death to a priest.  He begins by playing one of his own pieces on the piano and asking the priest if he recognizes it.  When the priest does not Salieri plays a second piece.  But the priest did not recognize it either.  Finally, in frustration Salieri plays a little jingle.  And the priest’s face lights up!  Yes!  He remembers that piece!  It was good!  Only the jingle was written by Mozart.  And Salieri once is brought face to face with the fact that while others continue to acclaim Mozart even after he is dead they have forgotten him.  And this galls him.   His identity is completely wrapped up in having others recognize him as a musical genius.

During my devotions this week, I was struck by just how much Jesus did not seek the praise of others.  And how in fact he spent so much of his ministry disappointing people. He left his family and their expectations of him.  This so upset them that they began to think he was out of his mind and came to physically take him home (Mark 3).  He disappointed the folks of his hometown.  When he declared that he was the Messiah and had come to deliver those in need – including those who were not Jewish – they tried to throw him off a cliff (Luke 4).  He disappointed his closest friends, the 12 disciples. They had their own idea about what kind of Messiah he would be.  One that did not include a shameful death on the cross.  He disappointed the crowds.  They wanted a Messiah who would feed them, fix their problems, deliver them from the Romans and feed them.  This did not mean he was selfish.  He did not live as if nobody else counted.  He gave his life out of love for others.  And yet neither was he selfless.  He did not live as if only other people and their opinions of him counted.  (Scazzero, Peter; Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: It’s Impossible to Be Spiritually Mature, While Remaining Emotionally Immature (Kindle Locations 1289-1292). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.  Jesus did not base his identity upon what he did.  Nor upon what he had.  Nor upon what others thought of him.

So my challenge this week is to seek to do the same.  In particular, to spend some time looking into who God says you are.  One of the ways we do that is to immerse ourselves into His Word.  Did you notice that each time the devil tempted Jesus he responded the same way?  It is written.  Time and time again Jesus went to the Scriptures.  And so this week I challenge you to do the same.  Specifically, to spend 15 minutes each day meditating on Psalm 139.  Psalm 139 has a lot to say about God’s opinion of you.  And His role in your life.  Use the Lectio Divina.  Pray the words of the Psalm.  And then sit in silence awaiting God to speak to you about it.

I believe that this will make a profound difference.  The Bible says that after Jesus affirmed his identity through the Scriptures he went on to Nazareth EMPOWERED by the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:14).  There he launched his public ministry and began to preach and to heal.  So that he was FILLED by the Holy Spirit at his baptism.  THEN led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  AFTER WHICH he was EMPOWERED to begin the work that would reconcile and restore the world. 

In other words, the wilderness is something Jesus had to go through before he could do launch into greater things.  That’s why Henri Nouwen calls the wilderness the furnace of transformation.  He says that without time in the wilderness we remain victims of society and continue to be entangled in the illusions of the false self (Henri Nouwen, The Way of the Heart New York Ballantne Books 1981).   So I ask you this morning.  Where are you this morning?  Are you in the wilderness?  What are you tempted to build your identity on?  On who God says you are?  Or on what you do?  Are you living out your identity as a beloved child of God?  Or like Salieri are you seeking your identity in what others think of you?  

The truth is you ARE God’s beloved child!  You are the apple of His eye!  You are the desire of His heart!  And so am I!  So I am going to seek to live like it.  How about you?  How about you?