Lent 1 March 10, 2019 The Sunday of Jesus’ Temptation

Lent 1
Matthew 4:1-11
March 10, 2019

“Fight the Good Fight – It’s a Big Deal”

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

I read a biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer a few years ago. He was a Lutheran pastor in Nazi Germany. So he was growing up roughly a hundred years ago. And one little detail about his childhood that really surprised me was that his Dad was very strict on language. He didn’t allow the kids to use imprecise language. No careless words. They were to say what they meant and they were to mean it. Not a bunch of meaningless, filler words that don’t do anything but fill space.

Now compare that to our language today. Is our language precise? I love a Lutheran Hour Sermon from Oswald Hoffmann back in 1973. He goes on a long rant about the phrase, “So what?” (Listen to it here.) He says, “A typical reaction of people today to the most extraordinary disclosures is, ‘so what?!’” What a useless two-word phrase! He preaches, “To public and private immorality people say, ‘so what?!’ To the recent landings on the moon, people respond, ‘so what?!’ To any demand for commitment of any kind, people are most inclined to answer, ‘so what?!’ Whenever somebody talks about God, millions of people come back with, ‘so what?!’”

Oh, it’s so true. My mom couldn’t stand when we used the phrase, “Oh, well.” I didn’t understand at the time. Now I do. Another useless two-word phrase, “Oh, well.” Our language today is filled with useless phrases. “Same difference.” “Who cares?” “What does it matter?” “Oh, well.” “Not my problem.” “It’s no big deal.”

You might think that with texting and messaging and Twitter that our language would become more precise. Because, you know, you have less words and you have to type them all and so forth. Should make us more careful with our words, right? Ha. I’m distressed at how bad my grammar has become because of texting. And I don’t know what’s worse for communication than emoticons. Who knows what we’re even saying anymore? My most used emoticon is a thumbs up. But that could mean anything from “I agree with what you’re saying and I validate it” to “I really don’t have time to talk about this right now and I would appreciate it if we could end this texting conversation” to “Thank you and I appreciate your kindness.”

Someone in my home, I won’t name names, enjoys watching old British movies. The kind of stuff you find on PBS and BBC. I don’t hear those fine English folk using much flippant language, thank you very much. Their words are carefully chosen and timed. I don’t hear a “so what” or an “oh, well” thrown in the mix.

Now, of course, in good fashion what do we twenty-first century folks say to all this talk of careless language. We say, “So what?!” But careless language IS a problem. Language is a gift of God. He gave us words. And flippant language is a work of the devil. He loves careless, flippant words. Because he can hide his lies behind them. Do you remember than one of the seven vices we did last Lent, one of the seven worst sins, is acedia, which is sloth or apathy? Phrases like “so what” and “oh, well” and “it’s no big deal” are very certainly in the line of sloth and apathy. The devil wants you to not give a care about words.  Most of all, he wants you to not give a care about God’s words.

And so one of these careless phrases the devil loves to peddle around is this one: “It’s no big deal.” Very much in the line of “so what” or “oh well” or “who cares?” This is how the Tempter first got to Adam and Eve. God said, “You shall not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” But the devil came and said what? “It’s no big deal.” “Did God really say…? Oh, that’s no big deal.” And Eve thought, “Yeah, it’s just fruit. And it looks like good fruit. What’s it going to hurt? Doesn’t God want us to be wise? It’s no big deal. We’ll just have a little bit.”

But it was a big deal. The devil was lying. He was hiding his lies behind flippant, careless words. It was a very big deal. Those careless words of the devil brought sin crashing down into the world. He destroyed God’s perfect words with his careless, prideful words.

The devil is still peddling the same lie today with you and me. He takes some of the most serious things in life, some of the biggest deals, and gets us to say, “Eh, it’s no big deal.”

Gambling. Taking money that God has provided to us to care for others. To provide food and shelter and medicine and protection. We take the money and put it in a slot machine or put it on who will win a game where they throw a ball around or buy a piece of paper to scratch off a hidden surprise. And whenever we get any little prick of conscience about it the devil’s right there saying, “Hey, it’s no big deal. It’s all just for fun. Good entertainment. Not hurting anyone. It’s no big deal. Come on…”

The movies and TV we watch. Somehow we’ve gotten to the point where we Christians watch movies full of violence and cursing and nudity and we truly think, “Hey, it’s no big deal. It’s not real. It’s just a movie.” Kids go from one movie to the next on YouTube that are absolutely stupid and meaningless and contribute nothing of value to anyone and we parents say, “Eh, it’s no big deal. At least they’re entertained.” Who has convinced us that this isn’t a big deal? I’ll give you one guess.

Gossiping. Your friend does something very embarrassing and they’re ashamed and sorry for what happened. And you know you should be a good friend and protect their reputation and keep it to yourself and forgive. But the devil’s there saying, “Hey, it’s no big deal. It won’t hurt if you just tell a couple people. Just one text. Just one email. Just one phone call. It’s no big deal, right? Yes, it is a big deal. You’re hurting your friend when you should be protecting your friend. That’s a big deal.

Eating like gluttons. We consume and consume and consume. This is a great struggle for me. The devil has successfully convinced most of us that what we eat and drink is absolutely no big deal. A ½ pounder cheeseburger. A bucket of fries. A gallon of coffee. A pan of brownies. No big deal, right? If we want it, we eat it. And we totally forget that whole thing about self-control being a gift of the Holy Spirit.

Abortion. How the devil has gotten this one past us is really beyond me. I have no idea how he has so blinded us that we can talk about a baby being partially born and pass laws that say it’s okay to kill that baby. But the devil has used his flippant, careless words to do just that. He says, “Oh, it’s no big deal. It’s just a fetus. It’s only part of the mother. It’s just a choice that the woman can make either way.” And we go numb to it. Tell me, is there much that is truly a bigger deal in any civilization than murdering your babies before they are born? That is a big deal.

He’s done it in the Church too. On major doctrinal issues the devil has gotten Church people to say, “Eh, it’s no big deal.” “Oh, you don’t believe God created the world like Genesis says in chapter 1? No big deal. You believe we evolved from monkeys? No big deal. You believe miracles don’t really happen and the Bible made all of that up? No big deal. You believe that marriage is just a social construction and that God really doesn’t care if two men or two women want to get married? No big deal. You believe that Jesus wasn’t really the Son of God but just a great teacher? No big deal. You believe that Communion isn’t really Christ’s body and blood but just a symbol? No big deal.”

And the devil laughs and laughs. And he thinks he’s got us good. And he thinks no one will ever match his cunning. But then in steps our Savior Jesus Christ! In steps the Word made flesh. There are no careless, flippant words in this One. Talk about self-control. He hasn’t eaten in 40 days. I can’t go one day without a coffee or a sweet. Jesus goes without food 40 days. And here comes the proud devil, “Oh, you’re hungry, eh? How ‘bout these stones here? Why don’t you turn ‘em into loaves of bread. It’s no big deal. You’re hungry.” And what does Jesus say? He goes to God’s precise words. “No, Devil, it is a big deal. God has said, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” You can’t fool Me, Devil.”

And the devil comes in a second time. Takes Jesus to the top of the Temple and says, “Hey, why don’t you throw yourself down and see what happens. It’s no big deal. Didn’t God say He’d tell His angels to catch you?” And Jesus says, “No, Tempter, it is a big deal. What God said is this precisely, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

And again a third time. Promises Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and all their glory if Jesus will just bow down and worship him. It’s no big deal. But Jesus stands strong with God’s precise words, “You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve.”

Finally, it was at the cross. Good Friday. Jesus hanging on the cross dying for your sin and for my sin. Dying for all the times we’ve said “it’s no big deal”. Dying for all the times we’ve gambling God’s gifts and said no big deal. Dying for all the times we’ve watch filth and said it’s no big deal. Dying for all the times we’ve spread gossip and said it’s no big deal. Dying for all the times we’ve been gluttonous and said it’s no big deal. Dying for all the times we’ve heard people teach lies about God and we’ve said “it’s no big deal.” And the devil says to Jesus one last time, “Hey, if you’re the Son of God, get off that cross. It’s no big deal.” And Jesus says, “No. It is a big deal. I’m dying to redeem the whole world.”

Is life a big deal? Yes, it is. Is your life a big deal? Yes, it is. It’s so big a deal that Jesus gave His for yours. Is how you live your life a big deal? Yes, it is. Are your words a big deal? Yes, they are. And anything else is a lie from the devil.

You and I are sinners and saints at the very same time. Jesus has paid for our sins and rescued us from the devil’s clutches. You’re a saint. Baptized into Jesus. Receiving His body and blood. Heir of heaven. You’re all of that. But you’re also still a sinner. In this world you’ll always still be a sinner. So we live every day as both—sinner and saint.

At times the sinner in us wins and gets us to say, “It’s no big deal.” And we disobey God and ignore His precise words. And then we pray and we ask for forgiveness. And we come to Church and receive the Sacrament. And we live in God’s mercy and grace.

But at other times, the saint in us wins. And the more mature you become as a Christian, the older you become as a Christian, the more and more the saint in you starts to win. The more and more you learn to say, “No, devil, it is a big deal and you’re not going to fool me.” That is fighting the good fight of faith. Jesus fought and won. On this earth, we continue to fight with Him. When the devil comes to us with his careless, flippant words, “It’s no big deal,” we respond, “Yes, it is a big deal.”

The devil says, “Come on, what’s a little pornography going to hurt? What’s a little gossip going to hurt? It’s no big deal. Everybody does it. So what? Abortion’s no big deal. It’s been around forever. And who cares about what you eat? You can eat whatever you want. And so what if you want to gamble for some fun once in a while. What’s the big deal?”

And you Christians learn to say, “No.” Sometimes it takes us years to learn it. But we learn. We learn to say, “No. It is a big deal.” This is my God we’re talking about. His words are a big deal. His words are perfect and precise. They’re good and loving. Fight the good fight, Christians! It’s a big deal.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.