Luke 4: 5-8 Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to him, “To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.'”
Romans 10: 11-13 The scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Jesus took a look at all of the kingdoms of the world at once. They were all on display before him. He knew that with his power he could have them all to serve his pleasure. He could use terrorism, violence and injustice and take the whole works to satisfy his greed.
But Jesus refused to worship greed and violence.
It was more important to him that every human being, female, male, black, brown, white, red, yellow, gay or straight be all they were created to be and that the earth in all of its diverse beauty continue to glorify its creator.
So Jesus refused the temptation of terror, violence and injustice to be a consumer of the earth for personal pleasure, and chose to use his power instead to walk in the ways of his Amma/Abba of compassion and restorative justice; to create a community that would strive for a world where no one is an outcast and no one is a stranger, where all people are celebrated as precious children of God. Where all would joyfully share hope, comfort, dignity and freedom, so that the ways of the God of compassion and restorative justice would live on earth as in heaven.
This Lent may we by grace through faith claim and focus the use of our power for the way of Jesus.
The Rev. Dr. R. Lawton Higgs, Sr.
02/13/16
