Lent 1C - 2025
Sermon for the First Sunday in Lent, Year C
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
The Rev. Andrew McLarty
Today, we are invited the beginning of ministry- that is, Jesus’ ministry according to Luke — to journey into the wilderness, to confront the temptations and trials of our own lives, and to emerge with our own deeper sense of God's presence and purpose.
In our Gospel reading, we see Jesus stepping into the wilderness after his baptism. The Spirit drives him there, not as a punishment, but as a preparation. For forty days, Jesus faces temptation, wrestles with wild beasts, and is ministered to by angels. It is here, in the barren and desolate places, that Jesus proclaims, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news."
“Therfore, if you worship me, it will all be yours.” Luke 4:7
There are far too many single quote or half-verses of Scritpure that are placed on top of a generic, inspirational backgroud and shared on the internet. This one is one of my favorites. I have seen it against landscapes, on "top ten" list of inpsiring Bible quotes, and even printed on a coffee mug. And it sound's great! But, who said it? — Satan!
The wilderness is not a place of abandonment, but a place of encounter. It is where we confront our own temptations—the lure of power, the desire for control, the fear of scarcity. But it is also where we discover God's presence in unexpected ways. Like Jesus, we are not alone in the wilderness. The Spirit is with us, guiding us, strengthening us, and preparing us for the work ahead. In his first letter, Peter draws a connection between the flood and baptism. He reminds us that just as Noah and his family were saved through water, so too are we saved through the waters of baptism. Baptism is not just a one-time event; it is a lifelong journey of dying to sin and rising to new life in Christ. As we journey through Lent, we are invited to return to the waters of our baptism, to remember who we are and whose we are.
So, my friends, as we enter this holy season, let us embrace the wilderness. Let us confront the temptations and trials that seek to separate us from God and one another. But let us also remember the covenant—the promise that God is with us, even in the wilderness. Let us trust in the Spirit's guidance, and let us proclaim, with Jesus, that the kingdom of God has come near.
This Lent, may we journey with hope, knowing that the wilderness is not the end of the story. It is the place where God meets us, transforms us, and prepares us for the resurrection joy that awaits us at Easter.
Amen.
