Thinking Anew – The Temptations of the Body of Christ

We often refer to the church as the Body of Christ here on earth – a fruitful picture in many ways. As Lent proceeds, I have been wondering if the church, as the Body of Christ, is tempted by the same things that were used to tempt Jesus in the desert?

Satan suggested to Jesus that he turn the stones into bread. Obviously Jesus was fasting and would have been hungry, but the seduction goes wider. We know that Jesus loved to feed the hungry, and he commanded his followers to feed the hungry too. But there can be a temptation in all this: always to be in the role of the one who gives, never the one who receives. My husband Murray is fond of saying “It takes grace to give, and it takes grace to receive”, and he is so right.

Perhaps this first temptation may resonate particularly for those churches which engage valiantly in social action, in contexts of obvious need. As the people of God our heart is to meet the needs of those we encounter, to relieve suffering, to problem-solve, to be the provider. Yet if we think of ourselves as the answer, we are almost thinking of ourselves as God. Jesus said, “I only do what I see my Father doing”. Jesus himself had the grace to receive as well as to give; he was the guest as often as he was the host.

Satan then tempts Jesus by showing him all the kingdoms of earth – “These can all be yours if you will just worship me”. On the face of things it seems unlikely that Jesus would bow down and worship Satan. All the kingdoms of the earth already belong to God. Yet Jesus was also fully man, rooted in time and place, constrained by a human vantage point. “Only God is to be worshipped”, he responds.

Accommodation pledges for Ukrainian refugees exceed 1,500

---

Language on women in Constitution perpetuates ‘stereotypical attitudes’

---

Syrian refugees in Lebanon waiting two years to get to Ireland

---

Ireland may take in more than 100,000 Ukrainian refugees, Minister says

---

This is a temptation for the church: heroically colonising the world for God. Let’s take this city for Christ! Let’s infiltrate the corridors of power where we can have the most influence and do the most good!

Yet Jesus throughout his ministry carefully avoided this kind of empire building, even though his beloved Jerusalem was under occupation by the Romans. God's kingdom is not of this world. The kingdom which Jesus proclaims is more like a light, or a flavour, or a jewel, or a seed.

The last temptation according to Luke is a glamorous one – he urged Jesus to throw himself off the temple in the knowledge that the angels of God would save him. Of course we are not all tempted by the same things. I would never be tempted to do this (even if the angels promised to rescue me), I have a fear of heights. But maybe Jesus was more the adventure-sports kind of person, and what a short-cut this could be! A performance to turn heads and get followers.

For the church this can be a temptation. If only the church were more glamorous, if we made a better impression, if our marketing techniques and advertising campaigns were slicker, then we would get attention, and when people start to pay attention, they will come to God!

We probably all know churches where this may be a primary temptation, places where the message is so positive and upbeat and triumphant that it can be difficult to be honest at times of doubt or grief or failure, and a church which is not honest is going down a bad road.

Jesus never let himself be seduced into taking these roles. He did delight to meet people’s needs, he did make connections in high places, but this is not where his identity lay. At times he did dazzle people with the authority he carried, but he always underplayed this and never took advantage of it. Instead he would say to those who had witnessed his healing power: “Please . . . don’t tell others about this . . . be discreet. This is all about God and his beautiful Kingdom, and my time has not yet come.’