“Sin A Teaching Device?”

Sermon Delivered By Rev. Dick Stetler – February 21, 2021

Centenary United Methodist Church

Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7; Matthew 4:1-11

 

    Since this is the first Sunday of Lent, I would like us to examine a major issue constantly being faced by every person on earth.  That issue is temptation. One of the more challenging assignments for any pastor is helping his or her people to move beyond certain blocking influences that many of us had instilled in us since our childhood. 

    A question I want each of us to answer for ourselves is this:  Are we students of what the Bible says or are we students of the interpretations that others have given to what the Scriptures say?

    When new students study the Bible, they often bring fresh eyes to what they are reading.  Many of these students have not been influenced by the thinking of others. Teachers would be surprised by what their students find.  The paraphrase of the Bible by Eugene Peterson has helped many students in their understanding of the Scriptures.  His version is called, The Message.

    Let us go back to the highly influential story in Genesis and review this morning's first lesson for ourselves.   It is very strange that the Garden of Eden story-line has become a central teaching in the theology of the Church, when Jesus never once referred to it or the implications that have grown from that story.

    God said, "You may eat the fruit of any tree in the garden, except the tree that gives knowledge of what is good and what is evil.  You must not eat the fruit of that tree; if you do, you will die the same day." (Genesis 2:16f) 

    When we consider what happened, a different conclusion can be drawn from this event that differs widely from the teaching of Original Sin. The idea that we are broken and flawed since birth has given rise to the thought that we must be saved. Really? Perhaps this story has been misunderstood through the ages.  It has been this misunderstanding that gave the task to the clergy of inspiring their people to seek forgiveness by repenting from their many sins.

    Let us look more closely at this story which is a metaphor for a more meaningful lesson. A snake appeared and asked Eve if God had put any limitations on what she could eat.  Eve answered, "God told us not to eat the fruit of one particular tree or even touch it; if we do, we will die." 

    The creature responded, "That is not true; you will not die.  God said that because he knows that when you eat it, you will have the same reasoning skills as he does and you will be able to tell the difference between what is good and what is evil." (Genesis 3:4)

    What is most intriguing about this story is that the snake was correct and it was God who lied to Eve.  Eve ate the fruit, gave it to her mate and the writer of Genesis concluded, "As soon as they had eaten it, they were given understanding." (Genesis 3:7) Note the words, "They were given understanding."

    They did not die. What is this story teaching?

    Could it be that the writer was actually communicating what God was doing?  Like a mother bird, God was nudging the babies to leave the security of the nest and intentionally weening them of their dependence so they could fly. Through the centuries, the clergy have centered on the theme of disobedience. This teaching created the idea that humanity had fallen from grace, thus the concept of Original Sin was born.  However, the writer of Genesis knew that Adam and Eve were created in the image of God.  (Genesis 1:27) How could they ever fall from grace?

    Christians have been taught that Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden because of their disobedience.  If we go back to that teaching, often new students will find a much different reason.  Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden because of the fears experienced by God and his angels.

    Listen again to what the author wrote:  "God said, 'Now that these human beings have become like us and have knowledge of what is good and evil, they must not be allowed to take fruit from the tree that gives life, eat it, and live forever.'  So, the Lord sent them out of the Garden of Eden."  (Genesis 3:22f)

    The belief that God would lie to Eve and become fearful became unacceptable to readers.  Why would God ever be afraid when he placed such trees in the Garden?  All of us must decide for ourselves whether we believe what we read in the Bible or believe the conclusions drawn by others through centuries from reading the same words.

    Do we miss the mark with our choices because we are flawed, fallen creatures, or do we make mistakes in our judgments because we have not yet matured in our understanding?  Most of us prefer the latter.  Would God really want us to view his creations as damaged goods as soon as we come out of the womb?  Temptations are like the rungs on an infinite ladder that will eventually lead climbers to enlightenment.

    Temptations offer us the opportunity to define the quality of spirit that we want to dominate our lives.   Are we growing a spiritual presence that is small, narrow, selfish, spiteful, and unforgiving, or are we growing a spiritual presence that is gracious, flexible, understanding, and forgiving? 

    All temptations present us with the same crossroads requiring us to make a choice.  Temptations always approach us at our weakest points where our skills of spirit are undeveloped or non-existent -- the very places where growth is most needed.

    Once I was staying in a 5-star hotel conference center for a number of days.  Everything was being paid for by the sponsoring agency to which I belonged.  The first evening meal featured a buffet the likes of which I had never seen.  There was a carver who was slicing prime rib as thick and as rare as the customer wanted. Prime rib is my favorite cut of beef.

    A very short-lived civil war broke out inside of me as I stood at the crossroads of a decision.  My mind said, "Dick, remember what Socrates said, 'Do all things in moderation; do nothing to excess.'  Remember your cholesterol levels! You know what authorities say about eating too much red meat."

    My desire said, "You may never again have an opportunity like this. Just imagine, all the prime rib you can eat is yours for the taking.  Not only the prime rib, but check out the gigantic shrimp, scallops, and Maine lobster tails further on down the serving line.  Go for it, Dick!"

    My desire beat my mind almost immediately. There was no contest.  I enjoyed everything that night but there were consequences from my over-indulgence.  I did not sleep very well and my entire physiology was in a state of shock. One of the positive consequences that I awakened to was to eat in moderation during such conferences that were in my future.

    When we consider the nature of temptations, all of them have the same thing in common.  Every temptation, every allure, grows from the illusion that one choice will be far more satisfying and pleasurable than any other. Consider this thought as we turn our attention to the second Scripture lesson this morning.

    As Jesus wandered in the wilderness, he encountered a number of temptations.  Did Jesus really struggle with any of these?  Probably not.  Remember Jesus had just come from an experience where he felt God's presence in a most dramatic and influential way.  He heard words that came from God, "You are my Son whom I love very much." What else would he need from the external world to equip him with knowledge to understand that he needed nothing more?

    One advantage that we may have over other people is that we are followers of Jesus' teachings. While this sounds like class warfare on a religious level, this statement is far more accurate than not.  Committed followers of Jesus' teachings have learned to be thoroughly alive and involved in our material world while remaining citizens in the invisible inner world that we know as the Kingdom of God. 

    When temptations come and when the allure of something in the material world has an irresistible quality to it, alert people will recognize immediately what is pulling them toward the flame of their desire.   That pull comes from an appetite of our inner child crying out, "I want that!  I need this!"

    Notice that the first symptom of any temptation provides us with a dead-giveaway for what is happening.  All temptations are centered on the pronoun "I want.  I need."  Everything about the nature of God comes from just the opposite. God's presence gives comfort, forgiveness, peace, and more rungs of the ladder to climb. 

    Only by recognizing what temptations are trying to teach us, and how temptations are trying to guide us, are we able to climb the ladder toward becoming mature spirit-beings.  Only then will we appreciate the gift God gave humanity in the story-line of the Garden of Eden. God set us free from dependency by giving us total responsibility for our own spiritual growth.  (Genesis 1:27b-28)

    People who are still growing are bound to make mistakes.  They will believe in ideas that will not work in their lives or the lives of anyone else. Are we in danger of losing our souls or are we students who have far more to learn and understand?  It helps us to know that the accurate interpretation of the word sin is an archery term.  It means to miss the mark. There is nothing evil or sinister about sinning.  Further, there is no evil being that is trying to seduce us into entering a prison of eternal suffering and pain known as Hell.

    We cannot blame our ignorance by saying, "The Devil made me do it."  We are the creator of all temptations. We know this because people have different temptations dependent on where their weaknesses are that need strengthening.

    Since God has created all things through a loving, creative presence, only human beings could create such an understanding that a god of darkness could threaten our spiritual destiny. Such a belief came from the Persian religion called Zoroastrianism. The Jews came into contact with this belief when they were slaves in Babylon.

    Jesus taught his listeners from a far different point-of-view. There was no Original Sin.  The lessons yet to be learned by a number of people shows up when they play the blame game. Today, a number of people insist on using derogatory labeling to define the lives and beliefs of others. Jesus taught his audiences to take care of only one person. He said, "First take the log out of your eye and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from someone else's eye."  (Matthew 7:5)

    Anything that teaches loving skills of spirit cannot be evil. Like everything in life, a correct understanding for individuals comes from how each of us chooses to interpret our experiences.  It is God who creates through people who sow their seeds of loving responses without needing to see the outcome. Our task in life is to be who we are and allow God to take care of the fine print.

     

CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER

Merciful God, we cannot experience the Lenten season without reflecting on the number of times we take for granted what comes to us without our asking.  When we are eager to learn, understanding comes.  When we extend ourselves in love, we are never without receiving it.  Yet, we are also mindful of our mistakes, our hasty judgments, and our need to cast blame. Kindle in us, O God, our desire to stretch in the areas of our weaknesses.  Help us to learn that our finest moments are when we find ourselves walking on the road less-traveled because we are following the Master.  Amen.

     

PASTORAL PRAYER

Loving God, Jesus came into our midst so that we might learn how to become more loving, patient, and peaceful men and women.  He taught his listeners that such a spirit would give us entrance into Your Kingdom that Jesus said was already here.  In spite of all the truth he taught, it was you, O God, who granted us free-will to choose how to order our lives.  Now that we have entered our first Sunday in Lent, help us to consider those choices.

In the drama life represents, you have allowed distractions to enter our lives with the potential to block the path set by your son.  As many tantalizing alternatives parade in front of us, it is we who must choose between the pearl of great price from among the shiny pebbles. It is we who must select between what will enhance our skills of spirit and the imitations imposed by fears that we are empty and have nothing to give away.

Thank you, God, for remaining confident in us.  We do have awkward moments.  There are times when regrets and our lack of using good judgment take the spotlight away from the moments when we truly love our neighbors. Help us during these days of Lent to construct our houses on the rock of our loving attitudes and desires. With grateful hearts we pray these thoughts through the spirit of Jesus, the Christ, who taught us to say when we pray . . .