Not Today, Satan.
(Free Version), The Second Sunday in Lent- Year B; Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16; Romans 4:13-25; Mark 8:31-38
This week’s readings can be found here.
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This week, our Lenten readings invite us to embrace our weakness, to follow the path of vulnerability and empty-handedness, the journey to the cross.
In our Old Testament reading (Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16), the Lord makes a covenant with Abram, which includes the promise that he will be the ancestor of many nations. It is not a new covenant, but a renewed one, echoing God’s words and actions for Abram in chapters 12 and 15. Abram is ninety-nine years old, his wife is ninety. He is not chosen by God because of his ability to carry out the promise. He is chosen in his weakness.
Though verse 1 may look like a contingency to God’s promise: “walk before me faithfully and be blameless,” it is really an invitation—that Abram walk close to God, and to be faithful. It is the invitation into relationship. Because of God’s covenant, everything has changed. This is so transformative that Abram and Sarai must both change their names—Abraham and Sarah.
Those things which were commanded at creation: that human beings be fruitful and multiply (Gen. 1:28), are no longer commands but things that God himself will do. And, he will make them very fruitful. This covenant is forever. God will not go back on his promise to his people.
In our epistle reading (Romans 4:13-25), Paul reflects on the story of Abram/Abraham in light of the resurrection of Jesus. Abram was called before God’s people were given the law and, therefore, his membership in the convent is not on the basis of his faithfulness to the law; it is, instead, only on the basis of faith. This is important, Paul says, because it provides space for “all nations,” to be children of Abraham, not only those who were given the law. God’s promise to give his people the land, for Paul, refers not only to a specific tract of land, but to the whole world!
Though barren, Abram “hoped against hope” believing that God could bring life out of emptiness. He is the God who brings life from death, and he has done so decisively in Jesus Christ, raising him from the dead. Just as faith “was reckoned” to Abraham, so it is to all of us who believe in him who raised Jesus from the dead.
The Christian path is one of dependence. It is one of weakness and self-giving. Of course, this is the source of true strength. When we choose the way of self-giving, we find that our “core” is stronger. We are not moved by every wind and wave that comes our way. And yet, this way requires constant recalibration, because it is so counter-intuitive.
In our gospel reading (Mark 8:31-38), Jesus gives a three-fold command for discipleship: Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me. Like with our Old Testament reading, these may at first seem like commands, things that we do. But, each of them is truly a gift, an orientation, a way of being.
The first thing Jesus says is Deny yourself. This is the beginning of conversion. At our baptism, we say no to a way of life, we renounce Satan and all his works; we turn from sin and we say yes to God. The third thing Jesus says is Follow Me. This is pretty clearly an ongoing process, a path, a journey. But that leaves the second thing: Take Up Your Cross. What does this mean? Is this a one time thing? What is this? Luke writes Jesus’ words: “Take up your cross daily.” This shows us that saying “no” to the counterfeit life, the old life is not just something that happens once. It is an everyday resistance to the counterfeit narratives which lay claim on our lives.
I imagine these hypothetical conversations between Jesus and the disciples. One of the guys says…so, Jesus, is now the time we should gather and army?…but then stops himself…oh yeah, we are doing a different thing.
The accuser will raise his head over and over again. “You know, if you were just a little more talented than this…” “You know, if you hadn’t messed up your life this way, you could’ve…” “You know, if you were just a little better with money…” “You know, if you could get your act together in social situations.” “You know, if you could just manipulate this situation a little bit more, you could get ahead…” All rebukes. And yet, when we are shaped this strange Kingdom of God at our core, we can say as Jesus said, “Not today Satan!” “Get behind me!” Yielding to the slow life, the intentional life, the others oriented life, the self-giving life, the way of the cross.
I’m choosing the mystery of grace. I am choosing to rejoice in my weakness, in the places where I’ve failed because God makes beautiful things out of dust.
Our core does not strengthen merely by hearing a sermon. We all know that most people in our congregations will forget most of what we say on Sunday. This is where the rhythms of grace are so important. Where we spend our time and energy shapes us. This is one of the reasons why we need to be really intentional about our rhythms. We need to gather together Sunday after Sunday, we need to pray, we need to immerse ourselves in scripture. Because the pull towards shortcuts is so strong.
What are my daily rhythms? What is forming me? Is it my social media notifications? News alerts? Video games? Political frameworks? None of those things are wrong in and of themselves, but when they become a primary forming reality for us, there is a problem.
Let’s declare today to resist the shortcuts on the basis of our baptismal identity. Because God will never break his promises, we can live a life immersed in his grace. Everything else is hollow and empty. They promise a lot and deliver very little.
May we know the One who turned away from the shortcuts, who gives his life for us, who does not leave us in our failure and in our shame, but who meets us in our darkness, and shows us the better way. Amen.