MAUNDY THURSDAY, 2010

“And lead us not into temptation.” What did Jesus mean by these words? The events that took place and the things that were said the night before He died help us to understand them. What happened that night?

à        Jesus told His disciples very clearly of His coming sufferings and death, and that one of them would betray Him.

à        But, they then got into an argument about which of them was the greatest. He silenced the argument by telling them that the greatest is the one who serves. But, He not only taught them. He also served them.

·        He knelt before each of them and washed their feet;

·        He gave them His body and blood when He instituted the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

à        He bluntly warned Peter that he would deny Him, but then assured Peter that He had prayed for him.

à        He urged them to pray with Him, and so not enter into temptation. He then also prayed for them.

What had Jesus not done for His disciples that night? He had left nothing undone. He had not led them into temptation and given them over to it, but had worked to save them from giving into the temptations He knew would come. By this we see what He meant by the words, “lead us not into temptation.” When He taught us to pray this, Jesus was not saying that, if we would just pray, God would keep temptations and sufferings from us. No, they come. They come because we live in a fallen, sin-filled world. Sometimes we are thrust into them because we are following what God says. Most times, however, they come because we put ourselves into situations which lead to temptation. Jesus was telling us to expect them, and to look unto Him, and not ourselves, for help.

Martin Luther in his explanation of the Lord’s Prayer in the Small Catechism teaches us:

God tempts no one. We pray in this petition that God would guard and keep us so that the devil, the world, and our sinful nature may not deceive us or mislead us into false belief, despair, and other great shame and vice. Although we are attacked by these things, we pray that we may finally overcome them and win the victory.

Don’t blame God when you give into sin, for God tempts no one. Our sin is our fault, and no one else’s. Admit this, and don’t blame God for your sin. But, also be sure not to turn away from His help. Ask Him to help you! And, be sure that He will.

How does God help us with temptation? There are many ways. In our Scriptures readings this night God tells us:

1.    He forgives our sins, and completely. “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more,” He tells us in Jeremiah 31. How comforting is this passage! The book of Hebrews refers to this promise and concludes: “Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.” God does not demand that in some way you make up for your sins! Also, if God has forgotten your sins, why should the memory of them trouble you? “Our hearts [have been] sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water,” says Hebrews 10. When sins you have committed come to mind and your conscience bothers you, remember that you have been baptized into Christ! God is not bothered by your sins because He has forgotten them, set them aside so completely it is as if they were never committed. Do not let them bother you, but be happy and joyful in Christ!

2.    Because God has forgiven our sins by Jesus paying for them in His flesh, the book of Hebrews assures us that “we have confidence to enter the holy places.” What is more holy than God Himself? He is the holy place, and now, because of Jesus, God is pleased to welcome you “into His ears” and hear your prayers!

·        When you are sick, or facing a surgery, will God hear your prayers and help you? Of course! You are precious to Him! He who has forgiven your sins by giving His Son into death for you will surely also provide for the needs of your body.

And what is more, we have Christ’s own prayers. He not only prayed for His disciples the night He was betrayed. The Bible assures us that even now He is interceding for us in the Father’s presence.

3.    God gives us the blessing of worshiping together. Here in His house we are blessed above all by receiving Christ. We are also blessed by being with one another, fellow Christians who share similar burdens and endure similar temptations. We can be a strength to one another when tempted and a comfort to one another when in need. For this reason, the writer of Hebrews encourages us to “not neglect meeting together, as is the habit of some, but encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day [of Christ’s return] drawing near.”

God is a good Father who promises to help us in every time of need. Believe this, count on this, and pray for His help, especially when temptations arise. Then, go to where His help is found, especially to the blessed Sacrament of Jesus’ body and blood.