Boot Camp for the Soul, Part 1: The Need for Change

Matthew 4:1-11   Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’” Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

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When you hear the term “boot camp” what do you think of?

The term has traditionally referred to the basic training military recruits go through to prepare them for service.  Boot camp is hard.  It pushes them to their limits both physically and mentally, to prepare them for service to their country. 

Boot camp has also taken on broader meaning – for example, most YMCAs now have boot camp classes.  And there are other programs that help you lose weight or learn computer skills.  Essentially, boot camp is now used to describe any program that is intense and challenging and focused on making some kind of transformation.

Consider Lent, then, as form of boot camp.  Lent is six weeks of intense, challenging, and focused work on the spiritual task of preparing for Easter, for resurrected life.  It may not look like a lot of activity is going on – no pushups or obstacle courses – because it’s a time for going inward.  Lent invites us to introspection, to spend some time discerning all that blocks us from the knowledge of the love of God, whether it be our personal sin or systemic barriers that keep us from a fuller life in Christ.  Lent offers us a chance to identify these things and repent of them; Lent guides us into renewal.

So, we begin this season with the story of Jesus in the wilderness, as he began his ministry.  It was immediately after his baptism by John that he was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where he spent 40 days and nights in fasting and solitude.  This was his Lent; this was Jesus’ boot camp, preparing him for what was ahead.

After his forty days of fasting, the tempter came to him.  You can call him Satan, if you like.  And the tempter presented him with a challenge – a taunt.  “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 

Jesus responds by quoting scripture to the tempter.  One does not live by bread alone, but by the word of God.  Not easy to say, after fasting for 40 days and nights.  He might have easily relieved his suffering, but he declined to do so.  There was purpose in this suffering.

The tempter continued with his taunts, and he upped the ante by throwing scripture back at Jesus.  You see, even the Devil can play that game.  He took him to the top of the temple and said, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up.’” 

But Jesus made a decision that he wasn’t going to live like that.  Again, he declined the offer.

So, in a final act, the tempter takes him to a high mountain and offers to give him all power and glory if only he will worship him.  “That’s enough,” Jesus says to him.  Be gone.  And that’s it.  At least for now.

You know, Jesus did not need the tempter to give him any of these things.  He didn’t need the tempter to tell him he has the ability to produce bread, for he will do just fine with that when the time comes.  Later in his ministry, when he has led thousands of people out in the wilderness to hear him teach, there will be bread enough for them all. 

And, when the time comes for him to be thrown up on the cross, he goes willingly knowing that he is putting himself in the hands of God, who will bear him up from the depths of hell. 

And, finally, when the time comes, he will be seated on the right hand of the Father, in his glory.  He does not need the tempter to give him dominion over anything, does he? 

To say yes to any of these offers, would be to take a shortcut, to try to reap the benefits without the work, to claim the prize without entering the program.  It doesn’t work.

The temptations offered to Jesus in the wilderness would have made his personal journey much easier.  And had he been focused on his personal comfort and gain, he would have accepted them.  But taking the tempter up on his offers would have denied the world, all of us, the life that we might have in him.  Had Jesus taken up these temptations, we would have lost everything. 

The same is true for us, in a way.  Lent can be an amazing experience for you.  Lent gives you an opportunity to embark on a journey that will change you –

Or not.  That’s just it – this journey is one that is offered to all of us, but none of us is forced to participate.  You haven’t signed a contract committing you to the program. 

You can opt out.  And know that if you are not saying yes to the invitation of Lent, that is exactly what you are doing – opting out.  But realize, also, that no growth results from choosing to opt out.  There is nothing to be gained from opting out.  And everything to lose.

On Ash Wednesday, I spoke to you of the crises in our world that often leaves us feeling helpless, maybe even hopeless; the crises that threaten to starve our souls.  We must tend to the needs of our souls.  If we do, we can be a force for good – for healing – in the world.   

Boot camp for the soul.  Beginning today.

We won’t be getting down on the floor and doing push-ups.  But how about an introduction to some spiritual practice? 

Try lectio divina.  It is a centuries-old practice, which means simply sacred reading.  Here is what you do.

You read a portion of scripture slowly three times, with silence between each reading.  The first time, listen for a word or phrase that rises up and offers itself to you.  Spend the quiet time repeating and listening to that word or phrase.

The second time, listen for how God is speaking to you through this passage.  Use the silence afterward in prayer, considering what it means to you.

The third and final time, listen again to how God is speaking to you, and use the silence afterward to prayerfully consider how God is leading you toward change.

Let us begin.  After Jesus came out of the wilderness …

As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

If you had any trouble staying focused, this means you are human.  And like anything, practice will make your practice of this exercise much more meaningful.

Blessings as you begin the journey.