Scripture: Luke 4: 1-13

Jesus faced and overcame temptation. The desert temptations were probably not the only temptations he faced. I would like to imagine that the following may have been some of the temptations which Jesus experienced.

The tempting voice may have said, "The road to the cross, through humiliating suffering, is unnecessary. Forgiveness is costly. It is weakness in the face of terrorism. Christianity might sound like a weak way of life to many of your potential followers. Going to the cross will set a suffering model for the new Way of Life. It will be considered as naive, romantic spiritualism which demands forgiveness, which asks one to turn the other cheek. It is being callous and insensitive to the losers. Turning the other cheek supports the side of the killers and winners."

However, despite confusion and grief at Jesus’ death, after the resurrection, the early followers of Jesus chose the way of "Suffering Christianity." Even when Jesus was unjustly criminalized and violently crucified, the early Christians did not retaliate. They practiced non-violence as a way of life.

These Jewish Christians were a minority sect in the Roman Empire. They witnessed the destruction of the historic and sacred Temple of Jerusalem in the year 70 C.E. They saw their sacred treasures looted and burned before their eyes. It was the most painful experience in the national memory of these Jewish Christians. Thomas Boomershine, Director of UMR/Lumicon Institute, says,

"The Temple, the symbol of Israel's religious and national identity, was obliterated. Thus from a religious perspective, the Temple's destruction is the only memory that compares in scale to what happened in New York and Washington to the symbols of America." "Loving our enemies offers best 'retaliation' to terrorism" The United Methodist Review Vol. 18: No. 22. Oct. 12, 2001. p. 5.

Boomershine goes on to say that against this massive Roman attack on their temple, the early Jewish Christians sect "practiced a radically different policy toward the ongoing outrage of Roman attacks on Jews."

Great persecution followed in the Roman Empire. Anyone who did not bow to Roman gods could be summarily killed. Some were put to death at their own door steps. Some were put in arenas to be eaten by animals or burned alive. Many of the early Christians were willing to die for their faith. Early church leaders helped believers see that salvation could mean living for Christ as well as dying for him.

Christian martyrs, both women and men, demonstrated such strength and commitment to God that the Roman authorities looked weak and pitiful. The crowds began to admire the faith of the martyrs inspiring many to convert to Christianity. Early church was in fact built on the blood of the martyrs.

The persecutions eventually died down as Christianity spread through the empire. The Emperor Constantine declared Christianity the official religion of Rome in the fourth century. When Christianity became the majority religion, minority religions were often discriminated against.

Throughout history, Christianity has had to distinguish between suffering servanthood and triumphalist Christianity. Great discernment is needed today, more than ever, to make a bold commitment to Christ as suffering servant.

Which way will we go, the way of the cross or the road to triumphalism?

REFLECTION:

(1) When is being a success a failure and when is being a failure a success?

(2) In its resolution on "Terrorism," the United Methodist Church took the position "to stand against terrorist acts in the forms of retaliation or capital punishment" The United Methodist Book of Resolutions 2000. pp 786-787. What does it mean to stand against retaliation? Discuss.

(3) The same resolution on "Terrorism," also urges the United Methodists to "oppose the use of indiscriminate military force to combat terrorism, especially where the use of such force results in casualties among non-combatant citizens who are not themselves perpetrators of terrorist acts..." What are some of the ambiguities of war? Can there be a discriminant war? Why?

(4) Sing "O Beautiful for Spacious Skies" (United Methodist Hymnal #696) and "This is My Song, O God of all the Nations" (#437). A United Methodist minister in Long Island, New York, said in the wake of the tragedy, "We need to be patriotic but not nationalistic." What does that mean in the light of the two hymns you just sang?

PRAYER:

Holy Spirit, guide us today as we try to live the teachings of Christ. Help us discern true success from true failure. Give us the passion of those willing to die for faith in Jesus Christ and the wisdom of the ages to discern how to live our Christian faith until we die. Amen