Every year, year after year, this story of the Temptations of Jesus reappears on the liturgical calendar. Almost all of the other Bible stories are on a three-year cycle. Not this one.  This one has pride of place and returns, like clock work, every year on this First Sunday of Lent.

What is so important about this story? Why revisit it year after year? After all, we know the ending. When Isabella was reading the story, was anyone was holding their breath, sitting on the edge of their pews, wondering anxiously if Jesus would pass the tests and survive the temptations unsullied? We knew he would.

So why revisit this story every year?

In cold, northern climes, where it snows a lot, there are many different words for snow: words that describe snow in all its variations and permutations. Similarly, in warm, southern climes there are a lot of words to describe warmth … warmth, in all its variations and permutations.

But there is a family of words of which there is a profuse assortment in virtually all cultures and languages: journey, travel, trip, expedition, undertaking, passage, flight, crossing, ride, trek, hike, ramble, march, tramp, slog, wander, meander, trudge, stroll, venture, sortie, voyage, outing, tour, mission, jaunt, excursion, pilgrimage … just to offer a few.

The story of the Temptations of Jesus is the story of one of the great journeys of all time. It is the story of Jesus – one of the greatest personages who ever lived – confronted by the test of his life. Who will he be? Whom will he serve? How will he exercise the power and authority that are his? Where will this journey into the wilderness – which is, in fact, a journey into his own heart and soul – where will it lead? What will become of him? And what will become of us?

In this story Jesus confronts, and is confronted by a crossroads, junction, intersection, fork, turning point, defining moment, moment of truth, crisis, decision point. Which road will he take? How will emerge from this? Who will he become?

Tempted to turn stones into bread: will he become a one-man-government-relief program, miraculously producing food for the hungry masses?

Tempted to rule the world: will he rise to political power: after all, imagine all the good he could do for the people.

Tempted by the lure of spiritual mystery and mastery: will he choose to wow the people and, in the process, avoid an agonizing and humiliating death?

Each temptation presents a real possibility for Jesus. After all, we are not tempted by what we cannot do or possess. We are not tempted by what lies beyond our abilities or reach. On the contrary, we are tempted precisely by that which is within our reach … by what we can do, by what we can possess, and by over what and whom we have the ability to exercise control.

Scholars believe Jesus was about 30 years old when he entered the wilderness and endured this 40-day trial.

I imagine that all of us can point to some time in our lives – probably in our younger lives, when we entered and endured our own wilderness experience … a time we were tested, tempted and formed.

Some Native American peoples send their young on vision quests: experiences of isolation, temptation and testing … during which character is formed and the individual learns what he or she is made of. The young person emerges from this journey with a new name and a new purpose.

In Arthurian legend, the Quest for the Holy Grail sent the knights of King Arthur in search of adventure, romance and enlightenment. Journey after journey and crossroads after crossroads, the knights were tested, challenged and formed.

The season of Lent makes its annual reappearance in the liturgical calendar to remind us that this Christian life we live is a great adventure, a journey of heart and mind, soul and strength. This is no walk in the park … no jaunt, no amble … but rather an undertaking that places us face to face with matters of good and evil, war and peace, life and death … and, if we are doing it right, tempted.

Each Lent we are recalled to the personal dimensions of our commitment to this undertaking. We are reminded of the equipment the Church provides us for our journey: the equipment of prayer, worship, scripture, good works, fasting, meditation, almsgiving, kindness, mercy, liberality, humility, hope.

That’s why we revisit this story each year. There is so much at stake. Our souls are at stake. The future of the Christian church is at stake.

The Season of Lent has traditionally meant a time of formation and discipline for individual Christians. In addition, this year the entire Old South congregation is invited to participate in a corporate or a congregational Lenten journey.

Today, Old South Church in Boston embarks upon our Congregational Spiritual Discernment Process. I’d like to suggest that we consider what we are together embarked upon as an “expedition” rather than a journey.

I am sure at least some of you are familiar with the Winnie the Pooh story in which Christopher Robin leads an expedition to the North Pole. It goes like this:

One fine day Pooh had stumped up to the top of the Forest to see if his friend Christopher Robin was interested in Bears at all.

Christopher Robin was sitting outside his door, putting on his Big Boots.

"Good morning, Christopher Robin," he called out.

"Hallo, Pooh Bear. “We are all going on an Expedition," said Christopher Robin.”

"Going on an Expedition?" said Pooh eagerly. "I don't think I've ever been on one of those. Where are we going to on this Expedition?"

"We're going to discover the North Pole."

"Oh!" said Pooh again. "What is the North Pole?" he asked.

"It's just a thing you discover," said Christopher Robin carelessly, not being quite sure himself.

"Oh! I see," said Pooh. "Are bears any good at discovering it?"

"Of course they are. And Rabbit and Kanga and all of you. It's an Expedition. That's what an Expedition means. A long line of everybody. You'd better tell the others to get ready ... And we must all bring Provisions."

"Bring what?" asked Pooh

"Things to eat."

"Oh!" said Pooh happily.

 
Christopher Robin defines an expedition as “a long line of everybody.” Ours will be more like small circles of everybody … but the emphasis here is on the “everybody.” Everybody is invited and encouraged to participate.

Ours is indeed, an expedition, for we have a definite objective: discerning God’s will for our congregation.

You will be glad to know that we have provisions: food and drink, but also prayer and song, background materials, framing statements, challenges and opportunities, questions, candles and Bibles. We have provisions.

When Jesus entered the wilderness and remained for 40 days and 40 nights, he consciously placed himself in continuity with the biblical greats who had come before:

He knew that Moses spent 40 days and 40 nights on the mountain without food … and it was during that experience that Moses was given the Ten Commandments.  (Ex. 34:28, Deut. 9:9)

Jesus knew that the prophet Elijah spent forty days in flight to the mountain of God; and that it was during that time of trial and testing that Elijah experienced God in “the still small voice” (I Kings 19: 4-8)

Jesus knew well the story of Israel’s forty years of struggle in the wilderness, during which a loose confederation of freed slaves formed into a holy people, God’s people. (Deut. 8: 2-6)

In continuity with those who came before him, Jesus embarked upon his wilderness experience.

In continuity with those who came before us … it is our turn to set out upon this, our great adventure of faith: our very own expedition with provisions.

Let us begin.