Third Sunday in Lent - The Teaching: Risking Challenge

Sermon Summary: 

This sermon explores how Jesus navigated challenging questions and temptations throughout his ministry, offering a model for Christians facing divisive conversations in modern society. Drawing from Matthew 22 (the question about paying taxes to Caesar) and Matthew 4 (Jesus' temptation in the wilderness), the sermon emphasizes that followers of Christ don't have to accept the terms of questions designed to trap or divide them. Instead, Christians are called to reframe conversations around God's love and the kingdom of heaven. The message encourages believers to look beyond surface-level questions to address deeper spiritual needs, recognizing that through the Holy Spirit, all Christians are empowered as ministers and leaders who can bring Christ's transformative love into challenging situations.

Key Points:

- Jesus consistently faced tests and challenges throughout his ministry, from the wilderness temptation to questions in the temple

- Christians don't have to answer questions on the terms they're given, especially when those terms are designed to divide or trap

- We should come into conversations with our own message—the good news of Jesus Christ—rather than accepting false dichotomies

- Jesus had the ability to read beyond surface questions to understand what was really happening in people's hearts

- The Holy Spirit empowers all believers to be ministers and leaders, not just ordained pastors

- Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, enabling us to discern deeper truths in conversations

- Christians are called to reframe divisive conversations around God's love and the invitation to Christ's kingdom

- We can help people move from brokenness and division toward the good news of Jesus Christ

Scripture Reference:

- Matthew 4:1-11 (Jesus' temptation in the wilderness)

- Matthew 22:15-22 (The question about paying taxes to Caesar - "Render unto Caesar")

- Implicit references to the concept of our bodies as temples (1 Corinthians 6:19)

Stories:

- The biblical narrative of Jesus being tempted by the devil in the wilderness after his baptism, including temptations to turn stones to bread, throw himself from the temple, and worship Satan for worldly kingdoms

- The biblical account of Pharisees trying to trap Jesus with the question about paying taxes to Caesar, where Jesus asks for a denarius and says "render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and unto God what is God's"

- The pastor's personal story about receiving media training in Austin through "Pastoral Leadership for Public Life," learning not to answer questions on the questioner's terms

- A personal anecdote about a church member at a former church who came with a superficial complaint, but a colleague helped reveal the deeper issues causing their unhappiness

- A recent family experience where someone was asked a question designed to force them to take sides, and the family chose not to accept those divisive terms