Known By Faithfulness
Luke 4:1-13; Deuteronomy 26:1-11
A few years ago, I walked into a coffee shop, and before I even ordered my drink, I was bombarded by voices. The music playing overhead, the conversation at the next table, the barista calling out orders. But the loudest voices weren’t even spoken—they were on the screens around me. Ads flashing, headlines scrolling, notifications popping up on my phone.
We live in a world of competing voices. Every day, we are pulled in a thousand directions—some voices tell us to strive for success at any cost, others push us to be afraid, to be angry, to divide ourselves into us-and-them. Some tell us that we are not enough, that we need more—more money, more power, more approval—before we can be truly secure.
But in the middle of all that noise, there is another voice. A quieter one. The voice of God calling us to remain faithful, to trust, to love.
The question before us this Lent is: How will they know God’s love?
How will they know the still small voice of God guiding our lives? How will they know God’s love for them? How will they know we are Christians – not the Christians on TV who spout off more about politics than the good news.
Broadly, John’s gospel answers this question of how will they know… Jesus says in John 13: “A new commandment I give you, love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
And How is that love made known through our lives? By the gifts of the holy spirit. Paul's letter to the Galatians outlines those gifts, which are the signs of our love: self-control, gentleness, patience, kindness, faithfulness, peace, and joy.
So How will they know that we are Christ’s disciples? This week, we answer: They’ll know by our faithfulness.
And Jesus shows us what that faithfulness looks like, during his time being tempted in the wilderness.
(Jesus’ Faithfulness in the Wilderness - Luke 4:1-13)
Luke tells us that after Jesus was baptized, he was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tested. Now, we often imagine this moment as Jesus squaring off against the devil, a kind of cosmic showdown between good and evil. But to understand what’s really happening, we need to look at one key word: Satan.
The word Satan comes from the Hebrew ha-satan, which means “the accuser.” It’s not a personal name, but a role. In ancient Jewish tradition, ha-satan was the one who tested people by accusing them—by raising doubts, by challenging their identity, by questioning their faithfulness.
And that’s exactly what happens to Jesus. Satan, the Accuser, doesn’t just tempt Jesus with bread or power—he accuses him, trying to shake his faithfulness to God.
But Jesus shows us another way. He remains faithful—not by overpowering the Accuser, but by standing firm in who God has called him to be. He refuses to let the accusations define him. And because of his faithfulness, the world comes to know God’s love through him.
How will they know God’s love? By our faithfulness—even when the voices around us tell us to give up, to compromise, to doubt.
(Faithfulness is Remembering God's Story -- Deuteronomy 26:1-11)
The Israelites knew something about faithfulness. In Deuteronomy 26, Moses gives them a command: When you enter the Promised Land, bring the first fruits of your harvest and present them to God. But it’s not just about the offering—it’s about the story.
Before placing their gifts before the Lord, they are to recite their history:
“A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous.”
They tell the story of how their ancestors suffered in Egypt, how they cried out to God, how God delivered them with a mighty hand. Every year, they remember where they came from and who God is.
This is key: Faithfulness isn’t just about resisting evil—it’s about remembering God’s story, participating in it and retelling it through our actions, attitudes, behaviors and motivations.
When we forget what God has done, we are more vulnerable to the voices that accuse us. But when we remember, we stay rooted in faithfulness.
That’s why Jesus resisted the accusations in the wilderness—because he knew God’s story. He knew that God provides, that God is faithful, that he didn’t have to prove his worth.
And that’s why our faithfulness helps others see God’s love. When people see us choosing to trust instead of fear, choosing to serve instead of grasp for power, choosing to love instead of hate—they see a glimpse of God’s faithfulness through us.
How will they know God’s love? By our faithfulness—when we remember who God is and what God has done.
(Competing Voices Today – What Challenges Our Faithfulness?)
We may not be in the wilderness for forty days, but we are still surrounded by voices that challenge our faithfulness:
How Will They Know??
There’s an old story about a lighthouse keeper who had a limited supply of oil to keep the light burning. One night, a traveler came and asked for oil to keep warm. The keeper gave it to him. Then a villager came, needing oil for a lamp. The keeper gave it to her. Then a farmer needed oil for his lantern. Again, the keeper shared.
But before long, he ran out of oil. The lighthouse went dark. And that night, a ship crashed on the rocks.
When the authorities came to investigate, the keeper explained, “But I was just trying to help people.”
The response: “But how can you truly help people if you don’t keep the light burning?”
Faithfulness is about keeping the light burning.
There will always be voices pulling us in different directions. But when we stay faithful—when we keep God’s story alive, when we trust in God’s provision as Jesus trusted, when we resist the complaints that shake our identity—especially the complaints we levy on ourselves – when we resist the accuser, others will see that faithfulness, and seek to follow God’s light beaming from us.
How will they know God’s love? By our faithfulness.
This Lent, may we remain faithful to the One who is always faithful to us.
Amen.
Luke 4:1-13; Deuteronomy 26:1-11
A few years ago, I walked into a coffee shop, and before I even ordered my drink, I was bombarded by voices. The music playing overhead, the conversation at the next table, the barista calling out orders. But the loudest voices weren’t even spoken—they were on the screens around me. Ads flashing, headlines scrolling, notifications popping up on my phone.
We live in a world of competing voices. Every day, we are pulled in a thousand directions—some voices tell us to strive for success at any cost, others push us to be afraid, to be angry, to divide ourselves into us-and-them. Some tell us that we are not enough, that we need more—more money, more power, more approval—before we can be truly secure.
But in the middle of all that noise, there is another voice. A quieter one. The voice of God calling us to remain faithful, to trust, to love.
The question before us this Lent is: How will they know God’s love?
How will they know the still small voice of God guiding our lives? How will they know God’s love for them? How will they know we are Christians – not the Christians on TV who spout off more about politics than the good news.
Broadly, John’s gospel answers this question of how will they know… Jesus says in John 13: “A new commandment I give you, love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
And How is that love made known through our lives? By the gifts of the holy spirit. Paul's letter to the Galatians outlines those gifts, which are the signs of our love: self-control, gentleness, patience, kindness, faithfulness, peace, and joy.
So How will they know that we are Christ’s disciples? This week, we answer: They’ll know by our faithfulness.
And Jesus shows us what that faithfulness looks like, during his time being tempted in the wilderness.
(Jesus’ Faithfulness in the Wilderness - Luke 4:1-13)
Luke tells us that after Jesus was baptized, he was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tested. Now, we often imagine this moment as Jesus squaring off against the devil, a kind of cosmic showdown between good and evil. But to understand what’s really happening, we need to look at one key word: Satan.
The word Satan comes from the Hebrew ha-satan, which means “the accuser.” It’s not a personal name, but a role. In ancient Jewish tradition, ha-satan was the one who tested people by accusing them—by raising doubts, by challenging their identity, by questioning their faithfulness.
And that’s exactly what happens to Jesus. Satan, the Accuser, doesn’t just tempt Jesus with bread or power—he accuses him, trying to shake his faithfulness to God.
- “If you are the Son of God, turn these stones into bread.”
- In other words: Are you sure God will provide for you?
- Jesus responds: "It is written: ‘One does not live by bread alone.’”
- Faithfulness means trusting that God’s provision is enough.
- “If you worship me, I will give you all the kingdoms of the world.”
- In other words: Wouldn’t it be easier to take power on your own terms?
- Jesus responds: “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him.”
- Faithfulness means refusing to compromise for success.
- “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from the temple.”
- In other words: Does God really love you? Prove it.
- Jesus responds: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”
- Faithfulness means trusting God’s love without needing constant proof.
But Jesus shows us another way. He remains faithful—not by overpowering the Accuser, but by standing firm in who God has called him to be. He refuses to let the accusations define him. And because of his faithfulness, the world comes to know God’s love through him.
How will they know God’s love? By our faithfulness—even when the voices around us tell us to give up, to compromise, to doubt.
(Faithfulness is Remembering God's Story -- Deuteronomy 26:1-11)
The Israelites knew something about faithfulness. In Deuteronomy 26, Moses gives them a command: When you enter the Promised Land, bring the first fruits of your harvest and present them to God. But it’s not just about the offering—it’s about the story.
Before placing their gifts before the Lord, they are to recite their history:
“A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous.”
They tell the story of how their ancestors suffered in Egypt, how they cried out to God, how God delivered them with a mighty hand. Every year, they remember where they came from and who God is.
This is key: Faithfulness isn’t just about resisting evil—it’s about remembering God’s story, participating in it and retelling it through our actions, attitudes, behaviors and motivations.
When we forget what God has done, we are more vulnerable to the voices that accuse us. But when we remember, we stay rooted in faithfulness.
That’s why Jesus resisted the accusations in the wilderness—because he knew God’s story. He knew that God provides, that God is faithful, that he didn’t have to prove his worth.
And that’s why our faithfulness helps others see God’s love. When people see us choosing to trust instead of fear, choosing to serve instead of grasp for power, choosing to love instead of hate—they see a glimpse of God’s faithfulness through us.
How will they know God’s love? By our faithfulness—when we remember who God is and what God has done.
(Competing Voices Today – What Challenges Our Faithfulness?)
We may not be in the wilderness for forty days, but we are still surrounded by voices that challenge our faithfulness:
- Materialism: The world says, "Get more, be more." Faithfulness says, "God is enough."
- Fear & Anxiety: The world says, "Look out for yourself." Faithfulness says, "God provides."
- Division & Hatred: The world says, "Pick a side." Faithfulness says, "Love your neighbor."
- Busyness & Distraction: The world says, "Stay busy." Faithfulness says, "Be still and know."
How Will They Know??
There’s an old story about a lighthouse keeper who had a limited supply of oil to keep the light burning. One night, a traveler came and asked for oil to keep warm. The keeper gave it to him. Then a villager came, needing oil for a lamp. The keeper gave it to her. Then a farmer needed oil for his lantern. Again, the keeper shared.
But before long, he ran out of oil. The lighthouse went dark. And that night, a ship crashed on the rocks.
When the authorities came to investigate, the keeper explained, “But I was just trying to help people.”
The response: “But how can you truly help people if you don’t keep the light burning?”
Faithfulness is about keeping the light burning.
There will always be voices pulling us in different directions. But when we stay faithful—when we keep God’s story alive, when we trust in God’s provision as Jesus trusted, when we resist the complaints that shake our identity—especially the complaints we levy on ourselves – when we resist the accuser, others will see that faithfulness, and seek to follow God’s light beaming from us.
How will they know God’s love? By our faithfulness.
This Lent, may we remain faithful to the One who is always faithful to us.
Amen.
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