“Inspected by . . .” (Luke 4:1-13)

My wife, Dana, will tell you that I am notorious for not buying clothes, but every couple of years I do venture forth and purchase new clothing to replace what I have finally worn out . . . or I have been told “needs to go!”  I do not enjoy shopping.  I like the clothes that I have had for the past twenty years.  And, I do not want to be a fashion plate . . . which all the women in my life have told me I do not have to worry about. 

Now buying the clothes is one thing.  Having to prepare them for wearing is a whole other thing . . . taking them out of the package, pulling secret pins out, throwing away all that cardboard . . . and, unsticking all those little stickers hidden in the strangest places.  You know those stickers I am talking about . . . the ones that say, “Inspected by”, followed by a number.  There is nothing worse than trying to get those stickers off clothing once they have been through the washer!

Those stickers fascinate me . . . they make me wonder.  I always wonder who “Inspector 54” is.  Did Inspector 54 go to “inspector school”?  Is Inspector 54 a male or a female . . . young or old.  Does Inspector 54 like inspecting clothing or whatever it is that he or she is inspecting?  What do they do when they are inspecting . . . pulling, stomping, throwing, or crumpling?  What do they do when they find something that is not up to the inspection . . . something defective?  Do they throw it away, or do they get to take it home?  Have you ever wonder about who it was behind that little inspector sticker?

There are a lot of people out there in the world who do inspections.  The job of these people is to inspect whatever it is that they are inspecting to make sure that those products are safe and ready to use.  Just about anything that we purchase has been inspected . . . the cars that we drive, the clothes that we wear, the food that we eat, the medicine that we take . . . it all must be inspected and given the thumbs up that it is safe and ready to do what it is supposed to do.  I know that I am thankful for those individuals who inspect the things I use in my life, except maybe for those inspectors who stick those tiny little stickers in my underwear!  It is amazing the places they find to hide those stickers!

So, the bottom line is that before anything is sent out into the world to be used or to do its job, it is inspected . . . it is tested.  It is tested to make sure that it is ready to do its job.  Just like products, we human beings are inspected and tested.  That is what graduating from school is . . . for numerous years we are run through the educational system, crammed with knowledge and skills, tested, and then finally given the seal of approval that we are ready to head out into life.  Our diplomas are our “inspected by” proof.

Same goes for jobs.  Every job comes with training . . . new knowledge and skills . . . certain things that must be mastered before being put out into the workforce.  Once we have met the standards, we are given the thumbs up from the supervisor or inspector.

Knowing this, none of us should be surprised that Jesus, with the huge task he has been given by God, does not go by without being inspected or tested before heading out for the job.  That is what we see in our scripture reading this morning . . . Jesus being put to the test . . . being inspected.  Of course, in the story we hear, I doubt seriously that Jesus passed the inspection . . . the devil was not too pleased with the results of the inspection.  As far as the devil was concerned, Jesus failed.

But, we know better.  In the eyes of God, Jesus passed with flying colors as he was yanked, pushed, shoved, cajoled, and turned every which way in the tests that the devil put before him.  Jesus did not succumb to the temptations of the devil.  Turns out Jesus was really one tough cookie, who was more than ready for whatever the world had to throw at him as he went about the task assigned to by God.  In this case, Jesus earned his sticker . . . a sticker that said, “Inspected by #1”

We have entered the season of Lent.  Lent is the season of preparation for Easter by looking at our lives and how they relate to God and others.  It is a season of considering our strengths and weaknesses . . . of discerning how they are helpful or a hinderance to our relationships with God and others.  It is delving into the depths of our faith . . . diving into our hearts . . . and, learning how to follow the Spirit.  It is a season of preparation in which we inspect and test our faith in all its glory—good and bad—so that we might welcome and move into a deeper relationship with God and others.  It is a season filled with prayer, lots of prayer—in prayer we discern.  It is not a season of giving up things and eating fish on Fridays.  No, it is a season of reflection on making relationships stronger.  It is a season in which we earn our “Inspected by” stickers from God.

This sounds like work . . . hard work.  Because of this, Lent is not the most popular season of the church year.  For most people it is a season to be endured and survived.  It is hard.  Even so, we need to remind ourselves that all relationships are hard when they are real . . . they take work for them to be successful with a lot of love and growth for everyone involved.  The season of Lent is just a reminder from God that it is work that must be done, not only during the weeks of the season, but all the time.  It is a time of inspection.

I hope that during the season of Lent that we all take the time to “inspect” our relationships . . . our relationship with God . . . our relationship with ourselves as individuals . . . and, our relationship with others.  The call of Jesus is to go forth to relate . . . to love God completely . . . to love ourselves . . . and, to love others.  The Kingdom of God is built on relationships and we are called to be kingdom builders.

During this season of Lent . . . inspect . . . test . . . pray . . . discern . . . and, build.  Build those relationships that construct the Kingdom of God . . . build those relationships that tie us together as the children of God . . . and, earn that seal of approval, that “Inspected by” sticker that proves to you, others, and God that you are ready.  Ready to be that presence of Christ in the world.

Yeah, the season of Lent is tough, but we are reminded throughout the story we heard this morning . . . we are not alone.  God is with us.  God will care for us.  God will never abandon us.  And, if God is with us, nothing can stop us . . . not even the season of Lent.  Amen.