View today's sermon on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETwGIB_D_qU.

Sermon notes for Feb 22nd 2026

Good Morning. Please pray with me. Let the words of my mouth and

the meditation of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O God

our Strength and our Redeemer. Amen

To Each our own Desert

My name is Ann Boudreaux. Please call me Ann. My surname is somewhat unmanageable for some folks. My pronouns are she/they. Thank you for this opportunity to come share the good news with you. I hope that you will share the same good news with me.

As it says in the bulletin, I am a “Member-in-Discernment” in the Sunrise Association and my local church in Blue Hill. You are probably already quite knowledgeable about Members-in- Discernment. In my particular case, it means I have had a lifelong dream of working for God as a pastor in a small church. But there are obstacles that may prevent it. So I continue to work and learn and pray and listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit.

I spent many years working as a nurse and a physician assistant. I was far too busy and way too distanced from Christianity to consider ministry. Then one day I realized the anger I had for God that I had been carrying around had fizzled out. I realized I was getting older. I had better decide what I intended to do with the time I have: Pursue my old dream — or just sit around and whine about it.

It was way too late to consider seminary. Besides, I have never been independently wealthy! So paying tuition to a big school, as well as spending the time required, was out of the question.

The Bangor Theological Seminary, was no more.

But I had heard about the Maine School of Ministry, or MESoM. MESoM is a ministry of the Maine Conference of the UCC. MESoM offers two courses per semester leading to certificates in leadership; as well as equipping a candidate who receives a call to

serve a congregation, to fulfill that role.

As a child in a Southern Baptist family, I was probably exposed to as much or maybe a bit more Bible study than the average American. And I figured I was fairly well prepared to take courses at MESoM, and one day perhaps, be able to preach from a pulpit.

However, I soon learned, to my chagrin, that I was supposed THINK about Scripture; wrestle with it; try to figure out what God was asking me — as well as what God was trying to tell me.

Because, assuming that we are to take Scripture at face value (as I was taught as a child) is not truly worthwhile.

Imagine if we took the little story of the “Boy who cried wolf!” completely literally, we might not find it very useful, and possibly somewhat perplexing. We are meant to delve into the reasons why the boy cried wolf, and why the villagers responded as they did, and what lessons we might derive from the boy’s misguided actions.

Another thing I have learned is the tool of asking questions about a Scripture passage, and the use of storytelling to dig deeply into a passage.

Today is a special day in the Christian calendar, as it is the first Sunday in the season of Lent.

In Maine, it is also ”MESoM” Sunday, named for the Maine School of Ministry.

The UCC suggests that we give thanks today for God’s Abundant Grace, as is referred to in Romans 5.12-19.

I remember as a child hearing some of my classmates talk about what they were “giving up for Lent.”

I had no idea what they were talking about! Most Protestant churches did not observe Lent. And my family attended a southern Baptist church.

Even now, if a Protestant congregation does observe Lent, it is very likely to be in the same manner as we in the UCC observe it: more as a time of self-examination and reflection, perhaps some form of fasting, perhaps some form of penance, but usually self-directed. Certainly not required.

And, though the focus in many churches is meant to be repentance, and doing penance for our sins, that concept perplexes me a bit.

I never could really get the hang of “giving something up,” especially not food! Lifestyle practices like fasting periodically as a health measure do not appeal to me at all!

BUT, I also have a difficult time spending even five minutes on self-examination and reflection.

Prayer and reflection and meditation are concepts I know about at the intellectual level. But I am still wrestling with integrating them into my daily life.

Jesus is indeed our role model, whether we seek to serve in some ministerial capacity or as a lay leader.

Let us look at the passage from Matthew:

As Jesus came up from the water in which John had baptized Him, the heavens above opened and a voice said “This is my Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.”

Our lectionary passage from Matthew says that the Spirit then led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil; that He fasted 40 days and 40 nights and afterwards He was famished.

Throughout the Bible, but especially the Hebrew Bible, the iconic place of testing, preparation, and self-examination, is the desert. The desert in what is now Israel is not particularly hospitable. If one is geared up, and especially with a tour guide; and/

or if one is an experienced desert nomad, sure, it can work. Folks lived in tents in the desert for thousands of years. However, just one individual? Walking out with the clothes on their back and nothing else?

Jesus was not seeking a camping trip. Jesus knew perfectly well what His next three years as a human were going to be like. Why was He led into the desert to fast and be tempted by Satan? Right then, at the very beginning of His earthly ministry?

40 days solo or 40 years as an enormous crowd, wandering in the desert could be a true crucible. Especially if God is allowing the tempter to put someone to a real test.

Jesus is not carrying anything with water in it. Perhaps He knows of a well or a spring, but perhaps not. He is not carrying any food. He picked up a stick to help his balance when the way is rough, but it is not stout enough to use to fend off any wild predators. Nights

in the desert can be cold, but he is not carrying an extra garment or blanket.

Presumably, Satan had bargained with God for an opportunity to test Jesus at the beginning of His three years on earth. What a triumph it would be for Satan if Jesus succumbed to Satan’s blandishments!

Realistically, that temptation of Jesus was not for Jesus. It was, and is, for us. It is my personal belief, that if and when, a believer in Christ accepts God’s challenge to take on greater responsibility, it often comes with a test.

One of my MESoM classmates had to deal with a well that ran dry right in the middle of the spring semester. Another classmate squeezes zoom classes into her shifts at work. Some of us have encountered health challenges that seem overwhelming.

Yet, we know that God’s strength will be sufficient for our needs. And, we have the promise of God’s abundance of grace guaranteeing eternal life.

In Romans, Paul compares Adam’s disobedience causing all humanity to carry a burden of sin; and Jesus’ obedience and sacrifice offering justification and forgiveness of our sin.

Paul had accepted the challenge from Jesus to stop persecuting Christ’s followers and to begin spreading the good news.

Paul also dealt with an additional daily difficulty that he named only “a thorn in my flesh.” Paul felt the difficulty, whatever it was, was there to keep him humble. Paul acknowledges that he even begged God three times to remove it, but God said “My strength is sufficient

for you.”

Paul spent many days in his own version of wandering in the desert, tempted by Satan. He may have even had days during which he said, “Lord, I quit!” If he did, he did not leave us word of it.

Jesus calls all of us to a life of service to His followers, “His sheep.” That is why we are called a priesthood of believers. Jesus calls some to serve a congregation as a pastor. There are myriad jobs to do to care for Jesus’ flock. Not all of those jobs require the same education and training.

The important things to remember are: When we decide to follow Jesus, we receive God’s grace. It is always there, waiting for us. When we accept a challenge to serve Jesus’ followers at whatever function, God will provide sufficient strength to carry the load.

There will be days and nights that will feel as if the journey has taken an unnecessary detour through a rocky, desolate, dangerous desert. Those days will probably feel lonely and scary.

And those are the times that you will find that you can pray and reflect. At least for me, fear and anxiety and uncertainty most frequently remind me to pray, begging God to help me find a way back to where I am supposed to be.