The courage to say ‘no’ and the confidence to say ‘yes’

First Sunday of Lent, Sunday 22 February 2026

Austwick, Clapham

What is Lent about, if not – having the courage to say ‘no’?

Lent begins with Jesus in the wilderness, working up the courage to say ‘no’…

When tempted to turn stones into bread, Jesus found the courage to say ‘no’.
When tempted to throw himself down from the pinnacle of the temple, Jesus had the courage to say ‘no’.
When tempted with the offer of all the kingdoms of the world, Jesus had the courage to say ‘no’.

The temptation about bread was a choice between breaking the fast and keeping it. Jesus could give in to his hunger, or make the harder choice of persevering with his devotions: “One does not live by bread alone,” he told the tempter, “but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

Jesus found the courage to say ‘no’, and the confidence to say ‘yes’. His ‘no’ to Satan’s easy option was a ‘yes’ to the fast which he had chosen, the life of prayer to which he had committed.

The temptation about throwing himself down from the top of the temple was a test of his sense of self-worth: proving how great he was by doing something dramatic. “Again it is written,” he said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”

Jesus found the courage to say ‘no’, and the confidence to say ‘yes’. His ‘no’ to boosting his esteem by showing himself off in public was a ‘yes’ to knowing how completely the Father loved and valued him, and resting on that alone.

The temptation of having all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour was an invitation to grasp for himself all the power which the world could offer. “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him,” Jesus said, having found the courage to say ‘no’, and the confidence to say ‘yes’. His ‘no’ to possessive worldly power was a ‘yes’ to deciding to live in the beneficent power of God.

Lent is a time for us to find the courage to say ‘no’, and the confidence to say ‘yes’.

This week, the world has been remembering the Reverend Jesse Jackson, who died on Tuesday; a world-figure who showed us what it looks like to have the courage to say ‘no’ and the confidence to say ‘yes’.

Jackson, a Baptist minister, once said, “My constituency is the desperate, the damned, the disinherited, the disrespected and the despised. They are restless and seek relief.” [1]

His life’s work was to say ‘no’ to all the forces which kept such people down, and ‘yes’ to those things which would lift them up. These values were firmly rooted in his faith in a Jesus whose Sermon on the Mount opens with words of blessing for the poor, for the hungry, for those who are hated, and excluded, and reviled.

To those who are so weary of being on the receiving end of society’s cruel ‘no’, Jesus offers a beautiful ‘yes’. “Blessed are those who weep now,” preached Jesus, “for you will laugh.” [2]

It does take courage to say ‘no’ to the evils we see in the world, when there is so much pressure to conform, and let those evils be. We have entered yet another cycle of history where the loudest voices are building power by inflaming fear and prejudice, stirring up discord between people of different communities, races, colours and creeds, and jeering at those who dare to talk of sharing the world as sisters and brothers. [3]

It’s difficult to resist the temptation to join in with those strident voices, especially where we fear that a refusal to do so may result in our being scorned, spurned, or punished. So it’s good to remember Jesse Jackson’s words about putting moral strength before material gain. “A man who cannot be enticed by money or intimidated by the threat of jail or death has two of the strongest weapons that anyone has to offer,” he said. [4] He spoke of the courage we need to “heed the call of conscience, redemption, expansion, healing, and unity, for they are the key to … redirecting our nation on a more humane, just, and peaceful course.” [5]

So we do well to celebrate those who today find the courage to speak out for hope in defiance of hate. These are gospel values, and so may Jesus help us find the courage to join in saying ‘no’ to every kind of abuse we encounter, especially the kind we’re sad to find in our own hearts. May Jesus help us to stay true to our gospel values even if that disappoints or angers others. May Jesus help us bear all accusations of betrayal whilst not betraying our own soul. And, through all this, “may the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing, so that we may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” [6]

One of Jackson’s most-loved and most-repeated messages was “I am Somebody!”, which he preached as a call-and-response to audiences seeking solace, affirmation and inspiration, his words giving them the confidence to say ‘yes’ to themselves. I am… Somebody! he would say, and they would together repeat, I am… Somebody!

I may be poor, but I am Somebody.

I may be young, but I am Somebody.

I may be on welfare, but I am Somebody.

I may be small, but I am Somebody.

I may have made mistakes, but I am Somebody.

My clothes are different,

My face is different,

My hair is different,

But I am Somebody.

I am black,

Brown, or white,

I speak a different language,

But I must be respected,

Protected,

Never rejected.

I am God’s child!

I am Somebody! [7]

You and I have the power to say ‘yes’ – may we find the courage to say ‘no’. Jesse Jackson once encouraged fellow-travellers on this journey saying, “Hold your head high, stick your chest out. You can make it. It gets dark sometimes, but the morning comes. Don’t you surrender. Suffering breeds character, character breeds faith. In the end faith will not disappoint…. Keep hope alive.” [8]

Notes

This draws from a previous talk, Choices in the Wilderness, preached at Weston Bampfylde, 2011, and Christ Church Norris Green, 2005. The Courage to Say No is a collection of songs for Lent and Easter by John L Bell and Graham Maule: a verse from the title song goes, “When Satan speaks in angel tones / and sanctifies the road to ruin; if on that path we’re asked to go, Oh Jesus, give us then the courage to say No.”

[1] Jesse Jackson, Rainbow Coalition speech, 1984 Democratic Convention.

[2] Luke 6.20-23.

[3] ‘Joe of Liverpool 8’ via Robert Gallagher, email, Ash Wednesday 18 February 2026.

[4] Jesse Jackson, source: Brainyquote.

[5] Jesse Jackson, Rainbow Coalition speech, 1984 Democratic Convention.

[6] Oriah Mountain Dreamer, The Invitation; Romans 15.13.

[7] Jesse Jackson, I am Somebody!

[8] Jesse Jackson, 1988 Democratic Convention.