Lent Self Study
Into the Wilderness
Find a notebook that you might use as a journey through Lent.
This may be a place for your personal reflections, prayers, thoughts and insights.
Week 1: Temptation
Into the Wilderness
Find a notebook that you might use as a journey through Lent.
This may be a place for your personal reflections, prayers, thoughts and insights.
Week 1: Temptation
Matthew 4:1-11, The temptations of Jesus
Then the Spirit led Jesus into the desert. He was taken there to be tempted by the devil. Jesus ate nothing for 40 days and nights.
After this, he was very hungry.
The devil came to tempt him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these rocks to become bread.” Jesus answered him,
“The Scriptures say, ‘It is not just bread that keeps people alive. Their lives depend on what God says.’”
Then the devil led Jesus to the holy city of Jerusalem and put him on a high place at the edge of the Temple area. He said to Jesus, “If you are the Son of God, jump off, because the Scriptures say, ‘God will command his angels to help you, and their hands will catch you, so that you will not hit your foot on a rock.’” Jesus answered, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’”
Then the devil led Jesus to the top of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and all the wonderful things in them. The devil said, “If you will bow down and worship me, I will give you all these things.” Jesus said to him, “Get away from me, Satan!
The Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God. Serve only God!’”
So the devil left him. Then some angels came to Jesus and helped him.
Then the Spirit led Jesus into the desert. He was taken there to be tempted by the devil. Jesus ate nothing for 40 days and nights.
After this, he was very hungry.
The devil came to tempt him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these rocks to become bread.” Jesus answered him,
“The Scriptures say, ‘It is not just bread that keeps people alive. Their lives depend on what God says.’”
Then the devil led Jesus to the holy city of Jerusalem and put him on a high place at the edge of the Temple area. He said to Jesus, “If you are the Son of God, jump off, because the Scriptures say, ‘God will command his angels to help you, and their hands will catch you, so that you will not hit your foot on a rock.’” Jesus answered, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’”
Then the devil led Jesus to the top of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and all the wonderful things in them. The devil said, “If you will bow down and worship me, I will give you all these things.” Jesus said to him, “Get away from me, Satan!
The Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God. Serve only God!’”
So the devil left him. Then some angels came to Jesus and helped him.
The period of Lent, the 40 days (excluding Sundays) before Easter refers back to the time Jesus spent in the wilderness going through all kinds of testing. The time that Jesus spends in the wilderness is usually referred to as the ‘temptation’ of Jesus. We read in the gospels that he faces three major temptations and there were some very difficult choices for Jesus to make. Though there are always many interpretations of what these temptations actually are, let us try to simplify them like this:
The first temptation speaks to Jesus’ physical needs, his hunger,
“turn these stones to bread”
The second is an offer of recognition, wealth and legacy
“I will give you the all kingdoms of the world”
The third is for power and control,
“jump and the angels will catch you”.
Some of us relish a challenge, but many of us would rather find the path of least resistance, the easy way. We like to know that goods we purchase are tested to breaking point, it reassures us to see the car we drive has been crash-tested to ensure it helps us survive an accident.
Question: What is revealed about you when you are pushed or stretched to the limit? When you are tired, angry or hungry?
Think about this:
We know where our loved one’s weaknesses are.
We know how to slice someone up with unkind words.
We have the potential to destroy a relationship in 60 seconds.
We know how deeply indignant we feel when we believe we have been
wronged and we sure know to hold onto the grudge that ensues.
When we are pushed to the limits we can become unrecognizable in our responses.
Question: What is revealed about you when you are pushed or stretched to the limit?
Jesus was led, or pushed into the Wilderness and when all was stripped down, it turns out that he came face to face with himself.
He dug deep to find a response to the temptation or test at hand so that it would not compromise who he was.
It is in the Wilderness that we can catch a glimpse of what is essential.
Question: What are the “essentials” for you? The non-negotiables of your life.
Are you clear about the boundaries you set to keep your sense of your best self?
Question: Think only about this past week, when have you been “less than” the full, beautiful, creative, good person that you are?
The first temptation speaks to Jesus’ physical needs, his hunger,
“turn these stones to bread”
The second is an offer of recognition, wealth and legacy
“I will give you the all kingdoms of the world”
The third is for power and control,
“jump and the angels will catch you”.
Some of us relish a challenge, but many of us would rather find the path of least resistance, the easy way. We like to know that goods we purchase are tested to breaking point, it reassures us to see the car we drive has been crash-tested to ensure it helps us survive an accident.
Question: What is revealed about you when you are pushed or stretched to the limit? When you are tired, angry or hungry?
Think about this:
We know where our loved one’s weaknesses are.
We know how to slice someone up with unkind words.
We have the potential to destroy a relationship in 60 seconds.
We know how deeply indignant we feel when we believe we have been
wronged and we sure know to hold onto the grudge that ensues.
When we are pushed to the limits we can become unrecognizable in our responses.
Question: What is revealed about you when you are pushed or stretched to the limit?
Jesus was led, or pushed into the Wilderness and when all was stripped down, it turns out that he came face to face with himself.
He dug deep to find a response to the temptation or test at hand so that it would not compromise who he was.
It is in the Wilderness that we can catch a glimpse of what is essential.
Question: What are the “essentials” for you? The non-negotiables of your life.
Are you clear about the boundaries you set to keep your sense of your best self?
Question: Think only about this past week, when have you been “less than” the full, beautiful, creative, good person that you are?
A Blessing for Lent
Beloved Is Where We Begin —Jan Richardson
If you would enter into the wilderness,
do not begin without a blessing.
Do not leave without hearing
who you are:
Beloved, named by the One
who has traveled this path before you.
Do not go without letting it echo in your ears,
and if you find
it is hard to let it into your heart,
do not despair.
That is what this journey is for.
I cannot promise
this blessing will free you from danger, from fear,
from hunger or thirst,
from the scorching of sun
or the fall of the night.
But I can tell you that on this path there will be help.
I can tell you that on this way there will be rest.
I can tell you that you will know the strange graces
that come to our aid
only on a road such as this,
that fly to meet us bearing comfort and strength,
that come alongside us for no other cause
than to lean themselves toward our ear
and with their curious insistence whisper our name:
Beloved.
Beloved.
Beloved.
Beloved Is Where We Begin —Jan Richardson
If you would enter into the wilderness,
do not begin without a blessing.
Do not leave without hearing
who you are:
Beloved, named by the One
who has traveled this path before you.
Do not go without letting it echo in your ears,
and if you find
it is hard to let it into your heart,
do not despair.
That is what this journey is for.
I cannot promise
this blessing will free you from danger, from fear,
from hunger or thirst,
from the scorching of sun
or the fall of the night.
But I can tell you that on this path there will be help.
I can tell you that on this way there will be rest.
I can tell you that you will know the strange graces
that come to our aid
only on a road such as this,
that fly to meet us bearing comfort and strength,
that come alongside us for no other cause
than to lean themselves toward our ear
and with their curious insistence whisper our name:
Beloved.
Beloved.
Beloved.
Take us by the hand and lead us,
lead us through the desert sands,
bring us living water,
Holy Spirit, come.
(Hymn: Dust and Ashes, Brian Wren)
lead us through the desert sands,
bring us living water,
Holy Spirit, come.
(Hymn: Dust and Ashes, Brian Wren)
Copyright 2020 Suzanna Bates