Worship for the week of February 26, 2023
Let us worship!
For forty days and forty nights,
led by the Spirit,
Christ fasted in the wilderness.
For forty days and forty nights,
we prepare ourselves to meet the crucified and risen Christ.
Here and now let us prepare ourselves through worship and praise.
A prayer to center you
God of the wilderness and the desert,
God of dryness, and storm,
As we enter this time of worship,
Quinch our thirst for knowledge, wisdom, and peace
As we gather now,
Fill us with your living word
And calm the storms within us.
As we enter into the season of Lent,
Help us to devote these 40 days to you.
Shape us by your Holy Spirit more closely to the image of Christ, that we may walk these days beside him and come to know you better.
Amen
Scripture to Ponder
Matthew
Chapter 4,
verses 1 through 11
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. 3 The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ 4 But he answered, ‘It is written,
“One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written,
“He will command his angels concerning you”,
and “On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.”’
7 Jesus said to him, ‘Again it is written, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”’
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour; 9 and he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’ 10 Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! for it is written,
“Worship the Lord your God,
and serve only him.”’
11 Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.
Reflection: Lenten Journey
Time is going by quickly. If you are like me, we have added almost everything back to our schedules in this post-pandemic world and that somehow makes time go by faster—for better or worse. We already find ourselves at the first Sunday in the Lenten season. The time between Christmas and Easter is short this year, but it is hard to believe the seasons of repentance is upon us already.
The Scripture today is a familiar one, often referred to as the temptation story. As we step out of the season of Epiphany (at time in which we looked at callings) we are given this story of Jesus’ answering his call. When we enter into this story, Jesus has just been baptized in the river. God has placed God’s calling upon Jesus’ life and he is led by the Spirit into the wilderness. After fasting for forty days and forty nights, we are told that Jesus is tempted. In the midst of the wilderness, while hungry and isolate, the tempter approaches Jesus.
“If you are hungry, turn these stones into bread and feed yourself”
“If you are who you say you are, prove yourself!”
“If fall down before me, I will give you everything!”
Basic need, ego, and power where all tested in the wilderness. Tempter placed all earthly and human desires before Jesus, but Jesus stepped into who Jesus was meant to be.
“One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
“Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”
“Worship the Lord your God and serve only him.”
Jesus tells us that he was not sent to overturn the law, but rather to fulfill it. When tested in the wilderness that is what Jesus does. Using the Scripture given to him, Jesus rebukes Satan and steps into his calling to fulfill the law.
We also face times of wilderness. When we feel alone, isolated, hungry and weak. We too get tempted to give into the earthly and human desires; When we worry about finances; When our egos are threatened; When we are tempted to take the easy way out of situations. It is then that we are also given the chance to live into our callings. When we do the hard, when we stand in the difficult place, when we choose the harder path, we are stepping into our calling as children of God.
God has prepared us for those moments. Through community and Scripture, through study and growth, God gives us the skills and knowledge to live into who God has created and called us to be. When we speak up for the those who suffering, when we call out on behalf of those who are experiencing injustice, hatred, and fear, when we act on behalf of those who grieving, hurting, or mistreated, we become the city on a hill that God has called us to be.
God has a calling for each of us. God has prepared us for that path. In bravery and faith we must step in the wildernesses that we face and trust that God’s promises are true, today, tomorrow and always.
The Word in Action…
When have you felt like you were in the wilderness?
What helped you in that time?
Think of a time when you were tested; How did it feel?
Did you feel God with you?
Did you feel prepared to face the temptation?
If you could go back, would you have handled the temptation differently?
Why or why not?
Where do you draw strength to face challenges?
Challenge for the week!
When you are tempted or challenged this week, think of Jesus being tempted in the wilderness.
Pay attention to where you draw the strength to be strong.
Speak up for yourself and for Christ.
Prayer of sending
God of healing, hope, and wholeness,
we often feel lost in the wilderness
we often feel tempted by the ways of the world
ego, human desires, and power call to us
we often feel weak in the wildrenesses that we face
give us strength
give us courage
give us wisdom
also give us grace when we fall short
give us forgiveness when we stumble
give us courage to try again
Amen
Going out.
Be faithful in a little, that you may also be found faithful in much.
Be faithful in much, that you may be entrusted with the true riches that come from above.
Go to be faithful children of light,
And come to know the deep grace, hope and peace of the one who is truly faithful at all times.
Let all God’s people say: AMEN
