Gospel lesson of the week
The First Sunday in Lent

Matthew 4:1-11

Jesus experiences anew the temptations that Israel faced in the wilderness. As the Son of God, he endures the testing of the evil one.

¹Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ²He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. ³The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” ⁴But he answered, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” ⁵Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, ⁶saying 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.’ ” ⁷Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’  ⁸Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; ⁹and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” ¹⁰Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’ ” ¹¹Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

Gospel Reflection Questions

1. The “temptations” Jesus faced were not our simple temptations (like whether to eat that cake or not) - they were temptations for him to turn away from God and trust in something else. Have you ever faced that kind of temptation?
   
   
2. What tools can we use to resist serious temptations?
   
   
3. Can we look forward to a time when we will have defeated all temptations?

Prayer

Mt. Olive's online Bible Study is a weekly opportunity to reflect on the coming weekend's Gospel text before worship.  We encourage you to read the text, reflect on the questions & pray individually and then with others. 

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