Reference

Luke 4:1-13
From Security to Generosity

Focus

As we seek God’s way, we move from prioritizing our personal security to living with generosity toward our neighbors.  

Call to worship

Leader:            Together we seek the way of God,
People:           through the wilderness of Lent, through the wilderness of life.
Leader:            We crave the safety of God’s shelter,
People:           the cool comfort of the divine shadow, the security of the holy fortress.
Leader:            God offers the care of angels,
People:           the gentleness of creation, the protection of love.
Leader:            God is generous to all who call on the holy name,
All:                  so come, let us seek God’s way of generosity. 

Scripture Reference

4 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”

The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.”

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”

The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. 10 For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you carefully;
11 they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

12 Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.