First Sunday Of Lent
“12 And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 He was in the wilderness forty days, tested by Satan, and he was with the wild beasts, and the angels waited on him. 14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the good news of God 15 and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news’” Mark 1:12-15.
“1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil. 2 He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward 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 glory, 9 and he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’ 10 Then 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” Matthew 4:1-11.
“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tested by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over he was famished. 3 The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.’ 4 Jesus answered him, ‘
It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’
5 Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And the devil said to him, ‘To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.
8 Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’
9 Then the devil led him to Jerusalem and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written,
‘He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,’ 11 and
‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’
12 Jesus answered him, ‘It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’
13 When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time” Luke 4:1-13.
These three texts speak to the temptation scenes in Jesus’ life, and they are intended to show us that Jesus was fully human and fully God, except in this regard: He never sinned when tempted to sin.
We must discern the temptations that come our way — and run to the Lord.
Temptations are more than opportunities to sin against external laws. Note that Jesus quotes no moral laws, but only the wisdom of the Scriptures.
So stay in the Word and run to Jesus when tempted. He will always help you!
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy ion me a sinner.
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