21st February 2021 - The Temptation of Christ

 
APC 21st February 2021         “The Temptation of Christ”
 
PART 1
Welcome and Introduction          
Good morning everyone and welcome to our Sunday morning worship.  Today is the first Sunday in Lent- the 40 Day period beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending on Easter Saturday.  It’s a wonderful opportunity to make extra time in our lives for personal and spiritual reflection.  The 40 days mirror the practice of Jesus who fasted and prayed in the desert for that period, immediately after the joy of his baptism.  Today as I speak to you, it feels like we have already been experiencing Lent.  It’s been over 7 weeks now since the last Level 5 lockdown.  In that time, we’ve already sacrificed and denied ourselves a lot.
 
So today, this passage of Jesus’ temptation takes on an even greater significance than normal.  It’s interesting that it’s the Holy Spirit who leads Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  This isn’t the sort of thing we expect the Holy Spirit to do.  Isn’t he supposed to protect us from satanic onslaughts not lead us into them?  As we reflect on our own wilderness experience could it be the Holy Spirit who has led us into this dry and difficult place?  And if so, why? 
 
But before we delve into that, Sharon and Elaine will lead us in the beautiful Gaelic hymn, Ag Crist an Siol.
 
To Christ the seed, to Christ the crop,
in barn of Christ may we be brought.
To Christ the sea, to Christ the fish,
in nets of Christ may we be caught.
From growth to age, from age to death,
Thy two arms here, O Christ, about us.
From death to end, not end but growth,
in blessed Paradise may we be.
(End Part 1)
 
Opening Song                “Ag Criost an Siol”
 
 
Part 2
 
Sharon and Elaine, thank you so much for leading us in worship through that beautiful song.
 
Let’s take a moment now to talk to our heavenly Father, let’s pray…
 
 
Opening Prayer
Gracious and merciful God, on this first Sunday of Lent we come together to worship you, to praise and thank you, to seek your forgiveness and ask for your renewal.
 
Create in us a clean heart and put a right spirit within us.
 
We come in the name of Christ, remembering his lonely days in the wilderness, his time wrestling with temptation and the ministry that followed, restring and transforming so many lives.
 
Create in us a clean heart and put a right spirit within us.
 
Help us to learn from his example – to search our hearts as he did, to consider our calling, to reflect on our faith, to resist temptation, and to commit ourselves more wholly to you.
 
Create in us a clean heart and put a right spirit within us.
 
Help us to recognise all Jesus has done for us through His life, death and resurrection; and so may we gladly come to you, confessing our sins, acknowledging our faults, accepting our weaknesses and receiving your forgiveness.
 
Create in us a clean heart and put a right spirit within us.
 
Gracious and merciful God, we come together on this first Sunday of Lent.  We admit that we are generally hungrier for physical food than the spiritual variety.  Radically increase our desire for every word that comes from your mouth during this season of Lent and this wilderness of pandemic.
 
Create in us a clean heart and put a right spirit within us.
 
Join me as we say the Lord’s Prayer thoughtfully and sincerely together…
 
 
Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name,
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day, our daily bread, And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us,
And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil,
For Thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory,
For ever and ever, AMEN.
 
 
 
Introduction to Kids Video
 
We come to the part of the service which is especially for the younger members of our church family.  So if your kids aren’t beside you right now, why not pause the recording, and call them in to watch a short animation about…..  And at the end of this video I’ve a few words to say to the children so don’t let them rush away.
 
(END Part 2)
 
Kid’s Video     PursueGOD Kids – ‘The Temptation of Jesus’
Link         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KouHKHQiKT4
 
PART 3
 
Kid’s Talk Summary
Hey boys and girls.  I hope you’ve had a fun week over half term.  I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s video.  I thought it was really nice seeing young people explaining today’s lesson.  You’re never too young to serve God.  Anyway, don’t forget we all get tempted to do stuff that we know is wrong.  It’s not wrong to be tempted.  It’s only wrong when we give in and do what’s wrong.  When we read the bible we find out how God wants us to live.  We find out what’s right and what’s wrong.  That helps us so that when we’re tempted we will know what we should do.  But as well as that remember that because Jesus was tempted he understands what it’s like for us.  And because He is alive in heaven when we pray to Him he will help us.  So next time you are tempted to say something rude or hit someone or not share, say a quick prayer, “Jesus, please help me not to do this.”  And even when you mess up, remember Jesus still loves you.  Say sorry and ask him to help you do better next time.
To help you remember today’s lesson if you ask your mam or dad they can go onto the church website or the Facebook page and find the link to a colouring sheet.  Don’t forget to tune in again next Sunday.  Bye for now and I hope you enjoy your break from school work for Half term next week.
 
Colouring Sheet Link-   
sundayschoolzone.com/activity/jesus-temptation-coloring-page/
 
Introduction to Bible Reading
 
The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness.  Why?  What lessons did he wish to teach Him and what can we learn from Christ’s experience?  Well, before I give you my thoughts, sit back as Jamie Fenton reads Matthew 4 v 1-11.
 
(End Part 3)
 
Bible Reading         Matthew 4 v 1-11     Jamie Fenton
 
PART 4
The Temptation of Christ
 
 
We are all weary physically and emotionally at the moment.  Like Jesus, we are at a low ebb, weak and vulnerable to temptation.
This is when the enemy of God, that angel of darkness, comes to us masquerading as an angel of light.
 
“If you are the son of God”, he says, “then turn these stones into bread.”
 
It had been 6 weeks since his last meal.  Jesus was literally on the point of starvation.  At any time during that period he could easily have turned stones into bread to feed himself.  He was God in human flesh after all.  Later he would turn water into wine at a wedding and a small lunch box of food into a banquet that would feed thousands.  But this was not the time.  This was a time to allow himself to experience the full frailty of humanity and the full force of temptation.  In this temptation satan promised Jesus an improvement on the human condition – to have the good parts without the bad, to taste bread without knowing the hardship of true hunger or hard labour.  Without that experience he would not be able to fully empathise with the billions of people who would later look to him for help in their own wilderness.  If he had given in at this point, he would have become imperfect.  He would have been disqualified from becoming the perfect sacrifice for our sin.  We would still be far from God with no hope of knowing Him as our friend.
 
The stakes were high and yet the devil, as always, made it sound so right.  “This will prove without a shadow that you are who you say you are!”
 
To counter these seeds of doubt, Jesus must have kept repeating to himself the words of His Father at his baptism, “This is my son, with whom I am so pleased.”
 
Still today the devil tries to get us to doubt that we are really sons and daughters of God.  Like Jesus, he will strike when we are at our weakest, or when we have recently recovered from something we deeply regret.
 
“You couldn’t be a Christian, Just look at what you did, listen to what you said, how could you think those thoughts?”  God could never forgive that.  No one will ever believe you.  You’ll never be good enough.”
So too satan tempts us to doubt God’s promise to provide for us.  It’s not that we shouldn’t work.  It’s not that it’s wrong to plan and to save for a rainy day.  It’s just that so often this becomes our whole focus in life.  We stress and worry to keep up with the O’Reardons.  We place our faith and security in people, systems and money rather than in the one who owns it all!
 
So today, it’s good for us to hear the response of Jesus, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
 
When satan tempts us to doubt God’s acceptance or his care, we too must turn a deaf ear and listen instead to the promises of God in Holy Scripture…
 
“Whoever comes to me, I will not turn away.”  “Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.” 
 
“Look at the birds of the air, they do not sow or reap or store away in barns and yet your heavenly father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable to Him than them?... Seek first the kingdom of god and his righteous ness and all these things will be added to you.” 
 
The devil’s second assault on our Lord was aimed at his ministry, against everything that he had come into this world to do. 
 
Matthew puts it like this,
 
“the devil took Jesus to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.  If you are the son of God, he said, throw yourself down, for it’s is written, He will command his angels concerning you and they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.  Again the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour.  All this I will give you if you bow down and worship me.”
 
At his baptism, we saw that the heavenly voice identified Jesus not only as God’s Son but also as God’s servant.  The one who would suffer and die for his own people’s sins.
 
But now in this wilderness experience, the devil tempted Christ with other less costly options – if Rome distributed free bread to promote Caesar’s Kingdom, could Jesus not do the same?  Could He not win the world by a sensational display of God’s power?  And where was the harm in striking a bargain?  If Jesus would just bow down and worship, satan would give Him the kingdoms of the world right there and then.  No delay, no suffering, no cross.
 
So too in our lives the devil always loves to persuade us that the end justifies the means.
So we’re tempted to lie on our CV if it helps us get a job or to steal an answer from someone else in class if we feel we’ll get a better test score.
We feel it’s ok to break the speed limit if it gets us there on time or to claim our teenager is the main driver of a vehicle if it means paying less car insurance.
We justify the use of nasty comments to get inside the head of our opponents in the hope of winning a game or using a position of influence to gain a benefit for a family member or friend.
But God’s ways are not our ways.  They are certainly not the way of satan.  The devil seeks to force obedience through deception, coercion, threats and bedazzlement.  God, on the other hand adopts a much lighter touch. He seeks to establish His Kingdom and command the obedience of his people, through freedom and love.  We often wish it was different.  We want God to intervene in human affairs.  Would he not just wipe out this virus in an instant?  Would he not prevent earthquakes and Tsunamis or destroy the most-wicked leaders in our world?  Why does He just seem to sit on His hands?  We also want God to be more proactive in our personal lives.  Would he not heal my diseases or show himself without doubt so that we wouldn’t have to prove His existence to our friends?
 
Why does God insist in showing such restraint? 
 
Because ultimately no miraculous display of power or lightening-bolt threat of judgement can achieve the response that God desires.  Yes God, could force us to obey Him.  Yes he could control our every action if he wanted.  That might relieve much suffering but it would also remove our freedom.  Instead God allows us to choose right or wrong, to accept Him or to reject Him.  Ultimately that is what He has created us for, so that we might know His love, and love Him in return.
 
Instead of choosing the easier path of fulfilment, miracle, power and force, Jesus chose the way of restraint, freedom, choice and love.  This decision in the desert reflected the whole of His life.  So he didn’t worry if the whole world wasn’t converted in his lifetime.  He didn’t cure people who weren’t ready to be cured.  He allowed people to walk away.  It was not an easy choice.  It would mean suffering for Him and for us.  Sure, one day it would mean restoration of the entire universe but it the meantime it would leave the reputation of God at risk.  Would this promised redemption be worth the wait?  Would our current freedom be worth the consequent suffering?
 
Only God knows the answer, but it’s obviously ‘Yes’.  That’s why our Lord said no to satan.  He knew that the way of restraint was best.  The master of the universe would allow himself to become its victim.  In love He would lay down His life for us.  He knew that only His death could save us from our sins.  At any time God could make us obey Him but that would not be love.
He knew that the only way to melt our human hearts was to show us how much He loved us by giving his life on the cross.
 
You know through our secular world, the devil still tempts us in these ways today.  We’re tempted to see God as our magician in the sky and then to doubt his existence when our prayers are not answered in the way that we imagine.  We’re tempted to seek quick fixes to complex problems of human need.  We’re tempted to throw our weight around or lower our moral standards to gain position and power.  We’re tempted to believe ‘if it feels good do it’, and that riches will make us happy.
 
How will we resist?  Where can we find better advice?  Where Jesus found it.  In Holy Scripture.  Each time he was tempted Jesus refused to listen to the devil.  Immediately, instinctively, he rejected each temptation with the words, “It is written…”  “Do not put the Lord to the test.”  “Worship the Lord and serve Him only.”
 
So can I ask you, who are you listening to?
 
It is only by doing the hard yards of reading and memorising Holy Scripture that you and I will be able to drown the devils voice with the voice of God.
The good news is we’re never alone in that task.  For as the writer of Hebrews reminds us,
 
“We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way just as we are – yet without sin.  And because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”
 
Christ loves you.  Christ died for you.  He is in heaven now praying for you.  When you are tempted, ask him to help you….
Amen.
 
Introduction to Song of Response
 
You know, it’s amazing that because Christ has died and is risen that He is now alive in heaven as our Great High Priest praying for us.  It’s amazing to know that we also now have the Holy Spirit living in us to help us when we pray to Him.  Let’s celebrate this good news as Tara and Holly lead us in the song, “See what a Morning”
(End Part 4)
 
Song of Response                 “See what a morning”
 
Part 5
 
Let’s pray…
 
 
Prayer of Intercession
 
Lord Jesus Christ, we are reminded today in this season of Lent, of the time you spent in the wilderness- facing choices, wrestling with temptation, experiencing a period of testing that would shape the course of your ministry, a time which reminds us of your humanity which tells us you were one with us, tempted just as we are. 
 
In the wilderness of life today… Be present O Lord.
 
Lord Jesus Christ, we thank you that you came through that time the stronger - more sure of the oath you must take, and more confident of your ability to take it.  So now we pray for those experiencing similar times of testing. 
 
In the wilderness of life today… Be present O Lord.
 
We pray for those facing difficult and demanding choices – choices which entail pain and self-sacrifice, which mean letting go of cherished dreams, which involve facing awkward facts about themselves and others. 
 
In the wilderness of life today… Be present O Lord.
 
We pray for those wrestling with temptation – torn between conflicting desires, unsure of where they stand, uncertain about their ability to stand firm. 
 
In the wilderness of life today…Be present O Lord.
 
We pray for those experiencing a period of testing in their lives – problems they fear they cannot cope with, challenges they feel unable to rise to, questions they would rather not face. 
 
In the wilderness of life today…Be present O Lord.
 
Lord Jesus Christ, give strength to all facing such times – a sureness of purpose and clearness of mind.  Give the knowledge of your will – then courage to make right decisions and resolve to see them through.  May each emerge the stronger for all they experience, and better equipped to face the future. 
 
In the wilderness of life today…Be present O Lord.
 
Lord we know that it was the Holy Spirit who led you into the wilderness.  Holy Spirit so too it may be that you have led us into the wilderness that we currently experiencing.  Teach us then the lessons that you want us to learn at this time…
 
Take a few moments now to pray for others and to ask the Holy Spirit to be with you and help you and teach you in these difficult days….
 
All this we pray in the name of Jesus who was tempted just as we are yet had no sin.  Amen.
 
Benediction
 
Go in peace to enjoy and employ your gift of faith.
Our help is in the name of God who made heaven and earth.
 
Fear neither outward foe nor inner temptation.
Our help is in the name of God who made heaven and earth
 
Rejoice in your blessings and smile in your adversities.
Our help is in the name of God who made heaven and earth.
 
And may…The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all evermore Amen.