Temptation

​Come, worship the Lord, and meet with the living God.
In this space of listening, learning, inspiration and challenge, may I see that how I respond is part of an attitude of worship, part of what it means to follow you, Lord God.
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Come into this space, by your Spirit, Lord God.

StF 343 All my days (Beautiful Saviour)

Prayers
Heavenly Father,
Thank you that nothing can separate me from your love,
Thank you for the life, freedom and healing I have in Jesus.
Today, as I pray Lord God, I am ready for something new, a new way of thinking and a new way of living that brings love and hope to those most marginalized in the world.
But I know I can only do this in your strength, so today I put my trust and hope in you again, O God.

As I join with our brothers and sisters across the world in prayer, I confess my own sins and shortcomings, and I wait for you, heal and forgive me, Lord God. Thank you, that by your grace I am loved, forgiven and set free.
Loving God, I pray that this day I will experience your presence lifting me up on wings like eagles, to run and not grow weary, to walk and not grow faint.
Please lead me and guide me for your glory and the expansion of your Kingdom
today.
In Jesus’ name I pray,
Amen.

Bible Reading Matthew 4:1-11

StF 248 I heard the voice of Jesus say

 

Lent Cartoon : Jesus in the Desert put together by Danial Lee, Pictures '40' by Si Smith, Song : 'How he loves' by John Mark McMillan

 

StF 476 One more step

Response to the reading
How do you feel about ‘temptation’? What are your experiences of being ‘tempted’?
Perhaps, this word and this idea brings about negative emotions, difficult memories, our own battles with addiction or addictive behaviours, our struggle with our shadow side.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus is in the wilderness, being tempted by Satan – being challenged to make the same mistakes that Adam made and to turn away from God’s guidelines. Jesus resists those temptations here, at the beginning of his ministry.

In Matthew, Jesus’s resistance of the three offers made by the tempter shows that he is anti-consumption, anti-ego and in opposition to the worship of false gods. Perhaps this is the narrative, the story we need to hear, to help us get beyond the temptations that cause climate change? It is the temptation of cheap fuel that adds to the carbon in the atmosphere, it is the temptation of packaging that adds to the single use plastics in the ocean, it is the temptation of cheap resources that leads to the felling of large swathes of forest.
Can we resist the temptation this Lent?

‘It is well with my soul’ - Audrey Assad

Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours. Now and for ever.
Amen​

StF 706 Longing for light

Blessing
As you go from this place, may the God who releases and trusts you to be the builders of his Kingdom, inspire you to trust and release others – fanning into flame the potential which is all around.
Amen.

The order of service has been prepared by Deacon Sian Street. Some of today’s resources have been prepared by our friends at All We Can, the international development charity of the Methodist Church.