Who is this Jesus?
He was Tempted like Us
Jesus is led by the Spirit of God to show us how to live in a world filled with temptations. As people with the same Spirit, we find ourselves in the midst of temptation, not to give in, but to show love instead.
Daily Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to turn every tempting situation into an opportunity to love others instead. Amen.
Monday, February 8
Read Luke 4:1-13. How do Jesus’ temptations sum up the kinds of temptations that we face? How do we lust for possessions? How do we seek to take control over life? How do we seek status over others? How did Jesus resist these temptations?
Tuesday, February 9
Read Deuteronomy 9:1-12. Moses also spent 40 days fasting. What similarities and differences do you find between these two experiences? What is the role of fasting in our faith? How can it be useful? How can it be misused?
Wednesday, February 10
Read Luke 16:1-13. Jesus wants us to be shrewd with the use of possessions, power and prestige so that we may build relationships that introduce people to Jesus. How do you use your gifts from God to build relationships? How should you?
Thursday, February 11
Read Deuteronomy 8. If the first temptation is about possessions, how does Jesus’ response show a resistance to that temptation? How did God discipline the people of Israel to depend on him? When do our possessions turn from being a benefit to us and others into something harmful?
Friday, February 12
Read Deuteronomy 6. Jesus quotes this chapter twice as he resisted the temptations of taking power over the kingdoms and the prestige of a heroic temple leap. Why would the Israelite people worship another God after all they’ve been through? What had tempted them to put God to the test? (see Exodus 17).
Saturday, February 13
Read Matthew 7:12-14. The broad way is the way of following Mammon (possessions, power and prestige) as our master. How do we see the broad way at work on our world today? How is the narrow way different? How do we get on the narrow way? How do we stay there?
Bethel Lutheran Church, St. Paul, MN – bethelstpaul.com