March 8th, 2022
by Mike DePope
by Mike DePope
Tuesday, March 8
JESUS IN THE DESERT by Jeff Allen
Matthew 4:1-11
Then the Spirit led Jesus up into the wilderness so that the devil might tempt him. After Jesus had fasted for forty days and forty nights, he was starving. The tempter came to him and said, “Since you are God’s Son, command these stones to become bread.”
Jesus replied, “It’s written, People won’t live only by bread, but by every word spoken by God.”
After that the devil brought him into the holy city and stood him at the highest point of the temple. He said to him, “Since you are God’s Son, throw yourself down; for it is written, I will command my angels concerning you, and they will take you up in their hands so that you won’t hit your foot on a stone.”
Jesus replied, “Again it’s written, Don’t test the Lord your God.”
Then the devil brought him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. He said, “I’ll give you all these if you bow down and worship me.”
The devil left him, and angels came and took care of him.
Reflection
Is it weird to say “Pretend you’re Jesus?” Well, I’m gonna say it. Pretend you’re Jesus! Imagine you’re about to face the toughest trial of your entire life. You’re led into an interesting space and you’re not sure what is about to happen. The catch is you’re not alone. The Devil shows up.
The Devil. Is this Satan? Is this the representation of ‘evil?’ Is this your anxiety or depression? Is this the baggage you carry with you from your past? No matter what it might be, now you’re being tempted. Tempted to pull away from your purpose and instead to prove yourself to something to which you owe absolutely nothing.
Perhaps you’re finding that the better good of what you’re trying to accomplish is being completely derailed by these temptations. You could easily find yourself giving in to the need to accommodate these distractions.
In the text, Jesus is tempted just like we often are. Jesus understand the trials and tribulations of our lives just like anyone. After all, Jesus felt human emotions, as he was both God and man. (John 1:14) Also, we don’t know why Jesus was led to be tempted, although I surmise that it was to demonstrate his humanity. Isn’t it a relief knowing that Jesus understands and knows from experience? In fact, he was tested by a “Devil” who knew the scriptures very well. In other words, his temptations understood him and knew just how to get to him. I don’t know about you, but that sounds every bit like the temptations in my life.
Verse 11 shows us that Jesus overcame these temptations. Understanding how to cope with the challenges in our lives, much like Jesus knew the counterpoints to the scriptures the Devil tried to use against him, will allow us to overcome our personal temptations and succeed.
Questions for Contemplation
Prayer
Dearest Lord Jesus, You overcame temptations like I have never experienced before. Yet I do have my own challenges. Lord, help me to hone the skills it takes to unpack why these temptations are in my life and how I can overcome them. Lord, be my protector and my teacher. In your name I pray: Amen.
JESUS IN THE DESERT by Jeff Allen
Matthew 4:1-11
Then the Spirit led Jesus up into the wilderness so that the devil might tempt him. After Jesus had fasted for forty days and forty nights, he was starving. The tempter came to him and said, “Since you are God’s Son, command these stones to become bread.”
Jesus replied, “It’s written, People won’t live only by bread, but by every word spoken by God.”
After that the devil brought him into the holy city and stood him at the highest point of the temple. He said to him, “Since you are God’s Son, throw yourself down; for it is written, I will command my angels concerning you, and they will take you up in their hands so that you won’t hit your foot on a stone.”
Jesus replied, “Again it’s written, Don’t test the Lord your God.”
Then the devil brought him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. He said, “I’ll give you all these if you bow down and worship me.”
The devil left him, and angels came and took care of him.
Reflection
Is it weird to say “Pretend you’re Jesus?” Well, I’m gonna say it. Pretend you’re Jesus! Imagine you’re about to face the toughest trial of your entire life. You’re led into an interesting space and you’re not sure what is about to happen. The catch is you’re not alone. The Devil shows up.
The Devil. Is this Satan? Is this the representation of ‘evil?’ Is this your anxiety or depression? Is this the baggage you carry with you from your past? No matter what it might be, now you’re being tempted. Tempted to pull away from your purpose and instead to prove yourself to something to which you owe absolutely nothing.
Perhaps you’re finding that the better good of what you’re trying to accomplish is being completely derailed by these temptations. You could easily find yourself giving in to the need to accommodate these distractions.
In the text, Jesus is tempted just like we often are. Jesus understand the trials and tribulations of our lives just like anyone. After all, Jesus felt human emotions, as he was both God and man. (John 1:14) Also, we don’t know why Jesus was led to be tempted, although I surmise that it was to demonstrate his humanity. Isn’t it a relief knowing that Jesus understands and knows from experience? In fact, he was tested by a “Devil” who knew the scriptures very well. In other words, his temptations understood him and knew just how to get to him. I don’t know about you, but that sounds every bit like the temptations in my life.
Verse 11 shows us that Jesus overcame these temptations. Understanding how to cope with the challenges in our lives, much like Jesus knew the counterpoints to the scriptures the Devil tried to use against him, will allow us to overcome our personal temptations and succeed.
Questions for Contemplation
- Name your “Devil.” What are the temptations in your life?
- As Jesus rebuts the Devil’s tempting scripture quotations, how might you counter your own temptations?
Prayer
Dearest Lord Jesus, You overcame temptations like I have never experienced before. Yet I do have my own challenges. Lord, help me to hone the skills it takes to unpack why these temptations are in my life and how I can overcome them. Lord, be my protector and my teacher. In your name I pray: Amen.
Posted in Lent Devotional 2022
Recent
Hold These Truths Discussion Guide - Week 1
October 6th, 2024
It Doesn't Have to Be This Way // M-Note 10.5.24
October 5th, 2024
Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 4
September 30th, 2024
A Stressful Season // M-Note 9.28.24
September 27th, 2024
Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 3
September 22nd, 2024
Archive
2024
January
Clean Slate: Week 1 Discussion GuideStarting & Sustaining Change // M-Note 1.6.24Clean Slate: Week 2 Discussion GuideStarting Small, Dreaming Big // M-Note 1.13.24Clean Slate: Week 3 Discussion GuideTogether Towards Change...and Healthy Habits // M-Note 1.20.24Clean Slate: Week 4 Discussion GuideSlowing Down for God to Show Up // M-Note 1.27.24
February
More Isn't Always Better // M-Note 2.3.24Money Talks: Week 1 Discussion GuideAshes for Valentine's Day? // M-Note 2.10.24Money Talks: Week 2 Discussion GuideLenten Devotional 2024Money Talks: Week 3 Discussion GuideWhat's your legacy? // M-Note 2.17.24Strength in Numbers: Community in Ministry // M-Note 2.24.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week One
March
Entourage Discussion Guide - Week TwoUpdates from Clayton and Easter Invitation // M-Note 3.2.24Twenty Students Confirmed Last Sunday // M-Note 3.9.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week 3How serving at Easter can really make a difference // M-Note 3.16.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week 4Can You Know Joy Without Pain? // M-Note 3.23.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week 5It's time for EasterSTL at The Factory // M-Note 3.28.24
April
Easter Discussion GuideScreen Time: Troubleshooting our Relationship with Technology // M-Note 4.6.24Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 1Springtime Reminders: Joy Comes with the Morning // M-Note 4.13.24Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 2Shaping the Future at the UMC General Conference // M-Note 4.20.24Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 3 General Conference Halftime Report// M-Note 4.27.24Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 4
May
Very Good News at the End of General Conference//M-Note 5.4.24Uncomfortable Truths Discussion Guide - Week 1Uncomfortable Truths Discussion Guide - Week 2Announcing The Gathering’s Church Planters Lab//M-Note 5.11.24My (Hypothetical) Commencement Address // M-Note 5.18.24Uncomfortable Truths Discussion Guide - Week 3Uncomfortable Truths Discussion Guide - Week 4
June
July
September
Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 1Transitioning...to 47 // M-Note 9.7.24Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 2Invitations Work in Mysterious Ways // M-Note 9.14.24Students Stepping Up: Getting Involved in Ministry // M-Note 9.21.24Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 3A Stressful Season // M-Note 9.28.24Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 4
2023
January
February
Explore - Week 1Explore - Week 2Explore - Week 4Explore - Week 3God is Leading Us Forward // M-Note 2.3.23SENT: Week 1 Discussion GuideSomething To Try This Weekend // M-Note 2.10.23SENT: Week 2 Discussion GuideSENT: Week 3 Discussion GuideWe're Doing Something Big! // M-Note 2.17.23Lent Devotional Day 1Lent Devotional Day 2Lent Devotional Day 3SENT: Week 4 Discussion GuideLent Devotional Day 4Lent Devotional Day 5Lent Devotional Day 6Lent Devotional Day 7
March
Lent Devotional Day 8Lent Devotional Day 9Celebrating BEYOND // M-Note 3.3.2023Lent Devotional Day 10Who Is Jesus: BONUS Discussion GuideLent Devotional Day 11Lent Devotional Day 12Lent Devotional Day 13Who Is Jesus: Week 1 Discussion GuideLent Devotional Day 14Lent Devotional Day 15Lent Devotional Day 16Lent Devotional Day 17
Categories
Tags
1 Kings 3
1 Kings
1 Timothy
2 Corinthians 9:5-7
2 Timothy
Belden Lane
Beyond Simple
Celebrate
Change
Christ
Commit
Confidence
Denee Bowers
Devotional
Discussion Guides
Distractions
Divine Love
Doubt
Easter
Ephesians
Equity
Evangelism
Explore
Five Shared Practices
Focus
Frederick Buechner
Fresh Take
Friends
Generosity
God
Gratitude
Hebrews
Holy Ambiguity
Holy Spirit
Hope
Humanity
Identity
Inside Voice
Isaiah
Jesus
John 21
John
Joy
Kids
King Solomon
Lectio Divina
Lent
Life
Limitations
Longing
M-Note
Matt Miofsky
Matthew
Nadia Bolz-Weber
No Filter
Open
Parables
Parenting
Patience
Paula D'Arcy
Paula D\'Arcy
Paula D\\\'Arcy
Paula D\\\\\\\'Arcy
Paul
Privilege
Proverbs 1
Proverbs
Psalms
Purpose
Questions
Redeem
Rejoice
Righteousness
Sabra Engelbrecht
Second Chance
Self-Love
Struggle
Success
The Bible
The Church
The Gathering
Timothy
Uncertainty
Untethered
Vision
Weird
acts
adulting
advice
challenge
commitment
creation
deconstruction
deconstruct
faith
finances
fitness
forgiveness
forgiving
foundation
freedom
give
growth
kelley weber
love
meister eckhart
money
mystery
new life
opportunity
reconstruction
reconstruct
redemption
relationships
responsibility
simplify
sin
social
thomas merton
transition
truth
willingness
willpower
will
young adult
No Comments