Jesus is Tested
Pray
Begin with prayer, opening your heart to His Word and Spirit.
Read Luke 4:1-13
4 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted[a] by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’[b]”
5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.”
8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’[c]”
9 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. 10 For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you
to guard you carefully;
11 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’[d]”
12 Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[e]”
13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.
Reflect
Jesus was totally committed to God’s will, and that set him in direct conflict with the devil. He had just heard the Father affirm his identity as the Son of God, when Satan immediately tried to destroy his mission with real and menacing temptations. Temptation to do the wrong thing can be subtle, causing us to question what is right and what is wrong. In these times we need to pray for Jesus’ discernment and power.
Closing prayer
Merciful God, we give you thanks that Jesus lived a perfect life and for His faithfulness in all things. Help us when we are tempted and give us strength to love and obey you. Amen.