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Gospel centred sermons, based on the lectionary often in advance.

Feb 29, 2020

Focus reading: Matthew 4:1-11

Temptation

[I will take a very different approach to this  Passage on Sunday (1-3-20) - This is a recast for lent 1A from 2011.]

We all face temptation and we all give into it at least sometimes. The great temptation when we see this story about Jesus is to see it as primarily a set of principals to follow to help us to resist temptation. That's OK if you are good and never give in, but all of us sometimes give in. What do we do then, are we just failures & weaklings. This story has at least three messages for us. First it helps us to recognise temptation, second it does give us at least one useful strategy to overcome it. But for me thirdly and most importantly it tells us when we face temptation, whether we beat it or it beats us we are not alone - God is with us to help and if we fail, to forgive and give us a fresh start.

Questions for thought or discussion.

Where does Temptation come from? What are some of the greatest temptations (for you or for others)? How can we beat temptation and not give in? What if we do give in?