The First Sunday In Lent
SERMON TEXT: Luke 4:1-13 (EHV)
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where he was tempted by the Devil for forty days. He did not eat anything during those days. When they came to an end, he was hungry. The Devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” Jesus answered him, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’” The Devil led him up to a high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. The Devil told him, “I will give you all this power and the glory of these kingdoms, because it has been entrusted to me, and I can give it to anyone I want. So, if you worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered him, “It is written: ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” The Devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here, because it is written: He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you. And, they will lift you up with their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” Jesus answered him, “It says: ‘You shall not test the Lord your God.’” When the Devil had finished every temptation, he left him until an opportune time.
Sermon Audio, Video, & Transcript
Bible Readings
FIRST LESSON: Joshua 7:16-26
Joshua got up early in the morning, and he had Israel come forward tribe by tribe. The tribe of Judah was identified. Then he had the tribe of Judah come forward, and he identified the clan of the Zerahites. Next, he had the clan of the Zerahites come forward by individual familes, and Zabdi’s family was identified. Then he had Zabdi’s household come forward one man at a time, and Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, was identified.
Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory now to the LORD, the God of Israel, and give him praise. Now tell me what you did. Do not conceal it from me.”
Achan answered Joshua, “It is true. I am the one who has sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel, and this is what I did: Among the plunder I saw an expensive Mesopotamian robe, a fine one, and two hundred shekels of silver and one wedge of gold—it weighed fifty shekels. I coveted them and I took them. Now they are hidden in the ground inside my tent, and the silver is underneath it.”
So Joshua sent agents. They ran to the tent, and there it was! The robe was hidden in his tent, and the silver was underneath it! They took them from the middle of the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the people of Israel, where they poured them out before the LORD.
Then Joshua took Achan son of Zerah and the silver, the garment, and the wedge of gold, as well as Achan’s sons and his daughters, his ox, his donkey and his flock, and his tent and everything that belonged to him—so all Israel, led by Joshua, brought them up to the Valley of Achor.
Joshua said, “Why have you brought disaster on us? The LORD will bring disaster on you this day!”
Then all Israel stoned Achan to death. They also burned him and them with fire, and they pelted them with stones. They erected a large heap of stones over Achan, which remains to this day. Then the LORD turned from the heat of his anger. For that reason the name of that place is called the Valley of Achor to this day.
SECOND LESSON: Hebrews 4:14-16
Therefore, since we have a great high priest, who has gone through the heavens, namely, Jesus the Son of God, let us continue to hold on to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet was without sin. So let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
VERSE OF THE DAY: Matthew 4:10b (NIV)
“Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.”
GOSPEL: Luke 4:1-13 (EHV)
See Sermon Text