6th March 2022 All Saints Church, Childwall
Read: Luke 4:1/13 – “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 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.’]” 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 splendour; 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.’]” 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.’” 12 Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.”
Reflect: I am sure you have all played the party game, ‘Simon says!’ in which the game leader tries to trick those playing into making a mistake by doing something that ‘Simon’ did not say! Well, something akin to ‘Simon says!’ is going on in today’s reading. We might rename it ‘Satan says!’ where Satan is trying to trick/tempt Jesus into rejecting God’s call on His life. Far from being a party game, it is very serious. Satan carefully chooses the moment and method of his first attempt to trick Jesus i.e. the point at which Jesus is hungry after a long period of fasting. Satan tries to persuade Jesus to perform a miracle by turning stones into bread to satisfy his physical hunger. Jesus refuses! His second attack is to encourage Jesus to take a shortcut to worldly success by abandoning the worship of God and bowing down and worshipping him instead. Jesus refuses! His third attack is to encourage Jesus to impress and win over the Jewish people by doing something spectacular in full view of the Temple congregation. Jesus refuses!
Satan uses a variety of tactics to tempt/trick Jesus: Jesus’ physical needs and desires, then seeking to plant doubt in Jesus mind as to His ‘Sonship’, and also the offer of almost absolute power and influence. This is heady stuff, but to each of Satan’s attacks, Jesus responds with words from Scripture. Whatever ‘Satan says’, Jesus response is ‘God says’! Note verse 13; this was not the end of Jesus’ temptations, just the end of this particular phase of Satan’s campaign!
We may be absolutely certain that Satan is still in the business of seeking to tempt God’s people away from their worship of and obedience to the living God and he will seek to tempt us in a variety of ways most suited to our own personality, circumstances and physical/emotional needs/desires. He will seek to tempt us at our strong points through our ego and pride. He will seek to tempt us at our weak points too – you probably already know where you are most susceptible to temptation. We will never be free from temptation this side of heaven, but we can learn to resist it through the knowledge of and obedience to Scripture. Like our muscles, our spiritual will power and discipline grow stronger with exercise. Just as a weightlifter grows stronger by regularly lifting weights, so we grow spiritually stronger by resisting temptation when it comes.
Respond: Be honest with yourself before God. Carry out an ‘audit’ of what you know are your ‘besetting sins’. Ask God to show you other areas of weakness of which you are unaware. Pray for a growing desire to read God’s Word and a growing desire and ability to obey it. As we pass through this season of Lent consciously seek to be more disciplined in these things.
Pray: Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ fasted forty days in the wilderness, and was tempted as we are, yet without sin: give us grace to discipline ourselves in obedience to your Spirit; and, as you know our weakness, so may we know your power to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.
Bill Forster (Associate Minister at All Saints)
Church services
Sunday 6th March 9.15am – Morning worship & Baptism 11am – Holy Communion 12.30pm – Baptism Service 6pm – Evening Worship (in the Church hall)
Thursday 10th March – 10.45am – BCP Holy Communion
Morning Prayer – Monday and Friday at 8:00am – Common Worship Morning prayer service with words
on screen. Optional Chat after the service. Meeting ID: 948 786 2454 Passcode: 4allsaints .
Weekly prayer meeting – Thursday 6.30pm on Zoom. Why not join a group of us at All Saints that pray regularly. It lasts 40 minutes, you can pray, sit and listen or just contemplate. – Aidan Holmes
Sunday 13th March 9.15am – Holy Communion 11am – Parade Service 6pm – Communion service with prayers for healing (in the Church Hall)
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8802380315?pwd=cGxQTnQ0QVRjU1gyUnBrYnJMMzZldz09
Please note joining ID. Meeting ID: 880 238 0315
Passcode: yt76bq
CHAT – Wednesday 9th March 2-4pm. Craft hobbies art and most importantly tea/coffee and cake will be on Just pop in for the tea cake and a chat, you don’t have to do anything else. Looking forward to seeing you Margaret Thwaite Wendy Sue and Dilys. ALL ARE WELCOME
Mothers’ Union – The next meeting of our church Mothers’ Union is on Tuesday 8th March at 2pm in the church hall. It is our annual bring and buy to raise money for branch funds. We start with a service and there will be refreshments. Visitors are welcome. Sue Watterson, branch leader.
VESTRY HOUR – every Tuesday in Church from 7pm – 8pm
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To book a Baptism or a Wedding or speak to a member of the clergy, please come to Vestry Hour which is held in the church every Tuesday, no appointment is necessary. Please use the wooden door to the left of the tower. You do not need to knock; just come in, take a seat and you will be seen privately in turn.
Singing in Church A small group meet in church on a Thursday evening, at 7.45pm, to practice the hymns for the 9.15am service on Sunday so as to lead and encourage our Sunday worship. We also enjoy fellowship together, and sing all of our favourite hymns and songs. A warm welcome awaits anyone who would like to join with us – no musical knowledge is required, just a love of singing praises to our Lord.
Norman. Email: norman.mason@uwclub.net, Tel: 428 6250, Mob: 07850 383836
I have the Spring 2022 Traidcraft catalogue and am placing an order in March for anyone wanting to buy fair trade Easter items, also the usual coffee, jams, tea, biscuits etc. The Traidcraft catalogue can be viewed on line or if anyone would like me to post the catalogue through their door I can be messaged or they can contact me on 07895452761 or 0151 722 0771. Thanking you Brenda Shone.
Weekly Prayer requests – Please pray for all those who are unwell at this time particularly praying for Adeyinka Olushonde and Charlotte Fitzsimon. We also pray for the bereaved family and friends of Brian Morris, Graham McCulloch and Diana Cowley.
Andrew Colmer – Vicar – Tel: 07305 842257 – vicar.allsaintschildwall@gmail.com Helen Deegan – Curate – Tel: 07984 933467 – curate.allsaintschildwall@gmail.com Bill Forster – Associate Minister – william.forster1@btinternet.com Adeyinka Olushonde – Ordinand – adeyinka.allsaintschildwall@gmail.com
