Family Service for the First Sunday in Lent
“It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
Summary
Today we begin our journey through Lent, a time when we reflect not only on Christ’s journey but on our own: who are we? What are we here for? Both of our readings explore the voices and opinions of others and how they impact on our own sense of identity.
In Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7, the first humans must choose between the voice of God and the voice of the serpent. The serpent promises them that, if they listen to him, they will be more powerful. In Matthew 4.1-11, Jesus too must choose between the voice of God, the one who tells him that he belongs to God and is beloved, with the voice of the tempter telling him that he could be so much more … if only …
We are bombarded with voices telling us who we should be and what will make us happy. Lent is a time for us to question what the voices around us tell us and to listen for voice the God, the one who tells us that we belong only to God, that we are beloved and delighted in, just as God made us.
FIRST READING
Genesis 2.15-17, 3.1-7
The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.’
Now the snake was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LordGod had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God really say, “You must not eat from any tree in the garden”?’
The woman said to the snake, ‘We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, “You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.”’
‘You will not certainly die,’ the snake said to the woman. ‘For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’
When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realised that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
GOSPEL
Matthew 4.1-11
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ ”
Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ ”
Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
