Lent study: Led by the Spirit into the wilderness

We used this Bible study at Living it out - SCM's Conference 2010 and it is now available from the SCM Resources section. The study can be used to explore the wilderness periods of our lives, the temptations of power, and where we draw our strength from.

If you use the study - whether individually or in a group - and have any reflections to share then please add them to the comments below or start a thread on the forum.

Led by the spirit into the wilderness - a study for Lent
Luke 4: 1-13

What you will need
Bibles or a handout of the text Luke 4: 1-13
The questions
Facilitator's notes (see handout attached below)

Beginnings
The passage begins with Jesus being ‘led by the Spirit in the wilderness’. Think about where this passage comes within the narrative of Jesus’ life.

Why might Jesus be led by the Spirit in the wilderness at this particular moment in his life?

Unmasking the temptations
One way of thinking about the temptations is that they are different expressions of power. The first is the power to exploit the land for our own profit (turning the stone to bread), the second is the power of domination and Empire (authority over all the kingdoms of the world) and the third is the power of entitlement (God will protect us whatever we do). Jesus unmasks these as ‘false’ powers.

What do these temptations look like today? What are we, as individuals and as the Church, tempted by?

Wisdom of the old
Three times Jesus replies “It is written…”. He is rooted in ‘the old Story’ of his people and draws on scripture to reject the temptations of the Devil.

Where do we draw our strength from in the wilderness? What are we rooted in?

Lenten journeys: looking ahead

Do you have any particular ways of ‘journeying’ through Lent? Is there something you would like to try to do differently in response to this study, to live out your faith?

This study is inspired by Ched Myer's writings "Led by the Spirit into the Wilderness: Reflections on Lent, Jesus’ Temptations & Indigeneity". Ched Myers is an activist, theologian and biblical scholar. Some of his writings are available to download from his website: http://www.chedmyers.org