The scripture for this week is Luke 4:1-30 - The Temptations: Who Is Jesus, Part One
As we begin our reading for the week, the author asserts that we "reconstruct Jesus in our image, as our preconceptions and preferences shape our understandings of the Christ....we create a Jesus conformed to our image instead of the reverse: our being created and conformed to him as the loving God."
How do you respond to this assertion? What images do you hold of Jesus? How does this shape your relationship with Him?
Scripture shows us how Jesus responded when faced with temptation: He leaned on the word of God. The author points out that temptation for us appears in a pleasing form.
What can we learn from Jesus in how to respond?
On page 21, the author quotes Craddock as saying, "All this is to say that a real temptation is an offer not to fall but to rise."
How do you respond to this? Have you ever experienced this? On the flip side, if you have fallen, how did you rise after?
The author says that Luke describes the "real Jesus" in his gospel. As you read this portion of scripture, write a description of the Jesus you find there. Try to be as detailed as possible and include references to specific verses. Write as if you are describing a new friend to your family.
How does this description differ from the images you described in the beginning? What does this make you think?
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