Materials Included
• 4 Sessions of Learner’s Materials
• 4 Sessions of Teaching Materials
• 5 Handouts

Scriptures
1. Luke 4:1-13
2. Luke 13:1-9
3. Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
4. Luke 22:14--23:56

Brief Description
In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus’ earthly ministry both began and ended with the threat of suffering and death, a threat brought on by the very same people that he had been sent to set free. Yet, something that was revealed to him during those 40 days in the wilderness would make him into not only a mere disturber of the peace, but indeed, a disturber of the peace for the entire millennia!

During those fateful 40 days, Jesus had to come to terms with realizing that the kind of mission God had in mind for him would bring enormous pain as well as endanger his very life. He learned that the path before him would bring agony and death, not only for himself, but also for any of the faithful who dared take his message to heart. No wonder he was seriously tempted to try a completely alternate route!

After all, surely there had to be a better way than that of the cross; even the Devil made a compelling case. But although temptation to follow the ways of the world, the ways of domination and subjection, would continue, the story of the temptations of Jesus—and thereby the story of Lent as well—is also the story of the road to the cross, the story of the one and only way.

Jesus’ way is the way of servanthood and sacrifice, not manipulation and control. His is a story of the kind of power that is wrought by humility, by giving selflessly to others. His version of triumph does not involve worldly conquest, but a victory on a much larger scale. In fact, his indictment of all thinking that justifies domination by a presumption of superior righteousness was so revolutionary that the authorities immediately decided they had to get rid of him—somehow, some way.

But despite the efforts of Christ’s opponents, even in the modern world, anyone who claims the right to control others on the basis that they are "better" stands accused by the message Jesus brought into the world. And, likewise, those who humble themselves to say, ?Have mercy on me, a sinner,? stand redeemed by the self-emptying love spoken so magnificently at Calvary.

by Brian Austin

User License
The purchaser of this file has permission to print twenty copies of this Learners Study Guide. Neither the file nor the printed contents may be sold copied or transferred to another person or church. The purchaser may make a backup copy of the file.

The purchaser of this file has permission to print one copy of this Teaching Guide. Neither the file nor the printed contents may be sold, copied or transferred to another person or church. The purchaser may make a backup copy of the file.

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