Worship on the First Sunday in Lent
10:00 am February 22, 2026
Minister: The Rev. Brad Childs Music Director: Binu Kapadia
Vocalist: Linda Farrah-Basford Elder: Renita MacCallum
Children’s time: Brad Reader: Marilyn Fort
We gather to worship God
Music prelude
Greeting
L: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you
P: and also with you
Lighting of the Christ candle
Welcome and announcements
Preparation for worship
Call to worship:
L: God holds us in a covenant of grace. The promise to Noah is our promise too: God will never destroy the whole world in order to make things new.
P: Rather, God will work through us to make things new.
L: We need change that turns us inside out, focusing us on the needs of those around us.
P: May we embrace the changes that will leave fear behind and open up a whole new world ahead.
Opening praise: Come, now is the time to worship
Prayers of approach and confession
Gracious and faithful God, you are the One who leads us into wilderness places, not to abandon us, but to draw us closer to your heart. Like your Son Jesus, we come hungry for your presence, thirsty for your truth, and ready to trust your guidance. Approach us now with your Spirit, the same Spirit who descended at the Jordan and led Jesus into the desert. Open our eyes to see your provision, our ears to hear your Word, and our hearts to worship you alone. We draw near in the name of Jesus, who faced every temptation yet without sin, and who invites us to follow him.
Merciful God, you led Jesus into the wilderness to be tested, and he triumphed where we so often fail. We confess that we have given in to temptation:
- when hunger—for security, success, or comfort—has led us to grasp at quick fixes instead of waiting on your Word;
- when pride has tempted us to test your love, demanding signs and spectacles rather than walking humbly in trust;
- when the lure of power, approval, or ease has drawn us to bow before other gods, compromising our loyalty to you alone.
Like Israel in the desert, we have grumbled, tested you, and turned aside. Forgive us for the times we have lived by bread alone, presumed on your grace, and served what is not you. In this Lenten season, lead us back to the path of obedience. Strip away our self-reliance and renew us by your Spirit. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our victorious Saviour.
Response: I will trust in the Lord
Assurance of God’s pardon
The Apostle Paul declared our hope, asking the question: “Who is in a position to condemn?”
The Answer? “Only Christ – and Christ died for us; Christ rose for us; Christ reigns in power for us; Christ prays for us.” Trust this Good News. In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven and set free by God’s generous grace.
We listen for the voice of God.
Song: Open our eyes, Lord (445)
Children’s time
Today is the very first Sunday in Lent, that’s the special time before Easter when we think about following Jesus more closely, changing some things in our hearts, and getting ready for the big joy of Easter.
Lent lasts for 40 days, beginning with Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunrise. During that time, people generally give something up to identify with Jesus, spending 40 days in the desert without food or drink. So we often give up one food or one thing for the 40 days (not counting Sunday because that’s a cheat day)
Common things people give up for Lent include
Chocolate, Candy, Coffee, Pop, Meat, Fast Food, Social Media, Video Games, and Online Shopping.
But what if instead of just giving something up, we added something to. So maybe we decide to give up saying mean things to our siblings. But maybe it’s better to decide that instead of something mean, we say something nice. Instead of just giving up the desert, maybe we can make a point to give our desert away to another kid who doesn’t have one. Maybe instead of just not doing something bad, we add doing something good in the world too. Maybe you will join me in trying Lent for a little while. Talk to your families and see what they think. I bet, together, you can come up with some really wonderful ways to prepare for Easter over the next 40 days.
And now we say the prayer you taught the very first of your disciples to pray…
The Lord’s Prayer (535)
Song: Forty days and forty nights (197)
Scripture: Matthew 4:1–11
Response: Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
Message: Temptation is so Darn Tempting
Jesus comes from the mountain top experience into the desert. Temptation is temping and lows seem to come for us right when we are doing our best. How do we deal with testing? How did Jesus deal with it?
You’ve just come down from the mountaintop of your life. The heavens have split open, a voice like thunder has declared you beloved, and the Spirit has anointed you for your calling. You’re buzzing with purpose, ready to step into the world and change it. And then… bam! The Holy Spirit appears. It’s undeniable, and when the Spirit appears, the Spirit leads you straight out into the desert, into no man’s land… into a lawless mess of a place. No fanfare. No crowds. Just sand, silence, and the slithering voice of the enemy whispering doubts into your soul. That’s where we find Jesus today, in Matthew chapter 4, verses 1 through 11. This isn’t just a story from two thousand years ago; it’s a blueprint for every battle you’ll ever face. It’s the tale of the Temptation in the Wilderness, or as the Greeks put it, the “testing”, where the Son of God stares down Satan and shows us how to win the war for our souls.
Let me set the scene for you. Picture the Jordan River, still rippling from Jesus’ baptism. The water’s fresh on his skin, the dove-like Spirit hovering, and God’s voice booming: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” If ever there was a spiritual high, this is it. But the very next word in our Bibles? It’s just “then”. It’s “then”. “Then?” I suspect you have been there. You are on the mountain top; things are going great, and “Then”… something happens.
Think” gaming, risk-taking, avoidance, dating pressures, excessive partying, casual relationships, Pride, career shortcuts, office gossip, workaholism, peer competition, neglecting loved ones, overspending, living in nostalgia, clinging to past roles, self-isolating and more.
Lows whisper to us just after highs. We fall into traps easily. The reality for many of us is that we don’t feel worthy, and that’s our demise. Unfortunately, we do not love ourselves as much as our God loves us, and as a result, we collapse most often, just after we have felt most loved. Let me say that again… “Unfortunately, we do not love ourselves as much as our God loves us, and as a result, we collapse most often, just after we have felt most loved”. Our silly ideas about our own unworthiness mess with our heads. And here’s the thing, we aren’t worthy and don’t have to be. That’s the solution Jesus brings; we don’t have to be. He did it for us.
FAR TOO OFTEN: We forget… that to love our neighbours as ourselves presupposes that we know how to LOVE OURSELVES!!!
Here in the Bible, in original Greek, it’s “tote,” a simple connector that means “right then, immediately after or directly following.” In this case, the great thing comes… and “THEN” (TOTE) the not-so-great thing comes “right after”. As per usual, the mountain top becomes the valley. We have all been “Way up here!” and then “Way down here” just after!
As it is for all of us, temptation doesn’t wait for you to catch your breath. It crashes the party the moment God stamps his approval on your life. How many of you have felt that? A breakthrough prayer answered, a door of opportunity swung wide… and suddenly, the doubts flood. That’s no coincidence. It’s the enemy playbook, your self-doubt, the deceiver. But here’s the beauty: Jesus doesn’t stumble into this. Verse 1 tells us Jesus “was led up by the Holy Spirit” into the wilderness to be tested by the devil.
You may be in good company!!!
Notice the gospel reads, “Led,” not “dragged”. The Greek word is “anēchthē”; it is in the passive voice and paints a picture of gentle guidance, like a shepherd calling his sheep to green pastures. Except these pastures are barren rock and scrub brush. Jesus goes willingly, because this is a divine appointment, not divine punishment. And which Spirit leads him? The Holy Spirit, the same one who descended like a dove at his baptism, the same one who empowers you and me today. This isn’t some rogue force; it’s God’s own “Ruach,” or “Wind,” or “Breath,” propelling Jesus into the fight. Sometimes it’s God who takes you into places you may not wish to go. Maybe I should say that one again… sometimes it’s God that takes us into the places we don’t really want to go.
The wilderness? Think Judean badlands near the Jordan. It is an area where no government has control. It’s a lot like the “high seas” today, where no nation has a particularly superior claim to any form of rules.
In these thousands upon thousands of kilometres of sun-baked desolation, where jackals howl and mirages mock your thirst, you eventually come to the kind of raw hardship that strips you down to your core. Biblically, it’s loaded with symbolism: Remember Israel’s forty years wandering there? They grumbled, they idolized, they failed the test. Now Jesus steps into that same arena, ready to pass it with flying colours.
And pass it he does. But first, the setup. Verse 2: “He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was famished.” Fasting, voluntary abstinence from food, sometimes water, to sharpen your spiritual edge: prayer on an empty stomach, is dependence dialled up to eleven. I’ve attempted this three times and done it once before, and it isn’t fun. But why forty?
That number screams “testing period” in Scripture. For Noah, it rained 40 days; Moses spent 40 days without food on Mt. Sinai; Israel wandered 40 years in the desert; Israel scouted the promised land 40 days. Elijah fasted 40 days on Mount Horeb. Jonah had 40 days to warn Nineveh.
Jesus is echoing them all, but he’s about to rewrite the ending. By the end of it, he’s “famished,” starved, human as you or me, body screaming for relief. Vulnerability exposed. And just like we talked about… It is just after the highs that all the negative stuff hits you in the face. That’s when this happens to Jesus, because that’s when the tempter strikes all of us.
Enter the “devil” (the word for “Deceiver” or “Con Artist”), who shows up stage left. It isn’t just one being; it is something bigger than that imposed on us. It’s much more terrifying than just one single being. It’s a reality, and one most of us pretend isn’t.
Verse 3: “The Con Artist came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.'” Who is this tempter? Satan himself—the adversary, the accuser, the father of lies. He doesn’t announce with horns and pitchfork; he slinks in like a salesman with a silver tongue. Notice the hook: “If… you… are… the Son of God.” (God JUST SAID, THIS is MY SON)
It’s not a question; it’s a dare, preying on the fresh echo of God’s voice from the baptism.
“Prove it,” Satan sneers. “Show me”.
Turn these worthless rocks into a bakery.” It’s clever, isn’t it? Jesus is the Creator who multiplied loaves for thousands later on. Why not now, for himself? Why not skip the hunger and flex that divine muscle?
But Jesus doesn’t bite. Verse 4: “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” Boom. Scripture as sword. He’s quoting Deuteronomy 8:3, straight from Moses’ wilderness playbook, words God spoke to Israel when they were starving and whining for Egypt’s onions while spending, that’s right, 40… years there.
“Man shall not live by bread alone,” Jesus declares. The point? Calories don’t fuel true life; it’s fed by obedience to God’s voice. Satan wants Jesus to play God on his terms, independent, self-reliant, proving his sonship through spectacle. But Jesus says no. He trusts the Father’s timing. He remembers the manna: God provides, but only when and how HE chooses.
How often have you had to face this first temptation? The growl in your gut, for success, security, stuff, that whispers, “Take it now. Make it happen. God’s too slow.” Jesus models the win: Starve the flesh, feast on the Word. Let God’s provision be your bread, not your backup plan.
Satan’s not done. He pivots like a pro wrestler, changing the ring entirely. Verse 5: “Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple.” Same devil, same game, just a new level. Jerusalem’s holy city, buzzing with pilgrims and priests. The temple? Herod’s masterpiece, gleaming white stone on the city’s crest. And the pinnacle? Scholars say it’s that dizzying southeast corner, a parapet or platform thrusting out over a 450-foot drop to the Kidron Valley below. Public as can be. One wrong step, and it’s a splat heard ’round the nation. Satan plops Jesus there, wind whipping, crowds milling like ants far below. “If you are the Son of God,” he hisses again, verse 6, “throw yourself down, for it is written…”
Wait… he quotes Scripture? “He will command his angels concerning you, and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.'” Psalm 91:11-12 is a beautiful promise of God’s protection for those who dwell in his shelter. It fits, right? Angels on call, safety net supreme. But here’s the twist: Satan cherry-picks and perverts. This isn’t about trusting God in peril; it’s about “manufacturing” peril to force God’s hand. Jump, Jesus. Make a spectacle. Let the temple throng see you soar, angels catching you like a circus act. Prove your identity with pyrotechnics. It’s the temptation to presume on God: to twist protection into presumption, faith into folly.
Jesus sees through it like glass. Verse 7: “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'” That “again” is gold; it’s his mic drop, signalling he’s not playing cherry-pick. He’s wielding the full counsel of God—Deuteronomy 6:16, right in the heart of the Shema, Israel’s creed of loyalty.
Remember Exodus 17? Israel, thirsty in the desert, demanding water from Moses: “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?” They tested God, and it nearly sparked a mutiny. Jesus refuses to repeat that sin. Don’t manipulate miracles. Don’t demand divine Instagram moments to validate your calling. Trust comes quietly, in the everyday obedience, not the adrenaline rush.
And this is our second snare: the urge to “test God” with reckless risks. “If you’re real, God, heal this now: spectacularly.” Or “If you love me, drop that dream job in my lap without the grind.” Jesus teaches us: Faith isn’t a daredevil stunt; it’s a steady walk on the narrow path.
One more round.
Satan’s desperate now, pulling out the big guns. Verse 8: “Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.” Again? Yes, persistent predator. This “showing”? Not a Vespa tour of Europe, it’s a supernatural vision, a panoramic hallucination of empires at their peak. Rome’s legions marching, Egypt’s pyramids glinting, Persia’s palaces sprawling. Gold, gems, glory, the whole enchilada of worldly power, dangled like a carrot on a string. Verse 9: “All these I will give you, if you will fall and worship me.”
Worship “him”? The audacity. Satan, the fallen cherub, claiming lordship over creation? It’s a lie wrapped in half-truth, yes, he’s the “prince of this world” for now, but only by squatter’s rights. The temptation? The ultimate shortcut. Jesus’ mission: to reclaim the kingdoms through suffering, the cross, and resurrection. But Satan offers the express lane: Bow once, skip the nails, rule now. It’s idolatry in emperor’s clothes, trading the eternal throne for a knockoff crown. Compromise your allegiance for convenience. Sound familiar? The boardroom deal that bends ethics. The relationship that demands you sideline your faith. The cultural applause that drowns out God’s whisper.
Jesus’ response? Explosive finality. Verse 10: “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.'” No mincing words, “hypage”, get behind me, you ancient serpent. And the Scripture? Deuteronomy 6:13, Moses charging Israel at Moab’s plains: Loyalty to Yahweh alone, no detours to Baal or golden calves. It fits like a glove: pure, unadulterated devotion. Worship isn’t a side hustle; it’s the main event. Serve God only, and the kingdoms fall into place “His” way. Jesus doesn’t negotiate. He doesn’t debate theology. He declares war on the Word and watches the enemy slink away.
Verse 11: “Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.” Left him, “aphēken auton”, abandoned the field. Defeated, for now. But God? He doesn’t leave Jesus hanging. Angels swarm in, “diēkonoun”, serving like waitstaff at a heavenly banquet. Food for the famished, comfort for the weary, strength for the spent. It’s the post-battle feast, divine high-fives all around. Remember Elijah? After his forty-day fast and Mount Carmel showdown, an angel baked him bread and nudged him to eat. Same vibe here. God provides tenderly and timely for those who endure.
Beloved, that’s our story in Jesus. He faced the wilderness, so we don’t have to solo it. Where Israel failed, grumbling for bread, testing at Massah, bowing to the calf, Jesus triumphed. He quotes Deuteronomy like a son reciting his father’s will, turning the law’s shadow into gospel light. Three temptations, three truths: Live by God’s word, not your whims. Trust his protection, don’t presume it. Worship him alone, no rival gods. And the weapon? Scripture, soaked in the Spirit, swung with authority.
So, where does this land for you today? That “then” after your baptism moment: the job loss, the diagnosis, the relational rift… isn’t random. It’s your wilderness, led by the Spirit for testing. Will you fast through the hunger, quoting truth back at the tempter? Will you stand on the pinnacle without jumping, letting God validate you in His way? Will you turn from the mountain’s mirage, eyes fixed on the true King? Jesus didn’t just survive; he succeeded, for you. And when the devil flees, angels await. Your Father sees. He provides. He declares you beloved. Amen.
Song: O Jesus, I have promised (569)
We respond to serve God
Our time of giving
Prayers of the people
Lord God, we offer our gifts in thanksgiving for all the goodness you provide. Bless our gifts and our lives so that we become a source of goodness for others, in the name of Christ, our strength and our hope.
God of all life and each life, we offer you thanks for all the ways we meet you in our daily lives:
In a word of encouragement, (brief silence)
in an insight into truth, (brief silence)
in an answer to prayer. (brief silence)
Thank you for a breath of calm in the midst of stress, and an offer of support when we need it. (brief silence)
Thank you for a sense of accomplishment that our work matters and for moments of rest and relaxation to renew us. (brief silence)
Thank you for all these signs that you love us, understand us and walk with us, Loving God.
Our gratitude for your love reminds us of the need for your mercy in the world.
And so, in times of silence, we pray for:
The world, the people, and the places in the news this week (silence for a count of 10)
Leaders are facing difficult decisions and balancing different needs in complex situations (silence for a count of 10)
Your church and congregations, facing new challenges and opportunities for mission (silence for a count of 10)
Our workplaces and our community are facing many needs and pressures (silence for a count of 10)
Our family, friends and neighbours, especially those facing hard choices these days (silence for a count of 10)
And for ourselves, we offer to you our own concerns (silence for a count of 10)
Thank you for your grace that embraces all for whom we pray, O God.
In the week ahead, help us notice your hand at work in our lives and in this troubled world. Amen.
Song: Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us (647)
Sending out with God’s blessing
As we begin our journey through the season of Lent, remember the words of the prophet Micah: What does the Lord require of us? To do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with our God.
May God’s loving kindness comfort you,
God’s justice inspire you,
and Jesus walk beside you in humility and hope.
Response: The blessing
Music postlude
————————————————————————-
Numbers in brackets after a song/hymn indicate that it is from the 1997 Book of Praise of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Those and other songs are being used in accordance with the specifications of Dayspring’s licensing with One License (3095377) and CLC (A735555).
The Rev. Brad Childs retains the copyright (© 2026) on all original material in this service. As far as Brad Childs is aware, all of the material that has not been attributed to others is his own creation or is in the public domain. Unacknowledged use of copyrighted material is unintentional and will be corrected immediately upon notification being received.
Video recordings of the Sunday Worship messages can be found here on our YouTube Channel.