Lean In // 5 minutes
What are all the voluntary “instruments of death” used to catch animals and insects?
Sample answers may include
- Fishhooks
- Bear trap
- Mouse trap
- Fly paper
- Bug zapper
Leader Note: Transition your group to the text by saying something like… “Temptation is the biblically equivalent to these types of traps.”
Look Down // 10 minutes
Read Luke 4:1-13
What do you learn about temptation?
Sample answers may include
- It can come when we’re full of the Holy Spirit (v.1)
- The spirit can lead us to wilderness places (v.1)
- While the spirit may lead us there it’s the devil that does the tempting (v.2)
- It can come in moments of weakness (v.2) and moments of strength (v.1)
- The devil offers us something we want and often think we need (v.3)
- The devil wants to steal our identity through temptation (v.3)
- We can combat temptation by using God’s word (v.4,8,12)
- Temptation is alluring but comes at a cost (v.5-7)
- Temptation is a question of what will we worship (v.7-8)
- The devil will also tempt us to misuse gifts that we have. It may not be a sin to use them but the manner or reason in which we use can lead to sin (v.3, 9-10)
- The devil knows how to use and misuse scripture against us (v.10-11)
- The devil is very persistent and patient with how he tempts up (v.13)
Look Out // 10 minutes
Where have you seen people give in to temptation? What was the allure of the temptation and what were the costs in giving in to it?
Where have you seen people not give in to temptation? What were the costs and what were the benefits?
Commentary: There’s a price to pay when you give in to temptation and there’s also a temporary cost we pay when we resist. As with Jesus, Satan brings about temptation that is aimed at robbing us from our identity. We can easily loose ourselves and put others in harms way by continually giving in to temptation.
Look In // 20 minutes
What are the traps of temptation that the Devil sets for you?
Commentary: Satan knows how to tempt you. He will come at you with things you desire or feel entitled to have. The more we become personal aware of those areas in our lives where we are susceptible to temptation the better we can be prepared to resist.
What do you think he wants to steal from you in setting those traps?
How can you prepare yourself to resist temptation?
Sample answers may include
- By remaining honest about the areas of weakness and sharing it with others
- By staying in God’s word
- By staying in a trusting community, my Life Group!
- Avoiding situations where we open ourselves up to temptation
- Through walking in step with the power of the Holy Spirit
- By cultivating thankfulness
- Through remembrance in our identity in Christ, who He says we are
Live It Out // 5 minutes
Who could you impact by resisting temptation?
Pray: Pray for the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to give courage and strength to avoid giving in to temptation. Pray for eyes to be open to see temptation for what it is… a trap by the enemy to rob us of our identity and purpose.