First Sunday in Lent

Collect
Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan; Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

First Lesson: Genesis 2:4b-9,15-17,25-3:7
When the LORD God made the earth and the heavens-- and no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth and no plant of the field had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no man to work the ground, but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground-- the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. And the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground--trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."

25 The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, `You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"

The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, `You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' "

"You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

Second Lesson: Romans 5:12-19(20-21)
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned-- for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.

But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Psalm: 51

  1. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your
    loving-kindness; *
    in your great compassion blot out my offenses.
  2. Wash me through and through from my wickedness *
    and cleanse me from my sin.
  3. For I know my transgressions, *
    and my sin is ever before me.
  4. Against you only have I sinned *
    and done what is evil in your sight.
  5. And so you are justified when you speak *
    and upright in your judgment.
  6. Indeed, I have been wicked from my birth, *
    a sinner from my mother's womb.
  7. For behold, you look for truth deep within me, *
    and will make me understand wisdom secretly.
  8. Purge me from my sin, and I shall be pure; *
    wash me, and I shall be clean indeed.
  9. Make me hear of joy and gladness, *
    that the body you have broken may rejoice.
  10. Hide your face from my sins *
    and blot out all my iniquities.
  11. Create in me a clean heart, O God, *
    and renew a right spirit within me.
  12. Cast me not away from your presence *
    and take not your holy Spirit from me.
  13. Give me the joy of your saving help again *
    and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.
  14. I shall teach your ways to the wicked, *
    and sinners shall return to you.
  15. Deliver me from death, O God, *
    and my tongue shall sing of your righteousness,
    O God of my salvation.
  16. Open my lips, O Lord, *
    and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
  17. Had you desired it, I would have offered sacrifice, *
    but you take no delight in burnt-offerings.
  18. The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit; *
    a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
  19. Be favorable and gracious to Zion, *
    and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
  20. Then you will be pleased with the appointed sacrifices,
    with burnt-offerings and oblations; *
    then shall they offer young bullocks upon your altar.

Gospel: Matthew 4:1-11
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." Jesus answered, "It is written: `Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written:

`He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'"

Jesus answered him, "It is also written: `Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.

"All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."

Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: `Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'"

Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Collect & Psalm from the Book of Common Prayer
Other excerpts from the New International Bible