The LCA provides this sermon edited for lay-reading, with thanks to the original author.

1st Sunday in Lent, Year B

Mark 1:9-15

SHARING IN CHRIST’S WILDERNESS VICTORY

Life is full of tests. There’s no getting around them – tests of body, heart and mind. There are various medical tests we’re required to take, and all for a good purpose. Then there are some people and all too often mishaps that test our patience sorely. Sometimes we see these tests coming. At other times they sneak up on us, coming just after an occasion of exhilaration. Times of temptation often follow times of spiritual exhilaration. It was like that for our Lord. Immediately after the exhilarating moment of his Baptism[MP1] when the heavens were torn open and the Spirit descended on him and his heavenly Father affirmed his identity and gave his seal of approval to Jesus’ mission, he is driven out into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to test his sense of mission.

There’s a note of urgency behind being driven there. It’s almost as if our Saviour is challenging Satan to do battle, so Jesus can curtail his demonic activities. St. Mark depicts a life and death confrontation, in which our eternal future is at stake, in terms which suggest the temptation of Adam and Eve in Paradise. By being victorious over Satan, our Lord re-opens the gates of Paradise for us again. Satan comes in his disguise as an “angel of light”, suggesting that bad things are really good[MP2]. Early Christian art depicts Satan as a beautiful winged youth, as if to hint that he’s a master of deception who makes evil actions look so attractive.

Jesus had been fasting for 40 days so he was starving hungry[MP3]! To show that He’s truly God’s Son, Satan wants Jesus to turn stones into bread. In saying “no” despite His physical need, Jesus was making the point that he had come to satisfy a deeper, spiritual hunger. [MP4]Jesus said (on another occasion): “My food is to do the will of God who sent Me (John 4:34).” Jesus uses the weapon of God’s Word to put Satan back in his box and to show how He identifies with us: “Humans don’t live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God (v4).”

Jesus pictures God in constant conversation with his world through his word[MP5]. Jesus’ reply doesn’t mean we have no need of food. Rather, he is called to speak God’s word to us, which is about more than food. In light of eternity, can there be anything more important than hearing and obeying God’s word? Many Christians have shared Jeremiah’s response to God’s word: “Your words were found, and I ate them and Your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart (Jeremiah 15:16).” Jesus came to meet our deepest needs rather than his own needs.

Satan now seems to say to Jesus. “By saying ‘no’ to bread from stones, you show your trust in God. Now let everyone see its extent by throwing yourself down from the temple pinnacle.” Satan is suggesting that then, because of that spectacular act, people will be in awe of Jesus and treat Him like a wonder-making celebrity[MP6]. The crisis Satan suggests is an artificial one and not one that arises from obedient service to God. Furthermore, he misquotes Scripture for his own selfish purpose. If Christ had descended from the temple, He’d be accepted by the masses before they had heard His message about the kind of Saviour He really is. Jesus came not to display His awesome might, but to humbly identify with us in all the limits of our own daily lives, and with the precarious and vulnerable nature of life on this earth. The gods of the ancient world stood aloof from and untouched by the hassles and frustrations of everyday human life. Jesus didn’t.

Jesus experienced firsthand hunger, thirst, tiredness, frustration, being misunderstood and reprimanded by those closest to Him, and even fear of death. He is able, therefore, to sympathise with us when we face temptation. “Because He Himself suffered and has been tempted, He is able to help those who are tempted (Hebrews 2:18).” Jesus understands how persuasive temptations can sound. When we say “yes” to temptation, our dear Saviour doesn’t reject us or give up on us, but longs to forgive us and to strengthen us against any future temptation. Hence our Lord counsels us: “Watch and pray, lest you give in to temptation, for the spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41).”

The devil seeks to make bad things look good, and to make the good look dull and uninviting. Satan wants us to think that virtues like obeying God and His Word are no longer relevant in our modern world. He peddles half-truths[MP7], implying that today’s problems are too difficult for Jesus to help us with. Satan puts dangerous thoughts into our minds like, “you have more important things to do than pray every day.” Dr. S. Chadwick reminds us, “Satan dreads nothing but prayer. His own concern is to keep us from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies; prayerless work, prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks our wisdom, but trembles when we pray.” Never underestimate the power of prayer. “More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.”

Satan suggests to you, “Why shouldn’t you have a life of ease and comfort? You owe it to yourself.” Ignore that self-centred suggestion and instead take heed of what God’s Word says: “Each of us must please our neighbour for the good purpose of building up her or him (Romans 15:2).” Often it’s easier to choose between what’s good and what’s obviously bad, than it is to choose between what’s good and what’s much better as far as God is concerned. It’s okay to rest on Sundays, but it’s infinitely better to go to God’s House and to hear His message for you for the week ahead. God has a message tailor-made to your needs, either in the prayers, the sermon or in the hymns and songs chosen for that Sunday.

The word “devil” means to “split apart”. Satan seeks to split you apart from God by getting you to spend less and less time with God and going to worship less frequently. By keeping you away from God’s House, Satan gets you to focus on your difficult-to-solve problems instead of God, who is greater than all your problems. God can deal with every problem that comes your way, in a way that strengthens your faith as long as you stay in close contact with Him. A boy was sitting under a farmer’s apple tree. The farmer approached the boy and asked him: “What are you doing? Are you trying to steal an apple?” The boy replied, “No sir. I’m trying not to.” Relying on our own strength, we’re no match for many of life’s temptations. Just because our Lord won the victory over Satan in the wilderness, it doesn’t mean we will always be victorious too.

We need to cling to the words of Jesus, like: “In the world you will face troubles, but be of good cheer! I have defeated the world (John 16:33).” God’s Word reassures you, “God’s Spirit, who is in you, is greater than the devil, who is in the world” and “This is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. Who is it that conquers the world, but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God (1 John 4:4, 5:4)?”

We’re tempted, not because we’re wicked, but because we are “the light of the world” and “the salt of the earth” in our community. As such, we’re of strategic importance for maintaining and advancing Christ’s cause in our town and region. If we’re tempted regularly, it may be because we have a strong faith which, in Satan’s eyes, is worthy of attack, so as to undermine Christ’s cause. God lets our faith be tested in order to strengthen it or reveal to us areas in which it needs strengthening from His Word so that it can grow and flourish. God tests our faithfulness to Him, desiring a good outcome, while Satan tests us in the hope that we will fail. Those who pass this test with flying colours are described in the New Testament as “attested” and “approved”.

If we had never been tempted, we would never know victory over temptation, and if we never knew victory, we would never know the joy of being overcomers. Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Aware of our own vulnerability, we will more readily sympathise with others who have given into temptation, and we will pray for them, even as Jesus is praying for us.

“Every temptation that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps His promise, and He will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, He will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out (1 Corinthians 10:13).”

Our Father in Heaven, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

1

[MP1]Lower case

[MP2]This could also be clearer: ‘…suggesting that evil will often take on the appearance of being good’ or similar.

[MP3]This sentence is problematic. ‘Starvingly’ isn’t a word! Also I’m not convinced that this is the only time Jesus fasted – that is rather a strong statement that would need to be verified or at the very least qualified. I’m also not convinced that Jesus’ fasting was only because he wanted check out what it’s like to be hungry! I suggest we remove the sentence completely and move on. 

[MP4]Really? Does Jesus actually say this? So was Jesus wrong to feed the 5000 via miraculous means. Maybe change to: ‘In saying “no” despite His physical need, Jesus was making the point that he had come to satisfy a deeper, spiritual hunger.’

[MP5]Small ‘w’ in this case

[MP6]Potentially a bit of unsubstantiated conjecture here… but I’ll let it slide this time. 

[MP7]half-truths