A Wilderness Experience ~ Mark 1:9-15 ~ First Sunday in Lent

This was no way for Jesus to celebrate his baptism…

Just moments ago, the heavens were torn open, the Holy Spirit descended on him like a dove; and a voice confirms that he is God’s beloved Son…

Then immediately, the Holy Spirit casts Jesus out into the wilderness for forty days…

To be tempted by Satan… 

To live among wild animals…

For Forty days Jesus could be attacked by bandits…  For forty days he could die of exposure, starvation, dehydration…

Forty days in this God-forsaken place.

Most of us have never had to literally “survive” forty days in the wilderness.  But we all have “wilderness experiences” like Jesus did.  We all go through dark and difficult times, times when threats and pains and temptations afflict us.  We feel alone, helpless, and broken.  Every wilderness experience feels as though it will last forever.   

And it is always during our wilderness experiences that Satan goes on the attack…  It is in these times that you’re afraid—and Satan will exploit your fears in order to break your faith—and break you…

Unlike the wilderness temptation narratives of Matthew and Luke, Mark does not describe any of the temptations that Jesus faced during these forty days.  But we can easily imagine the ways Satan tempted Jesus—because Satan tempts each of us in the same way.

With no source of food, shelter, or water, and with wild beasts and bandits all around, Satan would be telling Jesus “God has abandoned you.  If God truly loved you, you wouldn’t be going through all this.  God isn't pleased with you.  God hates you.  You won’t make it out here…”

Not content to stop there, Satan would also be to lure Jesus into disobedience, so as to say: “Why obey a God who would do this to you?  God's not going to take care of you—so take care of yourself.  Do whatever you want.  Make God serve you.  And if God doesn’t give you what you want, then curse God.”

Out in the wilderness, Satan stops at nothing to drive you toward doubt and disobedience.  And it is so easy to believe the devil’s lies because all the threats and setbacks we suffer would suggest that they're true.  It’s easy to doubt God’s love and faithfulness when we suffer.  It’s easy to believe that God has abandoned us when we consider the enormity of our sin.

But in the wilderness (which was, by all indications, a God-forsaken place) God cared for Jesus.  God didn’t leave him out there to fend for himself.  God sent angels to serve Jesus.  God’s care gave Jesus the faith that carried him through.  Out in the wilderness, Jesus learned to trust in God’s promises and God’s faithfulness with all the threats and all the danger around him.  God’s care gave Jesus the strength to stand firm against Satan’s attacks. 

It is certain that we all will have our time in the wilderness—but God’s promise to us is that we’ll never be alone when we’re there.  Regardless of where life takes you, you will never be alone.  God will be there to take care for you.   God will not allow you to be destroyed.

When Satan is on the attack, you can count on God to be there to defend you.  And God will be stronger than Satan.  God will always be stronger than the pain and the agony we suffer.

We cannot know the mind of God so as to understand the reasons why we’re going through these tough times…  But when you’re in the wilderness, God will stop at nothing to make his presence known.  God’s strength will fill you when you’re at your weakest.  God’s grace will give you courage to face your fears.  By caring for you in your crisis, God will draw into a deeper and more powerful relationship. 

In the hour of trial, God speaks to you a Word of Truth—a Word that God spoke at your baptism:

“You are my beloved child.”

 This is a truth that does not change—regardless of whether things are at their worst, or we have sinned our worst…

And as members of the Body of Christ, our duty is to speak God’s Word of truth.  In a time such as this, all of us know someone who’s going through the wilderness right now.  They are our sisters and brothers gathered here among us.  Yet they are also our neighbors; people known to us and strangers as well; people near and far—precious lives that are being harassed and destroyed by suffering and evil. 

God sends us to be angels who care for them.  You are sent so that others may know Jesus Christ because they know you.  This is what it means to “go in peace and serve the Lord.”  This is what it means to live as a baptized child of God.

It’s a dark and dangerous world out there—but God’s plan for the redemption of the world will not fail.  So do not be afraid when the darkness falls over you; do not be afraid as God sends you to serve.  You are a beloved child of God.  God will have the victory.