Mark 1:9-15 (Genesis 9:8-17)
Journeying with Jesus through Lent #1: ‘Into the Wilderness’
Sermon Series: Lent 2009
Both our stories from the Bible have common themes for us today, as last Wednesday (Ash Wednesday) we began our Lenten preparations, and as the global economic crisis seems to cast its dark shadow over the lives of so many people.
Our first theme is that of ‘Wilderness’ – the wilderness Jesus experienced, and our ‘wilderness’ experiences.
Our second theme is the ‘Bringer of New Life’ – in the person of Jesus, and in us as we follow his example.
The third theme is ‘New Beginnings in a New Relationship with God’ – surely what we all strive for, as Christian people, through our Lenten reflections and prayer as we look towards the wonder, the deep joy, of Easter.
But first, I suppose we all know the story of Noah? We can see these three themes clearly in this story. It’s a story I grew up with, and remember from early childhood. In a nutshell, God decides that the only way to ‘redeem’ the world is to begin again. To begin again with a small family – Noah and his wife, their three sons and their wives. God decided to begin again with creation: Noah is entrusted to collect and care for seven pairs each of ‘clean’ animals and birds, and one pair each of ‘unclean’ animals (there seems to be a place for the ‘imperfect’ even in God’s new creation!). God’s will seems to be to ‘destroy evil’ and replace with ‘good’. Also in the Noah story are the forty days and nights in what we might call the ‘wilderness’ of the flood – then the messenger of New Life comes in the form of a dove returning with a freshly-plucked olive leaf. Then the glorious sign of New Relationship with God – the rainbow: the sign of a New Covenant Promise that God will never again destroy the earth with water.
Mark’s account of Jesus’ baptism begins with water, of course, and again we see the dove (the Holy Spirit) as the bringer of New Life – a life lived with God’s pleasure affirmed and blessing bestowed upon Jesus. God decided that the only way to ‘redeem’ the world is by entering into the world in a very personal, intimate way – in the person of Jesus. God decides to enter the world and be alongside those who suffer, who are lost, and who are the victims of the evil of the world. God decides to enter the world in Jesus, who is to proclaim the possibility of a new relationship with God, and the nearness of God’s kingdom. But first, before Jesus’ public ministry begins, a time of preparation – a time in the wilderness for forty days and nights. A time of focusing on his dependence on God (his need of God over and above everything else in – and of – the world). And it is also a time of temptation (the temptation to depend upon the power and influence of the world – to let the ways of the ‘world’ take precedence over God’s ways).
Let’s concentrate upon Jesus’ wilderness experience for a while – and upon the trials he battled with. For even though Mark does not mention the Tempter’s challenges specifically (as do Matthew 4:1ff and Luke 4:1ff) perhaps they are especially relevant to us as we begin our forty days and night journey through Lent – and as the greater part of the world is plunged into the effects of economic recession.
The first trial Jesus is faced with is the temptation to satisfy his hunger. Yet there is more here than meets the eye, for it is a temptation to use his God-given power for his own personal use. Certainly, and if we take as examples the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ feeding the multitudes and providing wine from water, we can be assured that he had the ability to turn stones into bread. The Tempter is tempting Jesus to misuse the POWER he has – the power that is a gift of God.
The second trial Jesus is faced with is to worship his Tempter. And what would be the reward? POWER! It would be the authority and glory he would gain as governor, as ruler, of the whole world and all its kingdoms. What power that would be! And what riches and influence would be his – just like that! And what a temptation it is today, for individuals, corporations, multi-nationals, and nations. The Tempter is still there in our midst, tempting humanity with the promise of great worldly power and wealth. And the Tempter’s influence is being so devastatingly felt today.
The third challenge Jesus receives from the Tempter is to throw himself from a great height, to prove that he is the Son of God, and that God will protect him from all danger. Imagine the scene if Jesus had agreed to submit to the Tempter’s request! Imagine the crowds gathering (for the Tempter loves to display his power over his subjects!) to witness the great ability of Jesus the Messiah as he performs such a wonderful feat! And imagine how great the acclaim and fortune of Jesus would be as he defies even the laws of gravity (not that they would have called it that!). Certainly news would travel fast of his POWER and his fame.
Yes, again the temptation here is to wield great POWER – the temptation to take all the glory and honour for a display of great personal power – the glory, honour and power that rightfully belongs to God.
So, one way we can think about the temptations Jesus faced in the wilderness, is to consider them as temptations to usurp God’s power, to misuse (abuse) God’s power, and to take as one’s own the glory, the honour that rightfully belongs only to God. And it hardly needs saying that, when faced with these temptations, Jesus dismisses them – and he denies the Tempter the POWER to control him.
We don’t need to look very far in our world today to find those who are pre-occupied with the acquisition of power. The wielding of power over other individuals, corporations, banking institutions, multi-nationals and nations. The manipulation of markets, the vast profits that benefit the few; the vast losses that adversely affect us all. The world is a darker place because of the lust for power – for power is only ever exercised OVER others. The POWER that has entrapped the human spirit, and has brought so much injustice, pain and conflict. The Tempter has been – and continues to be – active in the world, and counts success upon success in persuading people to accept his corrupt offers of POWER. It is sad, but the response of so may people to the Tempter’s offers has been, “Yes! I’ll do it!”
But what was, and is, God’s response to this ‘diabolic’ temptation to acquire – and all-too often to misuse – POWER that seems to influence and rule the world? The Holy Spirit of God led Jesus into the wilderness where he was exposed to great vulnerability and weakness. Remember that God chose to enter the world and human (Christian) history in complete powerLESSness and weakness – as a baby. And Jesus’ human story ends in complete powerLESSness as he is crucified on that cross. The powerLESSness of the manger leads to the powerLESSness of the wilderness and ultimately to the powerLESSness of the cross.
The power of the world is exposed as being complete folly! God appears amongst us (in what seems to be weakness to the world) to unmask the illusion, the danger, of worldly power; to disarm the diabolic power that rules the world, by revealing what the true nature of power is.
For that which seems powerLESSness, weakness, to the world is the POWER that transforms darkness into light, the wilderness into places of great beauty, death into life in all its fullness. This is the power of God, shown to us in the life, death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. it is the transforming power of love, justice and equity that heals wounds, that brings people together, and that brings people together with God.
Here is the Easter hope to which we are called to prepare for, look forward to, in these dark times of Lenten wilderness and of deepening economic recession. We are Easter People – people of light and hope and faith in the Resurrection, of New Life. Let us hold that light close to our hearts; that hope deep within our hearts, that faith showing through our lives, in all our words and actions. All to give glory and honour to God, in whose Holy Spirit we gain all the authority and power to be – and become – Christ-like. Thanks be to God. Amen
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Disclaimer: I have been privileged to share with God’s people, for more than ten years since my Ordination, many, many sermons and Bible studies. As so often, preachers ‘absorb’ words and other insights without knowing or remembering their original source. If any of the above seems somehow ‘familiar’, please accept my humble apologies – I have not wittingly reproduced any writing as my own that should be otherwise acknowledged.
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