Victory

Series

1 Jesus’ Death for us. Lenten Journey toward the cross. How does Jesus’ death, which happened so long ago and far away, benefit us today?

Context

Texts will sound familiar to you, as we have been reading from Mark ch. 1 for several Sundays.

You are going to hear again his baptism and the beginning of his proclamation. What we are going to focus on today what happens between those two events: The temptation in the wilderness.

Text

Mark 1:9–15 ESV

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him. Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Introduction

Christianity is for weaklings. Grace and God I need your help.

Jesus on the cross may look like a victim. But paradoxical way, Jesus on the cross is actually a victor. He is overcoming the power of evil, a battle that he sets in motion in the wilderness years before.

Exegesis 1. Jesus driven to the wilderness.

Immediately after his baptism Jesus is driven into the wilderness for 40 days to be tempted by the Devil.

Wilderness. A place of temptation and trial. Where God’s people face their inner demons.

Exodus 32. (Deut. 9) Israel waited 40 days while Moses recieved the 10 commandments from God. But instead of being faithful, they gave into the temptation of idolatry.

Numbers 13. God led them to the Promised Land but they were too afraid of the battles ahead to enter into it. Israel wandered for 40 years in the desert.

Jesus: Going into the wilderness for 40 days, joining with the covenant people of Israel, with the intention of making a better choices than they did.

Even deeper: Jesus goes into the wilderness to confront the original instigator of sin: Satan. Having joined with humanity in baptism, Jesus must experience what that entails: vulnerability to temptation.

Hint: “drove out.”

An allusion to what happened in the original creation

In the garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were untouched by sin, enjoying relationship with God.

Until they were tempted by the Devil to eat the fruit of forbidden tree. It is not enough to be with God, enjoy God. Be like God, and apart from God.

They gave into that temptation.

They lost their original holiness.

No longer fit for paradise, they were driven out by God. Into the wilderness where life was not perfect, where there would be toil and pain, wild beasts a threat, and the constant harassment of Satan, under whose dominion they had placed themselves.

Adam and Eve - Made in the image, but then lack of trust, fell.

The long history of humanity since then has been a continuous struggle agains evil within and without.

So, Jesus is driven by God the Spirit into the wilderness to show that he is united with humanity in their struggle against their most ancient and essential foe — Satan, the Adversary, the Tempter.

He goes, a new man without sin ( a new Adam and Eve), to make a better decision than they did.

Current Problem: We live in the wilderness

Last Sunday we talked about mountain top experiences. Feel close tot God. There are also wilderness experiences, when we feel far from him and vulnerable.

A woman who had lost his marriage after she learned she had an illness.

A man loses his job. Can’t provide for family.

We live in a world of wilderness.

wild beasts of people, media, systems and structures, that are dangerous to our bodies, minds, and our spirits.

EWe give into to our own sinful desires.

tendency toward vice. Fleshliness. Commanded to obey the commandments, but then we don’t do it.

Paul, I don’t do what I want to do.

Commanded to move into the holy land, glory of heaven, but two steps forward and one step back.

We still have an ancient foe. Satan.

Who seeks to work us woe.

He is like a lion prowling around looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” The minute we are lost, the minute we are in sin, he is ready and eager to pounce.

Temptation: to doubt God, turn away from God OR turn toward God and trust in him.

On that choice our fate hangs.

HINGE: Temptation becomes a test

No wonder Jesus taught us to pray. God lead us not into temptation. It is too fraught with danger the soul.

Yet God drove Jesus into temptation and we face it too. What gives?

The hinge of the story.

Jesus did not want to go into temptation. He was willing to go, if it was necessary. And it was necessary.

Jesus submits to the temptation of the Devil, at the command of God the Spirit, so that human failure could be transformed into human victory.

Ancient solution: Jesus passes the test

Jesus goes into the wilderness. Driven their by the Spirit. To be vulnerable to the fight with the Devil.

It would seem like an unequal fight.

In this corner: reigning champion: Satan.

A great angel. Previously Lucifer. Light-bearer. Second only to God. So glorious so as to think could rival God. Been tempting people successfully for thousands, and thousands of years, recorded anyway.

In this corner: Jesus a mere man. 30 years old. 170 lbs. Fasting, tired, thirsty.

Jesus doesn’t back down, he engages the fight.

The other evangelists record the nature of the temptations.

If you are the Son of God.

turn the stones to bread…fend for yourself…

take the kingdoms of the world…gain your glory..

throw yourself down from the pinnacle of the temple…make people believe in you…

Use your powers of divinity! Not enough to trust God, be like God, apart from God.

Yet Jesus is not trying to be like God.

He IS God in the flesh, and he is trying to be like man…like man as he should be: trusting God.

So Jesus is steadfast

He overcomes temptation ultimately through trust.

Rather to suffer, than betray God.

Rather to fail, than betray God.

Rather to die, than betray God.

He did it this way to show that the true nature of being human is to trust God and defeat evil.

St. Lawrence of Brindisi comments, “Christ came into the world to do battle against Satan, … He could have accomplished this by using the weapons of his might ..glory and majesty, ..But in order that his victory might be the more glorious, he willed to fight Satan in our weak flesh. It is as if an unarmed man, right hand bound, were to fight with his left hand alone against a powerful army; if he emerged victorious, his victory would be regarded as all the more glorious. So Christ conquered Satan with the right hand of his divinity bound and using against him only the left hand of his weak humanity.”

Jesus wins the victory

this is not said, but shown.

The wild beasts were with him (not threatening him) and the angels ministered to him. Heaven and earth were reconciled to him.

His authority over heaven and earth will be finally achieved at his death and resurrection, but this is a fore-sign. He has beaten satan in the wilderness to show how he will beat Satan at the cross.

A great symbol here: Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, gave into Satan’s temptation and ate of the forbidden tree, and as a result were driven into the wilderness. Jesus begins in the wilderness, he overcame temptation, tasted the bitterness of the cross, and so earned his way back into garden of glory.

Current Solution: We overcome

Through our baptism, we choose whom we will serve.

Do we turn from the ways of evil and renounce its power in the world?

Do we turn to Jesus Christ acknowledging him as Savior and Lord?

Will we be his faithful disciple obeying his word and showing his love?

We then live that promise out in concrete life.

There are times that we will have to face temptations.

The intention of God is not that we will fall, but that we will win the victory over them.

Why? So we can prove that we really do believe what we say we believe. We really do desire what we say we desire. Become who we really want to become.

Example: When the San Francisco 49ers defense went to take the field early in the second quarter, the standout linebacker — Dre Greenlaw— was hopping as he approached the field. Tore his achillers tendon. Ruled out of the rest of the game. A loss for the 49ers and for Greenlaw himself who had trained for this elite game. Never got to show the fruit of his training.

Christians. I don’t suffer the injury of sin, but show the fruit of my training.

James 1:2–4 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

The abandoned woman — resists the temptation to blame God - turns to Christ and finds the strength and love she needs.

The overwhelmed man - resists the temptation to blame God - turns to Christ and charts his course with new purpose.

Transformative time: Rather to suffer, to fail, to die, than betray God!

What temptation are your facing right now?

We have tools to use in our fight.

Scripture. 2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,”

Prayer.

Jesus, Mark 14:38 “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.””

Psalm 25:1 “To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. I trust in you, let me not be put to shame.”

Fasting. Weak in body, but strong in the spirit.

Ephesians 6:10–12 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

Reliance upon God and his angels.

Galatians 5:25 “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”

James 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

We have Jesus as our Victor. He promises to share his victory with us.

Conclusion

The cross of Christ may look like a defeat, but Jesus death was a victory.

Concluding Prayer

Almighty God, your Son fasted forty days in the wilderness and was tempted as we are but did not sin. Give us grace to direct our lives in obedience to your Spirit, that as you know our weakness, so we may know your power to save through Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. — Faith Alive Christian Resources; (p. 578).

Intercessory Prayer

God of grace and glory,

in this season of repentance and hope:

Help us to turn away from evil and turn toward you.

We pray that your people everywhere will receive the courage to turn away from evil and turn toward you.

We pray for the leaders of the nations and all people, that they may turn away from evil and turn toward you.

We pray for every ministry of our community, that as we minister in your name, we may turn away from evil and turn toward you.

We pray for each of us as we live among neighbors, people whom you love: help us to turn away from evil and turn toward you.

We pray that even now as we worship you, your Holy Spirit will be at work, teaching us how to turn away from evil and turn toward you.

[After a brief silence, the leader concludes:]

Lord Jesus Christ, in this Lenten season, we hear your call to repentance. We pray for a generous outpouring of your Holy Spirit to help us resist evil in all its forms in our individual lives and institutions. Help us turn toward you, eager to receive the fullness of all you promise. Amen.

Story of a guardian angel. A woman who was accustomed to seeing her guardian angel. I asked, what was her name. “Grace.” (no where angels presented as female, except in Zechariah 5)