The Great Testing of a Savior
Title: The Great Testing of a Savior.
Text: Mark 1:12-13.
CIT: Jesus is tested by Satan.
Theme: Jesus was tested as we are.
Purpose: Didactic/Discipleship.
Introduction
As the Union Pacific Railroad was being built, an elaborate trestle bridge was built across a large canyon in the West. Wanting to test the bridge, the builder loaded a train with enough extra cars and equipment to double its normal payload. The train was then driven to the middle of the bridge, where it stayed an entire day. One worker asked, “Are you trying to see if you can break this bridge?”
“No,” the builder replied, “I’m trying to prove that it won’t break.”
In the same way, the testing of Jesus was not designed to see if He would fail, but to prove that He would not fail. Mark uses two verses to describe this testing. He doesn’t describe the types of tests, nor does he tell us their outcome; he just tells us the facts. As we look to the facts, we learn of, “The Great Testing Of A Savior.” First, we find:
I. The Priority of the Test (Mark 1:12).
And immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness .. . .
The words “immediately” and “drove” point to the “Priority of Jesus’ testing.” It was “immediately,” there was no basking in the glory of God’s words, “This is My Son, in whom I am well pleased,” but the Spirit impelled Jesus into the wilderness to be tested. The word “immediately” is used some 42 times in Mark’s Gospel to show immediacy and the logical priority of the action.
The word “drove” or “impelled” is the strong Greek verb “ek ballo” which means to “drive out, expel, or send away.” It is the same word used of Jesus when He cast out demons. Mark uses it here to express the importance of Jesus taking the offensive against temptation and evil instead of avoiding them. The first Adam failed the test and “immediately” after His baptism and commissioning, the Spirit impels Jesus (The Second Adam) out to be tested, to show that He can do the job.
In the same way, most people who receive Christ and follow the Lord in baptism are bombarded with trials and temptations. Satan attacks with a vengeance to defeat the new believer. But, when the new believer allows Christ to reign in their lives, Christ defeats the tempter and we can pass the test. God allows this testing in our lives to prove that Jesus is capable, He can do the job. When, we are tested and pass the test, we are given harder tests to pass. For example:
Let’s suppose a young man is a football player; suppose he is doing well on the second team and showing real signs of promise, what will the coach do? He certainly won’t send him out to play for the third team in which he could walk through the game and never break sweat; no, he will send him out to play for the first team where he will be tested as he never was before and have the chance to prove himself. That is what temptation is meant to do—to enable us to prove our manhood and to emerge the stronger for the fight. The Priority of the testing. Next, we need to see:
II. The Place of the Testing (Mk 1:12).
And immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness .. . .
Jesus was literally driven (or impelled) into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit. I want us to learn that the wilderness was:
a. A Wild Place.
John was baptizing folks in the wilderness and Jesus was driven out further into the wilderness by the Spirit. It was the place of the scorpion, the serpent, filled with wild animals and beasts.
Jesus was in this wilderness where the sun did nothing but bake, blast and burn to be tested. This was not like a camping trip, Jesus didn’t take along a bow, arrow, or spear. Jesus didn’t take food and goodies to eat; not even a bottle of water or soda pop. It was a wild place of testing. It was also:
b. A Wicked Place.
According to Jewish belief, evil spirits lived in the wilderness and the Messiah was impelled to go into the wilderness. Jesus was in this wild and wicked place, surrounded by scenes of desolation and death to be tested.
Have you looked around you lately? We, as believers are in a wilderness, a wild place. A place filled with sin, darkness, and desolation. And every day we wake up, we are tested or tempted in some way or another. Satan tries to defeat us and God is trying to grow us. God is attempting to show us Christ is able and He is. Next, Mark writes about:
II. The Period of the Testing (1:12-13).
And immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.
And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.
Mark notes that Jesus was in this wilderness for forty days. Forty days has many connotations.
• Moses was on the mountain forty days and nights (Exodus 24:18).
• Elijah made a journey of forty days and nights to Mt. Horeb, 1 Kgs19:8.
• Goliath opposed Israel forty days before David slammed him to defeat (1 Samuel 17:16).
For forty days and forty nights Jesus (the Son of God and the second Adam) and Satan (the enemy of God) were bound in a terrible struggle for the souls of the world.
I want you to notice again that Mark didn’t tell us about the tests nor did he tell us whether Jesus passed or failed the test. Why? I think it is because Mark sees this as the initial testing as a beginning place of the total testing of Jesus. Mark doesn’t tell us whether He wins or loses but goes on throughout the rest of his book to show that Jesus was victorious. Victorious not only over Satan and his schemes, but over demons (1:21-28), over sickness (1:29-38), and even leprosy in Mark 1:40-45. Mark goes on to paint a picture of victory after victory all the way to the Cross, where Jesus won the final victory over sin and death.
In the same way, you and I are tested and tried from the day we receive Christ. And, I have some sad news, the tests won’t end anytime soon. Sadder still, the tests will get stronger as you grow and glow for Jesus. The good news is that Jesus is able, He can do the job if you let Him. Next see:
III. The Person of the Tempter (1:13).
And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.
It was Satan who tempted Jesus. The word “Satan” in Hebrew simply means “adversary” or “one who pleads a case against a person.” It is in this sense that it is used in the first chapter of Job. In that chapter, Satan is no less than one of the sons of God; but his particular task was to consider men and to search for some case that could be pleaded against them. He was the accuser of men before God. The task of Satan was to say everything that could be said against a man.
Then while in captivity, the Jews through the instructions of the Holy Spirit, learned something of Persian thought. Persian thought is based on the concept that in this universe there are two powers, a power of the light and a power of the darkness. The whole universe is a battle-ground between them and man must choose his side in that cosmic conflict. To put it in a word, in this world there is God and God’s Adversary and we must choose who we will follow. Have you made your choice yet?
Then, when we turn to the New Testament, we find that it is Satan or the Devil who is behind human disease and suffering (Luke 13:16); it is Satan who seduces Judas (Luke 22:3); it is the Devil whom we must fight (1 Peter 5:8, 9; James 4:7); it is the Devil whose power is being broken by the work of Christ (Luke 10:1–19 ); it is the Devil who is destined for final destruction (Matthew 25:41). Satan is the power which is against God.
Have you made your decision yet on whom you will follow? Are you following God and winning the victory? Or, are you following God’s adversary. Note, there is no middle ground, the fact that you have not chosen God and Christ, means you have chosen to line up against them. Isn’t it time you chose the winning side? Isn’t it time you chose Christ? Last, look at,
V. The Prerogatives of the Tested (13).
And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.
Mark’s brief story of the test ends with two beautiful pictures, first:
a. The Beasts Were His Companions.
In the desert, that wild place, there roamed the leopard, the bear, the wild boar, and the jackal. And, in a picture of the last days, the wild animals were not a threat to Jesus but His companions and minister to His needs. Likewise, we find:
b. The Angels Ministered to Him.
There are always divine reinforcements in the hour of trial. Haven’t you found it so in your life? When Elisha and his servant were shut up in Dothan with their enemies were pressing in upon them with no apparent way of escape, Elisha opened the young man’s eyes and all around he saw the horses and the chariots of fire which belonged to God (2 Kings 6:17). Jesus was not left to fight his battle alone — and neither are you and I.
Conclusion
The test of Our Savior. Immediately after His baptism, He took to the offensive and won the victory where the first Adam failed. Then, from that point forward, Jesus has won victory after victory. Today, He is still winning victory. This victory is through faith. That faith is both believing and receiving. Believing He is the Christ, then receiving the Holy Spirit and allowing that Spirit to live in and through you.
Invitation
In a moment we are going to be singing a song of invitation. This invitation is for you if you have never believed and received Christ. If that is your desire this morning, we invite you to come and receive forgiveness of sin, adoption into the family of God, and eternal life. Come as we sing.
If you are a Christian but you are no longer having victory in your life, it is for you. You may need to rededicate your life to Christ or put Him back on the throne of your life or simply receive the power into your life and allow Jesus to live His life through you. If that is your need this morning, we invite you to come.
You might have another need or desire and whatever it is, we invite you to come as we sing.
FBC, Wilson 09/04/05