First Sunday Lent
February 22, 2015
Mark 1:12-15
The Attitude of Testing
“When confronted by temptation Jesus won!”
In the battle between Christ and Satan who won? Mark tells
us that Jesus had a desert showdown with the enemy but gives no details and
does not say who won! Of course, the outcome is implicit throughout Mark’s
gospel, especially in Mark 3:27, where Jesus utters a phrase that sums up the
theme of this day that Lent is an attitude of testing in which by God’s grace
working in our lives we enter victorious.
Jesus says, “In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house and carry
off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his
house”. When He was confronted by temptation, Jesus emerged victorious.
I. Jesus is the
Victor over temptation. Mark 1:12-13 tells us “And immediately the Spirit
impelled Him {to go} out into the wilderness. And He was in the wilderness
forty days being tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts, and the
angels were ministering to Him. “
A. We sinners are not
and never will be victorious without Him.
1. In our own
experience.
a. When we are
tempted, we play around with sin for a while instead of offering immediate
resistance.
b. Soon we find
ourselves taking short cuts around God’s will. We do not do what we want
(Romans 7:15-20)
2. In the struggle
between Satan and God.
a. The stakes are
much higher than a few moral or immoral acts. Satan wants us. He is the enemy.
b. Lurking behind
every temptation is the temptation of unbelief. When we do not believe, Satan
has us.
B. Jesus was the
Victor from the very beginning of His ministry.
1. In Him, God took
the initiative to confront Satan (vv.11-12)
2. He withstood
being tempted (v.13)
a. To disobey the
will of God (Mark 8:11; 10:2; 12:15)
b. To take a less
costly way (see Mark 8:32-33; 14:32-42) The way He took led to the cross (Mark
10:45)
3. He put Satan in
his place. From 1:13 on, Jesus was clearly in charge of every encounter He had
with the demonic, just as He had the last word over His own death (Mark
16:6-7).
Transition: Like the new supervisor who seizes attention by
firing two workers in his first month, Jesus let Satan know right away that He
was in charge! But He exercises His subsequent rule not by mere force but by
His work of grace.
II.
Jesus claims His spoils (vv.14-15)
A. He preaches the
Gospel (v.14): “And after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into
Galilee, preaching the gospel of God,”
1. The Gospel is
well-nigh synonymous with Christ Himself. (Mark 8:35; 10:29; 14:9) just as
Christ was the focus of John’s preaching (Mark 1:7)
2. In the Gospel,
Christ brings His Satan-defeating power to people. It is the “one little word”
that can fell and destroy the Devil.
B His message (v.15):
“and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand;
repent and believe in the gospel."
1. The kairos is
fulfilled. After the era of Messianic expectation, He is finally on the scene
to bind Satan.
2. The kingdom of
God is near-because Jesus and the Gospel are near. He snatches us away from
Satan’s rule (see Large Catechism III 51-56; also LC II 27, 31)
3. Repent and
believe the Gospel – {durative}, for turning from sin to forgiveness is the heartbeat
of an ongoing relationship with Jesus Christ (see Romans 8:31-39)
People are easily led. Walk into a room full of strangers
and announce that you are in charge – it’s amazing how far you can get. But
Jesus, the Victor over temptation is truly in charge, as opposed to Satan and
all human thought. His gospel is not an empty claim. It extends His work to us
and makes us His. To the Victor belongs the spoils! Over sin, over Satan, over
temptation.
Words –713
Passive Sentences –
Reading Ease –78%
Reading Level –7.1
Illustration from a woodcut by Baron Julius Schnorr von
Carolsfeld, 1794-1872, a distinguished German artist known especially for his
book, Das Buch
Google Image The temptation of Christ
Google Image The temptation of Christ
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