Mark 1:12-15

First Sunday in Lent

March 1, 2009

Mark 1:12-15 (New International Version)

¹²At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, ¹³and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.  ¹⁴After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ¹⁵"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"

IT WAS NOT BY THE SWORD BUT THE WORD

I. By which Jesus brought Satan’s kingdom down

II. By which Jesus brought God’s kingdom near.

It may sound rather morbid, but one of my favorite shows to watch on TV are programs that show live footage from wars that our country has fought. It fascinates me to see battle scenes from WWII, or the Viet Nam war, or even the wars we have been waging in the Middle East. The progression in strategy and weaponry is fascinating to me. But what fascinates, moves me more is to see what people had to endure to protect our freedom and to keep us safe from the tyranny of evil men.

In the portion of God’s Word before us today we are allowed to witness the scene of another battle. This battle took place over 19 centuries ago in the desert regions of the Middle East. It was a battle between Christ and Satan. Through the words of the evangelist Mark, let’s go back to the Arabian Desert where our Savior battled Satan and let’s be reminded that in that battle the Lord used the Word. I. It is the Word by which Jesus brought Satan’s kingdom down and II. By which Christ brings God’s kingdom near.

It was a Union general in the Civil War who was quoted as saying, “War is hell.” It is true. There is nothing pretty about war. Well, our Savior’s battle in the desert wasn’t just hell, it was against hell itself. Mark’s account of our Savior’s temptation is but a summary of what took place in the desert. The more familiar account is Matthew’s. Recall what happened. After Jesus was baptized which marked the beginning of his public ministry, he went out into the desert where he fasted for 40 days and nights. While there, Satan attacked him with the same arsenal he used against Eve. He used lies and twisted God’s Word. Knowing that Jesus had gone without food for 40 days, Satan first tempted him saying, “If you really are the Son of God feed yourself by turning these stones into bread.” Then he tempted Jesus to test God’s loving concern by saying, “Throw yourself off this tower of the temple and see if God loves you enough to send guardian angels to catch you.” And then Satan tried another approach saying, “I’ll give you all the riches and good times that the world offers if you only bow down and worship me.”

Dear friends, do we realize the importance of that battle in the desert? It wasn’t just a struggle between good and evil, right and wrong! That battle had everything to do with our going to heaven or to hell. You see, Christ didn’t just die on the cross for our salvation. He had to live a perfect life for us. A perfect life meant obeying God in everything, and not once falling for any temptation to sin. If Satan were to have won in leading Christ to fall for any one of those temptations, Christ could not be our Savior and we too would have lost. But thanks be to God, Christ did win that battle and the weapon he used was the Word of God. To the first attack he replied, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’” To the second attacked he replied, “It is written, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” And to the final attack he replied, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve him alone.’”

What did that victory in the desert mean? Let’s answer that in terms of what so many of our country’s past wars were all about. Most of our country’s wars were against evil dictators who wanted to control the world. We think of people like Hitler and Sadam Hussein. The purpose of those wars was to put an end to those evil dictators’ reigns. What evil dictators we will have to face in the future and whether or not we will always win are unknowns. But one thing we do know is that the most evil dictator of all, Satan, has been defeated and has been dethroned. How do we know? Look at how Jesus brought him down with the truth of God’s Word. Jesus was not misled into sin he perfectly obeyed God’s Word. And that victory in the desert was but a prelude to Jesus’ ultimate victory when he obeyed his Father again and went to the cross and died for us too! You see, Jesus’ mission wasn’t just to have a war of words with Satan. He came to kill Satan and end his reign of terror over the hearts of humans. All this was in fulfillment of God’s promise to crush Satan’s head. With his lies, Satan deceived man into sin, but with his death on the cross Christ brought forgiveness! With his lies Satan doomed man to die; but with his resurrection Christ has secured life. No it wasn’t with a sword that Christ’s brought Satan’s kingdom down, but with the Word of God.

Because of this you and I can put our absolute trust in God’s Word not only in regard to our eternal life in heaven, but also in regard to our daily struggles with Satan and sin. Although Satan is defeated, he hasn’t given up. He still prowls like a lion looking to devour us and uses the same approach with us as he did with Jesus. He will hit us where we hurt or are the weakest whether it be hunger, loneliness, concerns about God’s love and care for us, or temptations over the fleeting riches and pleasures of this world. And when he comes at us, and he will, how can we withstand his attacks? Look at Jesus. If the Almighty Son of God used the Word, isn't’ that a good clue as to where we should turn? Especially we turn to that Word to find forgiveness because unlike Jesus, we often fail to stand in the hour of temptation. And when we fall, Satan will be right there haunting us with guilt. But in the Word, where we find God’s promise of forgiveness, we have victory even then.

II. God’s Word is not only a weapon of defense by which Satan's kingdom is brought down it is also a weapon of offense by which God’s kingdom is brought near. “After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ‘The time has come,’ he said, ‘The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news.’”

These words remind us that Christ not only came to bring down Satan's’ kingdom but to bring God’s kingdom to us. But what is God’s kingdom and how is it brought to us. Luther put it this way in his explanation of the 2nd petition of the Lord’s Prayer, “God’s kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us his Holy Spirit, so that by his grace we believe his Holy Word and lead godly lives according to it now on earth and hereafter in heaven.” Unlike earthly kingdoms, God’s kingdom can’t be pinpointed on a map. You can’t say, “Here it is” or “there it is.” Nor is the kingdom of God something physical like eating and drinking. It’s a spiritual matter of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. In other words, God’s kingdom involves the heart and it comes to us through the preaching of the good news about Jesus and how he obeyed God’s law for us and died for us. When that message takes root in our hearts there will be righteousness, peace, and joy. Through the Word Christ brings God’s kingdom near.

That my dear friends has much to say to us in life and in death as we struggle as individual Christians and as a congregation of believers. Where are we to find comfort for our sorrows in life? Where are we to find peace of mind and heart over failings and shortcomings? Where are we to find absolute assurance that we are forgiven and that we one day will be in heaven? How can we weed out strife and discord in our families, marriages, and even Christian congregations? How can we get our members closer to their Lord and more responsive to his love by their church attendance and offerings? How are we to convince unbelievers that they need a Savior and have one in Christ? In short, all these questions ask the same thing: “How does God’s kingdom come near?”

The answer is simple. It all has to do with the Word. If God brings his kingdom near through the Word, then we need to be near the Word! Through the Word the Holy Spirit leads us to turn away from sin and unbelief and to trust in Christ as the only Savior from sin. That’s why public gatherings for worship and Bible classes are so important. That’s why our eating and drinking together at the Lord’s Table is so important. That’s why our private mediations and family devotions are so important. That’s why our LES, SS, and LLHS are so important. That’s why our witness to others is so important. Through the Word alone God brings his kingdom near to us.

No, not everyone may want to watch movies about war. But all of us need to watch our Savior’s battle in the desert. He was fighting that battle for you and me, and all people. Thanks be to God he won. And in his victory we have won too! How do we know? God said so in his Word!