Today is the first Sunday in Lent! Our Gospel reading today is an account of the temptation of Jesus. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all wrote about this event that took place right after Jesus’s baptism. But, this year, we hear from Mark who tells the temptation story briefly, in just two verses “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.” In each of the Gospels, Jesus goes straight from his baptism into the wilderness. We might think of his baptism as a commissioning and his temptation as a strengthening, toughening, hardening experience.
Matthew and Luke described the actual temptations along with the fact that Jesus was fasting for the forty days. They describe Satan tempting Jesus by encouraging him to turn stones into bread to feed his fasting hunger. They describe Satan tempting Jesus to jump from the highest part of the temple and save himself, and they describe Satan promising Jesus ownership of all the kingdoms if he, Jesus, would only worship Satan. But, each time he was tempted, Jesus opposed Satan and won the battle
Mark, a man of few words, gets right into the action. He was very direct and he got straight to the point. Jesus was thrust right into the conflict and opposition that was to mark his ministry and lead to his death. “The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.” He dwelled with wild animals, and he was attended to by angels. Mark covered a great deal of territory in just a few verses, they pull together Jesus’ baptism, his temptation, and finally his announcement of the coming of the kingdom and his call to repentance and belief.
Marks language is strong! He says that the heavens were parting, in Greek that word is schizo meaning ripped apart. And, then, the spirit drove Jesus out into the wilderness. He was tempted by Satan, he was surrounded by wild animals and was attended by angels. Mark tells us that the Spirit immediately drove Jesus out into the wilderness, he wasn’t given a chance to celebrate his baptism or prepare for his journey. He was whisked away and sent to a wild, savage, and desolate place. In the Bible the wilderness is a place of danger, a barren, remote, lonely place. A place of isolation. A place where a man will be exposed to danger and also a place where God will test his people. Even God’s beloved Son Jesus was tested.
We understand the concept of wilderness today. Literally speaking, we’ve heard stories of people who have spent a great deal of time in the wilderness. Hikers climb mountains to test themselves, campers go into the desert or mountains where they can get away from the business of the world around them. We’ve also heard about people being lost in the wilderness, alone, possibly without food or water, but having survived.
We understand the metaphorical wilderness, too. All of us have had a time in our lives when we have felt ourselves searching and lost. Any number of things can land us there: the illness or death of a loved one. An illness or injury to your own body. A job-related crisis. A financial crisis. A broken relationship. A general sense of dread from what you see on the news. Any combination of these factors and countless more can land a person in the wilderness.
We know the many feelings of the wilderness, too: sadness and depression, anger and resentment, relief and gratitude.
We know what it’s like to find ourselves in this kind of wilderness. Maybe you’re plunged into the wilderness of loneliness and confusion suddenly when you hear bad news. News that a friend is terminally ill, or that a friends house has just burned down, or that your son and his wife have decided to divorce.
Maybe it happens more gradually, as you slowly find yourself sliding into a general uncertainty about your life and your identity and what’s happening in the world.
It doesn’t matter how we get to the wilderness. What is certain is that like Jesus, we will be tempted. How are you tempted? Are you aware of Satan’s little ways of pulling you away from your life in Christ? Not only do we have Satan to contend with but we are living in the wilderness of this world. It can be a desolate and lonely place.
Jesus went immediately from being baptized in the Jordan river to his temptation in the wilderness. And, that is how it is for us! We have joined Jesus in our baptism and we will be tempted. There is no escaping temptation.
Yes we will be tempted. Jesus endured the wilderness for us. We don’t usually go into the wilderness by choice, but the Good News is that we also do not go into the wilderness alone.
Jesus is with us. We have Jesus to help us when we face doubt, when we face despair, when we face temptations.
The forty-day duration of Lent holds deep significance. The number forty appears frequently in the Bible, often signifying a period of testing, trial, penance, purification, and renewal. Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness enduring temptation by Satan. This time of trial and preparation preceded His public ministry. Lent is a season of preparation leading up to the liturgical celebration of Christ’s suffering, Death, and Resurrection.
Many Christians observe the practices of prayer, fasting, and giving alms during Lent. The forty days of Lent mirror Jesus’ wilderness experience, emphasizing the themes of spiritual testing, self-reflection, and transformation.
Just as Jesus emerged from the wilderness prepared for His ministry, Lent invites us to undergo a similar journey of renewal and spiritual growth. Lent serves as a sacred period for self-examination, atonement, and drawing closer to God. As we experience Lent this year, may we seek a closer relationship with Jesus. Amen.