Bethany Bullet - January 17, 2012

Mark 1:9-13

Jesus has just come up from the waters of Baptism. He has just had the dove (the Holy Spirit) lit on His wing and heard the Father’s voice sing, “This is my Son whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.” Without any transition, without any interspersed action, and without any additional information we go immediately from the water to the wilderness. Jesus has no time to dry off from the Jordan before He is baking in the desert. Now the Holy Spirit (only 20 words prior) was landing on Jesus shoulder like a gentle dove is now unsheathing His talons and dragging Jesus into the desert with compelling force.

For forty days He who was acknowledged as God’s Son was questioned about His identity. If you are the Son of God…you remember the temptations recorded in the other Gospel accounts of this event:

1. Stones to Bread
2. Jump and see if the Father will protect you
3. Glorify the evil one to get gold and the globe

But Mark tells us none of that. Mark’s account (Mark 1:9-13) doesn’t only fail to record what Satan said, it also doesn’t inform us how the Lord replied either. There is NO…

• “Man does not live on bread alone.”
• “You shall not put the Lord to the test.”
• “It is written.”

Mark just cuts to the chase. He gets to his point and tells us (i.e. those who have also come up from the waters of Baptism) that days in the wilderness are sure to follow. Jesus is surrounded by agendas, animals, and angels in our text. In our lives we are surrounded by the same.

We, in our journey through the wilderness of this world and following from the water’s of Baptism are surrounded by the agendas of the devil, the world, and our own fallen flesh. Not just temptation surrounds us, so does transgression. For unlike our Lord we have not always resisted sin by responding with Scripture to each temptation.

Yet, we are also ever surrounded by the agents of God. His Word and His life giving Bread & Drink (the very thing He went without during His time in the wilderness) is the very thing He provides us with so we might survive ours. The Cloud of Witnesses present and past, whose stories inspire, encourage and comfort us during our days in the wilderness. Of course, His holy angels whom we pray would watch over us; that the evil foe have no power (remember his power is chiefly manifested in temptation) over us.

So, as you find yourself surrounded by temptation on every side, look again, and notice you are also accompanied by that which is ever present too – His Word, Sacraments, Church, and Ministering Angels.

-Pastor Kevin Kritzer