In the Wilderness with Jesus Mark 1:9-15, 1 Peter 3.18
In The Wilderness Mark 1:9-12 1 Peter 3.18 Jesus was driven by the Holy Spirit of God into the wilderness Jesus was with the wild beasts and was tempted there - and the angels waited on him. Surviving in the wilderness. All of us - at one time or another end up in the wilderness - We all go through difficult times Times in which our survival skills are tested; Times in which we either prove ourselves able to make it - or we do not.
The wilderness experience is an important experience in our lives, - wilderness of the Spirit to which God drives us all, - or the wilderness of lakes and forests, or deserts and of streams Lord Baden Powell recommended that all young people be exposed. Learning to get by in the wilderness forges our character, - teaches us lessons that can be applied in every area of our lives. Wilderness tools- what are they? Knife compass. Torch - light- fire
In the Spiritual wilderness to which God leads us all, we also have a compass, a means of knowing in what direction we should walk. It can save our lives when we use it. That compass is the Word of God. Jesus used that word while he was in the wilderness; with it he resisted temptation. He recalled what was right and refused the lures of the devil who wanted him to turn aside from his path.
In The survival kits- Bear Grylls - you find some wire and matches, also you often find a fishing line and hooks; dry clothes. Why these items? you can keep warm, you can live you can feed yourself Every Scout is taught how to pack for a trip into the unknown the wilderness. You prepare yourself ahead of time.
Be prepared Jesus was prepared for the wilderness that God sent him into. He had his survival kit of useful tools, that were light and able to help him, built to last. His primary tool was prayer. Prayer is something that you find and do. To be useful you must take it out and use it
With prayer Jesus kept in touch with God and with it he was, able to recognize the angels that God sent to minister to him - to help him in the wilderness. With prayer Jesus was able to resist giving in to the Devil. When we are in the wilderness of the Spirit is very important to know how to pray, just as it is important when we are in the forest to know how to fish and recognize what is good to eat. Jesus practiced prayer all of his life so when he was driven out into the wilderness, he was ready for all the tests that came his way He was ready to prove himself and He knew how to talk to God. So he was able to find all the things that God wanted him to find.
The knife and the other tools perform a very important function in surviving in the wilderness; a function that you can neither see nor touch guess - what it is? The knife and all its tools helps to give the person in the wilderness confidence.
One of the most dangerous things anyone in the wilderness can encounter is fear. If you don't feel prepared to survive- if you think you are lost and don't have any way of finding out which way to go- YOU GET SCARED. Fear can kill you faster than anything else. You need confidence to survive when the going gets tough. Jesus had the Word of God and He had prayer as his tools for surviving in the wilderness. He had used these tools before He used them every day of his life and he had them with him when he was driven out by the Spirit into the wilderness. So Jesus was able to keep his head about him - HE HAD CONFIDENCE - HE HAD FAITH
Jesus says The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe in the good news As we begin this season of Lent, I ask you all - ARE YOU PREPARED? Do you have your survival kit all ready? Are your comfortable with the tools that God has given you? Do you know how to use them? Are you practised? God does send each of us, as he sent Jesus, into the wilderness. There, our character is tested and purified. There we discover if we are able to survive or if our claim to faith is bogus. God is forgiving, and God will have mercy us if we indeed repent -and believe. That is why Jesus came.
So as we celebrate this the First Sunday in Lent, I call on you to take very seriously the fact that we will all have wilderness experiences in our life and that we need to be ready for them. I also call on you as Jesus did- to repent and to believe in the good news. God is near and God wants to help us and through us God wants to help the world.
LENTEN PRAYER OF CONFESSION Psalm 51 L: Have mercy upon us, O God, according to your loving kindness. In your great compassion blot out our offenses. All: Wash me through and through from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sins, for I know my transgressions, and my sins are ever before me. L: Against you only have we sinned and done what is evil in your sight. So you are justified when you speak and upright in all your judgements... Silence
All: Purge me from my sins, and I shall be pure. Wash me, and I shall be clean indeed. L: Hide your face from our sins and blot out all our iniquities. Create in us a clean heart and renew in us a right spirit, O Lord. All: Give to me the joy of your saving help again, and sustain me with your bountiful spirit. All: Open our lips, O God, and our mouths shall declare your praise.