Believe the Good News
March 1, 2009
Gospel: Mark 1:12-15
On the first Sunday of Lent, we always hear the story of how Satan tempted Jesus in the desert. Last year we heard Matthew’s version; next year we will hear Luke’s. Today we hear Mark’s.
Mark’s gospel is the shortest and his description of events is sparse. For example, Matthew and Luke go into detail describing the three temptations and give us dialogue between Jesus and Satan. Mark gives us two sentences - Jesus went into the desert for 40 days, Satan tempted him and there were wild beasts and angels – but those two sentences are full of meaning.
Mark tells us that the Holy Spirit drove Jesus into the desert - he really did not have much of a choice in the matter. Before he could go out into the world, he had to spend a considerable amount of time in the desert. He had to be tempted by Satan and live among wild beasts. Only after going through all that were angels sent to minister to him.
Lent is often described as a “desert experience,” but the fact is that we spend a good deal of our lives in the desert - and we do not have much choice in the matter either. We are confronted with temptations every day - and many of the challenges we face are like wild beasts seeking to devour us. Especially during uncertain times such as these, many are tempted to lose hope and give in to despair. Even when we are in the midst of people we love, we may sometimes feel abandoned and alone.
It is during these “desert times”, that we are more likely to seek and find the Kingdom of God. When things are going great, we may not seek God because we like to think that our success is due to our own efforts. But when we are forced into the desert – when things are not so great – God may be the only lifeline we have. This is when God sends his angels to minister to us.
An angel is one who is sent by God to deliver a message. He or she may be a friend, a relative or a complete stranger – very often it is a child – but God sends these angels to remind us that we are never alone – even when we are in the desert - and that God’s love for us is unconditional.
We are also called to be angels for others - and we may not even realize it. Have you ever said or done something for another person and not realize why? All you know is that the gentle word or act of kindness that you delivered was the just what that person needed to know that God still cares for them. For that moment, God chose you to be an angel – a messenger of God’s love. Unfortunately, we are not angels all the time – and that’s how we know that God has a marvelous sense of humor.
When he came out of the desert into Galilee Jesus began his public ministry with a simple message: “The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel.” He is telling us that we need not wait until we die and go to heaven to experience the Kingdom of God. It is available to us here and now if we will only repent and believe in the gospel.
Repentance is more than just feeling sorry for our sins and the fact that it makes a mess out of our lives. True repentance is a rejection of sin itself – and requires that we take the next step and believe in the gospel – the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Believe in the good news of truth. We do not have to guess what God is like because God has walked among us.
Believe in the good news of hope. Although evil still exists in the world, Jesus gives us hope that evil can and will be defeated. No matter how bad things may seem, Jesus gives us hope that there is nothing in this world that can hurt us.
Believe in the good news of immortality. Life is not just the road to death – it is the pathway to eternal life.
Believe in the good news of salvation - the power to live life with the certain knowledge that, like Jesus, we can be victorious over sin and death.
There is a simple rule to follow when dealing with earthly things - if it sounds too good to be true it probably is. That rule is especially appropriate when someone is offering an investment with an unbelievable return.
But that rule does not apply when it comes to God. When it comes to the Good News that Jesus brings, what sounds too good to be true – is really true. All that Jesus promises is ours – if we will only repent and believe in the gospel – even when we are in the middle of the desert. It is in the desert that we most often find the Kingdom of God.
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