5. Jesus' ministry is driven by the spirit

A ministry of word and deed

1 March 2009

Mark 1:9-15

We have been travelling through the Gospel of Mark here in the Wesley Theatre each Sunday evening. Tonight our lectionary brings us back to the beginning of Mark and the setting of the scene for Jesus’ public ministry. John the Baptist has been preaching a baptism of repentance. Jesus comes to John to be baptised (v.9). His coming bears no relation to any need to repent, but is clearly an identification with John and those who came to him.

The account is told with the minimum of words, and yet there remains a great sense of drama! The heavens open and the Spirit comes upon Jesus like a dove (v.10). A voice is heard which proclaims Jesus to be the Son/Messiah in whom God is ‘well pleased’ (v.11).

It is from here on that we read Mark’s account of the temptations of Jesus … once again told without very much detail (for that we may to turn to Matthew and Luke), but with all that it is essential to know. It is the Spirit of God that leads Jesus into the wilderness to be tested for forty days.

Tonight as we pray specifically at the beginning of a new year for Wesley Institute, its staff and students, we remember those who are embarking on the new challenge of academic life – and seeking to understand what it is going to mean for them.

We make a connection as we hear the Word of God speaking to us in each and every context as we seek to serve Him. The temptations of Jesus are closely held together with John’s arrest, the first proclamation of the good news and the calling of the disciples.

Indeed 1: 9-15 records three episodes which all mark the beginning of the public ministry of Jesus:

His baptism in the Jordan by John – v.v. 9-11
His temptation – v.v. 12-13
His first preaching in the Galilee – v.v. 14-15

Some preachers, when they are confronted with the challenge of the temptations, prefer to turn to Matthew and Luke, believing that somehow there is an inadequacy in the brevity of Mark. It seems to me, particular attention needs to be given to the fuller context of the temptations – and, when we do this, there is an enormous amount of material to deal with.

By the time we reach verse 15 – ‘The time has come,’ he said, ‘the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news’ – Mark is summing up the whole ministry of Jesus.

Mark 1:12 –

‘At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert.’

This is the second reference to desert in this opening chapter. It has a quite different context, however, from the earlier reference in v.v 3-4. In the tradition Mark has inherited, the wilderness serves as a geographical location.

Stuart Blanch made the point that the area referred to as a desert had geographical, historical and spiritual significance. The assertion in Greek is that Jesus was ‘driven’. This is not to suggest unwillingness on Jesus’ part, but the urgency of the call to go there. It accords closely with the use of the word ‘immediately’ used frequently throughout the gospel.

A compulsion which would not be resisted

At the heart of all Christian service is a calling which we recognise embraces many aspects. In our minds, such calling usually is associated with response, affirmation by the community of faith, fruit in works and service and confirmation by those who share its benefits. ‘Our calling’ is also measured against the willingness to live close to God, our response to change and by our facing specific challenges.

We remind ourselves that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert. Jesus is our best example of what it means to be ‘Spirit-driven’. Mark reports that it was immediately after the baptism by John and the acclamation by the Father that the Spirit drove him into the wilderness.

However impressed we might be by the way Jesus handles the buffeting experience in the wilderness, we must constantly remind ourselves that it was the Spirit who led him there.

A life which knows the power and presence of the Spirit of God

All Christian service, if it is to be effective, needs to be informed by the ‘power and presence of God’s Spirit’. If this was true for Jesus, how much more is it true for our lives? Jesus was propelled and energised by the Spirit. Writers have reflected upon the Markan account being so brief. Morna Hooker suggests that it is so succinct as to be ‘enigmatic’, but it does provide us with ‘vital information about Jesus which will help us to understand the narratives which will follow’.

Whilst it is true that this is not ‘any’ temptation, but the temptation of the Son of God, it does become a wider theological statement.

The comparison of the wilderness where Jesus overcomes temptation with Israel’s failure during its time in the wilderness cannot be totally ignored. But it assumes too much of the first hearers and readers of the gospel in the early Christian community.

Robert Stein is right in his conclusion (building on Gundry’s argument) that ‘the temptations show that the Spirit-led Jesus is the Son of God’.

For all of us, life is not about the ‘ease’ of the journey, but our responsiveness to the call. God’s calling is never to a more comfortable life. It is as if Mark is asking the early Christian community – and by extension ourselves – whether we are willing to face our temptations and be inspired by the Spirit of God to find a winning way through our response to his grace.

We must not be held back by the limitations, or the risks. To fulfil God’s calling involves its own dangers. The simple and straightforward sub-heading of Don English, sums up this calling: ‘Faithful discipleship is more about doing God’s will than about feeling good.’

A calling that knows the pull and pressure of the Holy Spirit

It will be not only in the early days of his ministry that Jesus will feel the gentle pressure of the Spirit. As he reaches out to people in need, makes strategic decisions about the right time to enter the city of Jerusalem and in the Garden of Gethsemane for example, he will exemplify One whose life is given over to a higher calling than anyone observing would have even begun to understand.

In our own lives it is too easy to restrict the influence of the Spirit of God to being identified with our initial call. Whilst it is true that we can see God at work in a quite specific way in that context, we have a much broader and bolder understanding of the Spirit of God.

God is One who calls us and equips us –

As our minds and lives are stretched in study.
As we wrestle with the priority of time-management.
As we carry out our responsibilities.
As we make and carry through difficult decisions.
As we look at our growing faith in relation to choices.

Jesus will soon have to face the opposition of religious leaders, as he heals a man with an evil spirit in the synagogue on a Sabbath, as he heals Simon Peter’s mother-in-law, and is confronted by the overwhelming need of people who are sick and not in control of their lives. Jesus’ calling has upon it the gentle hand of God the Father.

When our lives are lived in a consciousness of God’s presence, we have no fear. Brother Lawrence put it so clearly when he wrote about practising the presence of God: ‘Those who have the gale of the Holy Spirit go forward even in sleep. If the vessel of our soul is still tossed with winds and storms, let us awake the Lord, who reposes in it, and he will quickly calm the sea.’

A commission which will not be reversed

We are familiar with the concept of commission as observed in the conclusion of the earthly ministry of Jesus, when he sends the disciples into the world. (Matthew 28:16-20) But there is also a real sense of commission given to Jesus, as he begins his ministry.

The presence of the Spirit in the opening chapter of Mark is quite remarkable, as it brings things together in a unity. Mark does not give a list of the various temptations, nor does he give the outcome. As far as he was concerned, it was probably too obvious and unnecessary to articulate. However, he does talk about temptation occurring in the life of Jesus, just as clearly as it does in ours.

How swiftly temptations have to be faced

How true it is that temptations come when we least expect them. In the gospel context, the temptations come at the outset of his public ministry. We remind ourselves that in the other accounts of the temptations, we are told that the temptations were an on-going theme – for example Luke writes: ‘When the devil had finished all his tempting, he left him until an opportune time.’ (Luke 4:13)

As we begin a new stage in our vocation in response to God, it is good to remind ourselves how swiftly temptations have to be faced. And they come in all shapes and sizes!

Our calling is to be vigilant. To be safe from the danger of temptation requires the examination of the heart, the fortitude of our lives and the urgency of our response when they approach – as certainly they will.

There are some straightforward and sure-fire ways of handling such situations. Temptation invariably comes through the door that has been deliberately left open … and avoiding temptation is often about not putting yourself in a vulnerable situation. Matthew Henry, the old Bible commentator, said, ‘Many a dangerous temptation comes to us in fine, gay colours that are but skin deep.’

If we broaden the conversation about temptation and see it in relation to the community of faith, or an agency like Wesley Mission involved in a Word and Deed ministry, we may well fail to address issues which in the long-term damage our higher purposes in Christ. Put simply, we must not ignore the call of Christ because we are drawn into the specifics of a particular area – and, in doing so, are distracted from our key purpose.

The modern Lord’s Prayer is used by the vast majority of Christendom in public worship and there has been much debate about the line ‘Save us from the time of trial’. It is a powerful reminder of what is at stake. Prayer is so very important – which is why the Bible reminds us, ‘Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.’ (Hebrews 4:16)

How soundly they will need to be denied

Temptation comes in the common experience of daily life. Soon after Jesus was baptised, he was led into the wilderness to be tempted. If we are to be listed amongst those who have given our lives to his service, if we are to be those who lead the people of God and teach his disciples in the ways of Christ, we must not remain idle, but be prepared to actively deny the power of temptation through the Spirit.

Those who are called by God are the most vulnerable to the possibilities of temptation – indeed you could argue that those who never feel any temptation, who are not assaulted by the pull in the wrong direction, are those who are making no difference in the world to start with! The journey of Jesus into the wilderness is not a retreat from reality, but rather facing up to and dealing with temptation that is sure to be with him throughout the whole of his earthly ministry. It is only as he passes through this experience that he is able to face what lies ahead.

We also remind ourselves of the thought found in 2 Peter, ‘…the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from trials…’ (2 Peter 2:9)

A communion which is deeply rewarding

The core of all Christian living is relational. If we live close to God, then we should not be surprised when we are confronted by temptation. It was obviously an issue in the life of the early church and this is reflected in the wide and varying ways it is referred to. When James was writing about trials and temptations, he talked about ‘persevering under trial’ and is quite explicit when he writes, ‘When tempted, no-one should say, “God is tempting me” for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.’ (James 1:13-14)

Similarly, Paul, when writing to the Galatian Christians, handled the issue of what you do when you catch someone in a wrong situation, encouraging his readers to restore such a person gently. However, he adds, ‘But watch yourself, or you may also be tempted.’ (Galatians 6:1)

The source of help at our point of need

The presence of the Spirit of God is not only with Jesus as he journeys into the wilderness, but also with us as we wrestle with our own temptations. For Jesus, the overcoming of temptation sets the scene for the declaration of the message of the kingdom.

We must never underestimate the resources of God when handling the challenges that are before us. At the beginning of Lent, you can’t help but find inspiration in the words of Jerome: ‘How often when I was living in the desert, parched by a burning sun, did I fancy myself among the pleasures of Rome! … My face grew pale, and my frame chilled with fasting; yet my mind was burning with desire, and the fires of lust kept bubbling up before me when my flesh was as good as dead. Helpless I cast myself at the feet of Jesus.’

Martin Luther, in another context, amusingly deals with this serious issue by saying, ‘I cannot keep birds from flying over my head, but I can keep them from nesting in my hair.’

The source of help which is available to us

God is concerned about the challenges we have to face in life. We are not left alone in the struggle. However, it often demands on our part that we exercise our faith in a most decisive way. On this theme, John Wesley said, ‘In the greatest temptations, a single look to Christ, and the bare pronouncing of his name, suffices to overcome the wicked one, so it be done with confidence and calmness of spirit.’

I have often commented that music has its major scales and minor scales. One is celebrative, happy and outgoing; the minor can be said to be more moody, brooding and introspective. Life itself has its major and minor scales. Most of us would rather play out our lives in the major scale; we would prefer that our lives would be always up-beat and buoyant – yet, if life were always on the major scales, it might prove too superficial, even boring.

Interestingly, both music and fulfilled living have contrasts, with changes of tempo, mood and scale. The baptism of Jesus was definitely major key, life on the up-beat. He was declared to be the Son of God. But immediately after this bright experience, the down-beat was unmistakably sounded. Jesus was driven into the wilderness, thought to be the abode of Satan and evil spirits, where he was tempted. His life became a struggle for clarity. But we need to remember that God is the conductor of the symphony of life, which includes both the major and the minor keys.

The writer to the Hebrews uses the very experience of temptation in the ministry of Jesus as a positive example of how God in Christ is able to help us. ‘For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weakness, but we have One who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin.’ (Hebrews 4:14-15)

At the beginning of a new stage of your life with the adventure of community engagement ahead of you, it is hard to imagine that the wilderness has very much to say to you. However, life is unpredictable and the Lord himself may take us into the wilderness of testing. With the help of God’s Spirit and through the power of prayer, we can come through those experiences, difficult as they are, with clarity of mind and strength of purpose.

Christian Life