LIVING IN THE DESERT
Mark 1:1-13
INTRO:
Have you spent much time in the desert? I have. For over 30 years I lived in Southern California, which is basically one big desert – with lots of sprinklers! We traveled, camped, and explored the desert. As a youth pastor, we took kids on desert motorcycle and ATV trips. Anne lived in the desert during her years at U of A. There’s something about the desert. It has its own beauty, its life, its ecosystem. But it’s subtle. Not like the mountains or forests, where you go “Wow, check out that tree, that mountain, that water. The desert’s beauty is subtle. Its still feels empty. There are few distractions. That must be why God uses the desert so much in his people’s lives. That must be why the desert is so significant in our spiritual lives, journeys.
PREV: Today, we are going to look at 3 different scenes from desert living. Three scenes that show us how God uses the desert to form his people, to call his people to himself. By the time we’re done, maybe you will want to go out to the desert too…
Our first desert scene begins over 1400 years before Christ.
A. God called his people to himself in the desert
It was in the desert that God called a man named Moses, a hideout-Hebrew, and commissioned him to free the people of Israel from slavery to Pharaoh in Egypt. God was going to establish a relationship with the nation of Israel like a father to a son. Notice this as I read Exod. 4:22-23.
Sure enough, that’s just how it happened. God brought a series of massive plagues upon Egypt, bringing this powerful nation to its knees. But Pharaoh would not let the Israelites go. God’s final plague caused the death of every firstborn son in Egypt. Finally, Israel was set free.
Now, notice where it is God took them to establish them as his son. Look at Exod. 15:22. There it is – the desert. Your Bible may say wilderness. Desert is better because it conveys the desolation of the place. For us, “wilderness” can be someplace nice.
The desert would dominate Israel’s life for the next 40 years. Here in the desert Israel would learn what it meant to be like a son to God. Only when he was convinced they had this relationship down did God move them from the desert into the promised land.
When God wanted to make Israel a son, he called them into the desert to do it.
B. God promised a future calling into the desert
Well, the son rebelled against the father many times in future centuries, even forsaking the relationship at some points. But God never forgot the relationship. Look with me at Hosea 11:1-3.
In Jeremiah God changes the analogy from father-son to husband-wife, but notice the importance again of the desert as I read Jer. 2:2-3.
Because God longed to restore this relationship with his people, he promised a future reconciliation. Guess where it would take place? Look with me at Hosea 2:14-15.
One day I will call you out to the desert again, just like at first, when things were good! Hear the words of Isaiah as I read Isaiah 40:1-3.
Here it gets more specific. One day, God says, I will send you a messenger. He will call out in the desert to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord – a messianic text.
Not only did God use the desert to shape his people initially, he promised to call them back to the desert to renew his relationship with them.
I. THE DESERT IS THE PLACE GOD USES TO FORM HIS PEOPLE
When God wants to do something big, he always seems to do it in the desert.
Trans: That brings us to the Gospel of Mark, where we will be spending a lot of time in the coming months. Mark is one of 4 gospels that relate the life story of Jesus Christ and the good news he brings. Having 4 gospels is like having 4 different stations to watch NBA highlights on: they all cover the same events, but with different slants, emphasis.
If the gospels were movies, Matthew and Luke would be epics – “Gone with the Wind” & “Ghandi” & “Dances with Wolves.” Long stories, long speeches, lots of character development. John would be a love story – “Sleepless in Seattle”, “Dr. Zhivago,” or “Titanic.” A strong focus on love and its impact. But Mark would be “Terminator 4” or Enemy of the State or Armegeddon – action films! Not much on flowery speech, but long on action and adventure. A vivid, succinct account that emphasizes what Jesus did more than what he said. The cutaways and scene changes are fast and furious, action scenes pile up one after another until you go “Wow!” and reel from the impact.
A. John showed up in the desert
Like all good action films, this one starts with a bang. As the opening credits roll off the screen, there’s an explosion – in the desert. Look with me at the opening words of Mark. Mark 1:1-3.
This book is about Jesus Christ, the Son of God!
It begins with a reminder that the prophets promised a desert messenger who would announce the Messiah’s coming.
Here comes our explosion. Look at vv. 4-8.
John explodes on the scene. He is explicitly connected with the OT promises. He’s the guy!
The prophets said there would be a messenger, he’d be in the desert, and his message would be get ready for the Lord
John comes, in the desert, he’s definitely a wilderness guy, as his clothes and food attest!
And he calls people to repent – to return to God. John was doing something unique – baptizing people. Others baptized, but not for this reason. It was so unique, he became identified as “The Baptizer.”
So John is calling people to come out to the desert to be baptized as a symbol of repentance. And they do!
But John points to something bigger – One much greater is coming. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!
This was the most significant event in the life of Israel in over 300 years! It had been over 300 years since a prophet spoke the words of God. Now John appears, and says, get ready! It’s a new day! The Lord is coming! So come on out to the desert to renew your relationship with him. After all, its in the desert that you become a son!
II. JOHN CALLED PEOPLE TO RETURN TO GOD IN THE DESERT
Will you hear, respond to John’s call to return to God?
Trans: There was a tremendous response to John’s message. No sooner has the dust settled from this explosion in the desert than something else big happens. As I read vv. 9-11, notice who responded to John’s call to the desert.
A. Jesus was baptized in the desert
Suddenly we’re introduced to our main character: Jesus. He obeys John’s call to come to the desert to prepare for the Lord’s coming. But something amazing happens when he gets baptized.
Literally, all heaven breaks loose!
Mark has already given it away, in v. 1 he told us Jesus is the Son of God. Here’s the verification, the authentication. The Father speaks, the Son is baptized, the Spirit descends.
Its significant that God affirms his son in the desert…
Here’s Jesus, the Son of God, the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit, humbly placing himself in a son relationship with God, taking his place. He is the ultimate Son, the one through whom we can now reunite with God. Heaven has been torn open! The barrier between God and man is now breached by His Son. A relationship with God is now possible!
Now, notice what happens now that Jesus acknowledges his sonship. Notice as I read vv. 12-13.
B. Jesus was tempted in the desert
Now the Son must go deeper into the wilderness to affirm his relationship, to have it tested. Here Jesus enters into conflict, battle with Satan, who attempts to short-circuit his mission. Matthew and Luke give us detail about this time, and show how it concluded. Not Mark. Mark’s point is that here is what it means for Jesus to be the Son of God – he enters into conflict with Satan, a conflict continued throughout Mark, until Jesus decisively wins at the end.
Through Jesus, the enemy is encountered, and defeated. The temptation and suffering that Jesus went through makes him more than able to help us in our temptations.
Cf. Heb. 4:15-16.
M.I. I AM GOD’S BELOVED SON. I HAVE MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO BE GOD’S CHILD.
God is saying I have sent you my beloved son – he makes it possible to be my child. Will you hear him? Listen? Believe?
