Lent 1 Sermon: "Thrown Out"

+ Lent 1 - February 22, 2015 +

Redeemer Lutheran, HB
Series B: Genesis 22:1-18; James 1:12-18; Mark 1:9-15

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8

You know what many of these works are. 21 Christians beheaded. Murder legalized and celebrated as choice. Shifting foundations of family and marriage. And then there’s our own doubt and despair, sin and death.

We live in enemy-occupied territory. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed (Lewis, Mere Christianity, p. 46). And the Christian church year is a continuous unfolding and retelling of God’s cosmic battle against sin, death, and the devil to set you free.

Jesus’ grand invasion begins in Bethlehem; behold the infant King of Creation born to save you.

In Epiphany, the Captain of our salvation reveals his battle strategy as he unrolls the scroll of Isaiah: heal the sick, cast out demons; preach the Good News; free the prisoners. The kingdom of God will overcome the devil’s kingdom. King Jesus leads the charge but in the most unexpected way, by suffering and dying for you.

And that brings us to the battlefield of Lent.

Mark’s Gospel reminds us that Lent is a Baptismal season. Jesus’ baptism and yours. In many ways our Baptism is similar to Jesus’ Baptism. The Father declares you his child, the Son is in the water for you, and Holy Spirit descends upon you. Jesus is Baptized to accomplish his death and resurrection. You are Baptized into Jesus’ death and resurrection. Like Jesus, Baptism makes us enemies of Satan.

But our Baptism is also different. We descend into the water dead in sin, and arise to new life in Christ. Jesus, who is sinless, descends into the water to receive a sinner’s baptism in order to take our sin to the cross. Jesus fulfills all righteousness by taking on our unrighteousness.

Lent is also a season of temptation and testing. James is right. God tempts no one. Though he does test us, as he did Israel in the wilderness, or Abraham with Isaac. He tests us as a father disciplines his son. Testing reveals faith. Temptation, however, seeks to destroy faith. That’s the difference. God tests those whom he loves. Satan tempts because he wants to devour you, it’s a mutually assured spiritual destruction.

But in the wilderness Jesus stands firm where Adam and Eve and Israel and us had fallen prey. Jesus’ wilderness skirmish with Satan leads to the open war on the cross, and the victory of Jesus’ Kingdom over Satan’s.

That makes Lent a Gospel-preaching season as well. Jesus’ defeat of Satan is Good News for you. And though Satan is able to bruise Jesus’ heel, Jesus crushes the serpent’s head. It is finished for you. Jesus is the Lamb of God promised to Abraham, and Isaac, and you. God provides himself as the sacrifice for our sin. God offers up his Son, his only Son, whom he loves, to die in your place. Jesus is the perfect and good gift who comes down from heaven to take your place in the hell of the cross. Behold your King. Robed in our sin. Crowned with thorns. Pierced for our transgressions. Enthroned on the cross. The kingdom of God comes in Jesus’ suffering, bleeding, dying, and rising for you.

Baptism. Temptation. Preaching. This is how Jesus accomplishes his victory over Satan, death, sin, and hell.

Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil: In His Baptism and yours. In His temptation for you. In the preaching of the Gospel, delivered to you.

And immediately after his Baptism, the Spirit throws him out into the wilderness.

The wilderness is the place of nothingness. Desolation. Death. It is Satan’s domain.

Jesus is the divine Burglar who breaks into Satan’s domain and binds the strong man. Jesus, plunders Satan’s kingdom of darkness, robs him and hell of his power and hold over you. And Jesus takes back his rightful treasure…you and all creation. Jesus was thrown out into the wilderness in order to throw the devil out in defeat.

Jesus was tempted in the wilderness in order to endure our temptation and aid us in our affliction.

For we will be tempted. And I think Lewis’s words in the Screwtape Letters are insightful: It is funny how mortals always picture demons as putting things into their minds: in reality their best work is done by keeping things out. We’re tempted to forsake Christ for something or someone else to calm our troubled consciences. Tempted to satisfy our hunger and appetites with our desires. Tempted to test the Word of God. First comes doubt: “Did God really say?” Then comes desire. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death (James 1).

This is why the Spirit throws Jesus into the wilderness after His Baptism. Not for Jesus’ faith but for ours. Not for Jesus’ sake but for ours. Satan will huff and puff against Jesus, but his house, the Church, will never be blown down.

So when you are overcome by temptation, fear not. Jesus has overcome Satan and temptation for you. Christ Jesus is your Mighty Fortress in the hellish war against sin. Jesus’ Word is your trusty sword of the Spirit. Your Baptism is your shield which douses the devil’s fiery arrows. Jesus’ body and blood are your armor, forgiving your sin and strengthening your faith. Take, eat, the body of Christ; take, drink, the blood of Christ – this is our feast of victory. The fruit of Jesus’ passion sustains you in the wilderness. So, fight the good fight. Receive his gifts weekly. And take comfort in Jesus’ temptation for you.

 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

 It’s true, we’re no match for the devil. But Satan is no match for Jesus crucified and risen.

And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan.

Jesus’ journey to the cross, like Israel’s to the Promised Land, must go through the wilderness. Jesus does what Israel did, only perfectly. He obeys the Father. He is faithful. He withstands temptation. For Israel. For you. Jesus defeats Satan in the wilderness just as he will defeat him on the cross. Jesus receives the baptism of fire and blood in his crucifixion. Jesus overcomes the temptation to get down from the cross; he stayed there for you. Jesus proclaims Good News to you from the cross. It is finished. Satan is defeated. Death is undone. Sin is paid. Jesus wins the victory and gives you spoils of war.

Everything Jesus does in the wilderness, and on the cross, is given to you in Baptism. All of your accusations, your sin your death - thrown out on the cross because Jesus was thrown out into the wilderness for you. And in your Baptism Jesus throws the devil out. “Depart you unclean spirit and make room for the Holy Spirit.” This world’s prince may still, scowl fierce as he will. He can harm us none; he’s judged the deed is done. One little word can fell him. 
And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

Jesus received the ministry of angels. We too receive messengers, though they don’t have wings and halos; usually they work in black and sometimes very, very dark gray. Pastors are messengers, fellow sinners called to minister to you with the Baptism Jesus gives us, to deliver the Gospel of sins pardoned freely in Jesus, to feed you with Jesus’ holy blood and blood, the fruit of the cross which forgive your sin.

The snakes, scorpions, wolves, and jackals pose no threat. Jesus was with the wild animals. The Creator comes to reclaim, restore creation. Christ, our second Adam has undone what the first Adam ruined. Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Judah squashes the Serpent who prowls like a lion. Satan, the wilderness, our sin and death, the world and all its temptation are no match for Jesus crucified and risen for you.

In this wilderness life, behind enemy lines, we’ll undergo various trials, our faith will be tested. Like Israel, Satan will tempt you to think Christ has abandoned you. Your sinful flesh will cry out in despair: “you’ll never reach the Promised Land; life was better under slavery.” But those are lies. You’re not alone. Jesus Christ, the Lord of hosts, is with us; the God of Jacob is our Fortress. And he will lead us through this wilderness, during the 40 days of Lent, and always.

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.