Behold my servant, Video preaching

The triumphant power of the gospel

Scripture: Mark 1:12-15

Sermon notes 

Behold my Servant #4: Triumphant gospel power

John’s public preaching ministry comes to an end very quickly after his announcement of Christ. There was some overlap with the Saviour’s ministry, John 1:35ff, 3:22-24. John’s ministry had a clearly defined purpose and when that was accomplished his work was done. It was never his desire to have a different role, John 3:30. It was not his desire to hog the limelight!

In some sense John’s ministry came to an ignominious end with imprisonment and his eventual martyrdom. Great service for God does not guarantee a pleasant life on earth, or one that will end with great accolade and honour. It is not by such things as these that we measure a man’s faithfulness to God or the value of his service.

Mark records a condensed version of important events that occur as the Saviour’s ministry begins. His account underlines the glorious gospel power of Christ to save sinners.

I  THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST.

1. There is an immediate display of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. The descent of the Spirit is recorded, v10. The Spirit of God makes His presence and power visible immediately. Where the Holy Spirit is at work there will be Biblically-defined evidence immediately.

2. Note the word: driveth, v12. There is a forceful term used here. It must not be supposed that the Saviour was moved against His will, but there is a strong compulsion in His soul produced by the Holy Spirit that here is action that must be taken. What occurs here is a necessary part of the redeeming purpose of God. He follows the leading of the Spirit to do it. Cp Matt 4:1, Luke 4:1.

3. The Lord Jesus lived as a man under the control of the Spirit. In this way He fulfilled His work as the Messiah. Every part of the Saviour’s great work was in the power of the Spirit. Cp Is 42:1-4—the various aspects of His work and its success stem from the anointing with the Spirit. His preaching ministry, Isaiah 61:1; His miracles, Matt 12:28; His instruction to His apostles, Acts 1:4; His death, Heb 9:14; His resurrection, 1Peter 3:18; were all done in the power of the Spirit.

The work of the Spirit may be seen to involve two lines of evidence as follows.

II  CONFLICT WITH SATAN.

Where the Holy Ghost is at work there is a battle with Satan, temptation and sin that will end in triumph. Mark’s shortened view of the temptation still emphasizes various important truths.

1. Reminders of the consequences of the Fall.

These could be seen in the environment. The wilderness was the setting for this period of testing. What a contrast to Eden! This place was the territory of the wild beasts whose nature had been altered by the fall. It was a place of death.

The physical weakness of the Saviour. The Lord Jesus undertook this testing while fasting. No doubt this is to reflect the intense spiritual activity and prayer of the time but it also suggests that He met the devil as a man weakened physically by that fasting. While personally without sin, He had a humanity liable to the effects of sin brought in by the fall. He was hungry, thirsty, grew weary in labour, and ultimately died.

2. Direct and personal confrontation. The Saviour meets the devil head on. There is a re-enactment here of events in Eden but in very different circumstances. The second man, the Lord from Heaven (1Cor 15:47) meets Satan as the last Adam (1Cor 15:45). This is a titanic and epic conflict was Christ the representative of His people takes on the tyrant of their souls. The underlying theme of the temptation was the Devil’s attempts to drive a wedge between Christ and His people.

3. A time of testing. In this 40 day period the Saviour was tested and proven to be the unfailing champion sinners needed. He had already been declared to be pleasing to God, v11. This period of testing merely gave the evidence of it. Cp Heb 2:14, 17-18, 4:15.

4. The support of Heaven, v13. Apparently this support is administered at the end of the period, Matt 4:11. While the angels clearly were in support of His work, the Saviour stood alone against Satan and triumphed! He did not overcome in that battle with the help of angels! Angels = ‘messengers’ – perhaps communicating a word from glory. Cp Heb 1:14.

To be continued…

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