“INTO THE WILDERNESS!”

Mark 1:9-18                                                                (ESV)

“9 In those days JESUS came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

10 And when HE came up out of the water, immediately HE saw the heavens being torn open and the SPIRIT descending on HIM like a dove.

11 And a VOICE came from heaven, "YOU are MY beloved SON; with YOU I AM well pleased." 

12 THE SPIRIT IMMEDIATELY DROVE HIM out INTO THE WILDERNESS.

13 And HE was in the WILDERNESS forty days, being tempted by Satan. And HE was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to HIM.

14 Now after John was arrested, JESUS came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of GOD,

15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of GOD is at hand; REPENT AND BELIEVE in the gospel."

16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, HE saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.

17 And JESUS said to them, "Follow ME, and I will make you become fishers of men."

18 And immediately they left their nets and followed HIM.”

There is SO MUCH to absorb in the Scriptures above that one could spend days allowing ALMIGHTY GOD to transform our lives with HIS WORD.  We could talk awhile about why the Perfect SON OF GOD needed to be baptized when HE had never sinned?  And why then did JESUS tell the thief crucified next to HIM on Calvary that today he would be with JESUS in Paradise when he surely wasn’t going to be baptized, only Believe in JESUS? 

We could talk about becoming fishers of men, how the fishermen of that day used nets to DRAW fish into captivity, much like JESUS DRAWS us into HIS fold!  NO ONE comes to the FATHER EXCEPT through JESUS, NO ONE (John 14:6)!  We could talk REPENT AND BELIEVE, two things that every Believer MUST do to demonstrate true conversion.  However, what I want to talk about today is how the SON OF GOD was not placed on a throne of authority and majesty, but was driven “INTO THE WILDERNESS” by the SPIRIT OF GOD!  

Why did GOD prefer to send HIS ONE AND ONLY SON alone into the WILDERNESS for forty days?  The quickest answer was to be tempted by satan!  Satan had every opportunity to convince JESUS to succumb to the temptations of “this world”, but JESUS could SEE TRUTH and wasn’t swayed by the lies of the enemy.  Adam and Eve were deceived by satan into believing his lies and evidently he thought fooling JESUS would be similar!  BUT HE WAS WRONG!!  AND HOW!!

JESUS was DRIVEN “INTO THE WILDERNESS”.  It is very interesting that Scripture doesn’t say that JESUS was led INTO THE WILDERNESS, or JESUS just wondered “INTO THE WILDERNESS”, but that HE was DRIVEN “INTO THE WILDERNESS”!  My mind quickly goes to three years later in the Garden of Gethsemane when JESUS prayed “FATHER, if YOU are willing, remove this cup from ME. Nevertheless, not MY WILL, but YOURS, be done." 

HIS entire life was best summed up by saying “Nevertheless, not MY WILL, but YOURS, be done."  At this particular time, JESUS was DRIVEN “INTO THE WILDERNESS”, not because HE wanted to go, but because the SPIRIT OF GOD DROVE HIM!  Do I yield to GOD’s direction for my life?  Or do I have to be placed in a coma before I will LISTEN?  Maybe I am currently being DRIVEN “INTO THE WILDERNESS”?  Would you go???  Would you give up the security and comfort of your earthly home to be where GOD wants to use you?  Even if it meant going “INTO THE WILDERNESS”???