1st Sunday in Lent
God says, Do not dwell on past events, or brood over days gone by. For I am about to do a new thing: this moment it will unfold. Do you not see it? Isaiah 43:18
Reading. Isaiah 43:18-25. The prophet announces that the Lord is in action. The “new thing” that God is about to do is in reference to sin, forgiveness and restoration. Today we have often thought of sin as immoral actions and thoughts and these can be classed as sins. However, as we read of the Lord’s action of deliverance which is at the core of the passage a major emphasis is that the people have not worshipped the Lord. This is the sin of which they are guilty. Failure to worship is failure to give the Lord that central place that the first commandment demanded. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol… Deuteronomy 5:6-8 (NRSV)A failure to worship truly is to commit idolatry and it is this sin which has estranged them from the Lord. The forgiveness that is offered is the promise of a fresh start, a new beginning in which the people can once again worship the Lord with willing and obedient hearts. We can easily think that we have “moved on” from the worship of idols, but in reality anything which takes centre stage in our lives is idolatry. This passage is a opportune reminder as we commence the season of Lent which gives us a time to examine our allegiance and maybe refresh our understanding of the Christian faith.
Prayer. Holy Lord; in Jesus Christ you have reached out to us with love and forgiveness: In your mercy grant that we may respond to your love with faithfulness and obedience. May we always keep you at the centre of all we do and say. This we pray through Jesus our Lord. Amen
Reading. Mark 1:9-15. This reading combines both the inauguration of Jesus’ ministry and the voice which affirms God’s pleasure in this beginning. Then the reading quickly moves to the empowerment which comes from the Holy Spirit and Jesus being driven out into the wilderness. The wilderness brought meaningful memories of the exodus and the nation’s close connection with the Lord for all Israelites. However the wilderness was also a place so inhospitable that humans could not survive without the provisions that only God could supply. Therefore it was both a place of promise and a place of threat. For Jesus the wilderness presented more that a trial it was a place of temptation, of choosing which path he was to take. Mark underlines this by reminding us that Jesus was “tempted by Satan”. This temptation is not simply a natural occurrence but is God’s plan to lay before Jesus the choice outlined in Deuteronomy, “See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity”. Deuteronomy 30:15 (NRSV). Temptation is always the choice between obedience to God’s will and obedience to that which is contrary to God’s will. The challenge is to know what is God’s will! Jesus used scripture as a starting point to answer each temptation that Mark records. Scripture also records that Jesus was tempted as we are, (as a human being) and at all points was obedient to God. (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus had to fulfil this testing in order to be the Son of God as announced at his baptism. Having been successful Jesus is then ready to begin his ministry and announce the Good News that the the time to repent has come for the Kingdom of God is now with us. In these few verses Mark announces with hammer blows that the Messiah has come and now is free to begin the ministry long promised of God’s deliverance. In Jesus Christ, God is actively beginning the great rescue plan not only for humanity but for the whole creation.
“I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God”; Romans 8:18-19 (NRSV)
Prayer. Merciful God the very thought of temptation brings to mind the times we have stumbled; the times when we have fallen short of your word and will. We also rejoice for though our Lord Jesus Christ was tempted as we are in all ways, he remained faithful and true to his calling to be the one who would save the whole world and gather all into your kingdom. May we willingly submit to his leadership and humbly follow him, trusting only in his goodness and grace: May we keep close fellowship with him through the mercies of your Holy Spirit. Grant that as we commence this Lenten time it may be a season for renewing our wonder and amazement at the ministry that Jesus Christ continues to exercise. We pray in his name. Amen
Collect: Teach us, good Lord, to serve you as you deserve: to give, and not to count the cost; to fight, and not to heed the wounds; to toil, and not to seek for rest; to labour, and not to ask for any reward, except that of knowing that we do your holy will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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