give out to give in

The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark!

Lent; that time of the year when we contend with all the evil within us and the evil out there in the world. 

It can be a pretty harrowing thing, all in all…

Because I don’t know about you, but when I face up to this daunting task, I get the strong suspicion I’m no match for these forces of evil. 

After only a few moments of examining my motives, I’m ready to throw in the towel; ready to join St. Paul in crying out ‘oh, who will save me from this body of death.’

And it takes even less time of scanning the newspaper to give up this lenten discipline. It was just this week that another young man was shot, for seemingly little motive. 

Honestly, it appears that those forces of evil all around us are just too great for humans like us to contend with…

We’ve got a problem, though. 

Or, more accurately, as your preacher, I’ve got a problem. For as formidable as those forces we are to contend against during Lent are; Mark doesn’t really spend much time on the topic…

Just two measly sentences!
All Mark has to say is that after Jesus’ baptism, the Spirit drives him out into the wilderness; and during forty days out there with the angels and animals, satan tempts him.

That’s all!

No fasting, no particular temptations, not even the devil fleeing. No, all Mark has to say is during 40 days in the wilderness, Satan’s tested Jesus. 

Then Mark just moves on! After noting that Jesus was out there, Mark says, basically, now on to the real story; ‘after John was arrested…’

Two sentences are given to the struggle with satan, that’s it!

What am I going to do as the preacher today?

We’ve got 40 days of Lent, sisters and brothers, and Mark only gives us two sentences?

These forces of evil seem to be way too big for us; and Mark just gives them two sentences? Two sentences?

What if brevity is Mark’s point, though?

Perhaps if we put preaching problems aside, we will come to see, as Mark wants us to, that there’s only two pithy sentences given to the account of Jesus engaging the forces of evil for a reason…

In fact, perhaps it’s our own blindness that expects a bigger conflict between Jesus and Satan…

After all, it isn’t very hard to believe that the forces of evil are colossal, is it? It wouldn’t be hard to believe that the forces of evil weren’t going to go without a fight, would it?

No; we already know and expect that.

What’s really hard to believe, and what Mark is trying to get you to confess, is that with just 40 measly days Jesus is able to put satan and all his temptations behind him.
What Mark is proclaiming, and what’s really hard to believe, sisters and brothers, is that Jesus actually has those forces of evil in hand. What’s really hard to believe is that in the story of salvation Satan’s trials only merit two sentences! 

That’s what’s hard to believe!

As it turns out it’s actually a very good thing that Mark spends so little time on the trials, temptations and tribulations.

Because we all know the destruction and chaos and evil too well. 

But what about the Good News? That’s the thing we don’t know much about, and it’s also the Word we’re dying to hear…

With just two measly sentences, though, Mark puts the whole battle between good and evil in the rearview mirror. That’s hard to believe, isn’t it?

For those of us who take seriously our own shortcomings, for those of us who read the newspaper and wonder what in the world is going on, it is hard to believe that the whole battle between God’s Son and Satan is told with two measly sentences…

And that’s exactly Mark’s point…

Mark’s point, sisters and brothers, is not that the forces of evil aren’t going to go quietly. Why, we already know that. And Mark’s point is not that the forces of evil are too big for us; because, we already know that, too. 

If that’s all Mark’s Gospel were, you could get the same thing in a newspaper.

Mark’s point, though, is much more shocking: Mark’s point is that Jesus has defeated these forces of evil, and apparently it wasn’t all that hard for Jesus; he didn’t even break a sweat.

In fact, you get the sense Mark would be happy to say more about Jesus’ battle with satan out there in the wilderness. The thing, though, is that Jesus has banished satan and all his tricks so simply and completely, there just isn’t that much to say - two sentences is all it takes. That’s all!

For Mark, right here, less than nine verses into his Gospel, and with no fewer than two measly sentences, satan and all the trials are put in hand by the one Mark wants you to confess as God’s Son, as the one you turn to for salvation from those forces that contend against God! 

Mark’s point is those forces of evil are no match for this one!

For Mark there can be nothing else to say or do.

There can be no hemming or hawing about the magnitude of evil. There can be no mapping out of a lenten journey, either! No, Mark won’t have any of that. 

No, the only thing Mark will permit is for us to turn and believe. Mark wants you to turn from all those forces that defy God and believe that this one God has sent is the one who can overcome their power, for you.

That’s all Mark will allow…

So I guess you’ll just have to, have the Gospel done to you, too sisters and brothers. You’re just going to have the Gospel done to you, so you can obey Jesus. You’re just going to have the Gospel done to you, so you can turn and believe.

This one who comes, and with only two measly sentences, with just 40 meager days, is the one who is powerful enough to bind that strong man, Satan; the one who is powerful enough to liberate you from his power. 

Turn to this one and trust that he can actually save you from those evil forces. Turn to this one and believe that he can actually deliver you into the kingdom of God.

Sisters and brothers, my problem is your very promise!

There’s nothing left to say, and that’s the point.

With just two sentences and nine short verses, Jesus has defeated satan, the battle over, the victory won!

Turn and believe; time’s up!