Advent Devotions- The Preview!
Welcome to December!
Each year we like to spend part of December reading through one of the four Gospels together as a church family. This year, we will be reading through Mark over 16 days, stretching from December 8th through December 24th. Today, we are publishing a preview of what these devotions will look like. Let me encourage you to get your Bible, read through the first part of Mark 1 with us, and check out how Jesus personally understands what it is to face temptations.
Mark is a unique Gospel. Mark starts immediately with John the Baptist publicly talking about who Jesus is and who Jesus would be. Mark 1:9-11 then shows Jesus being baptized. But today, I want to draw our attention to two verses that come right after that. In Mark 1:12-13 we read, “Immediately the Spirit drove him into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels were serving him.”
As we consider this passage, I want to make one big point about these verses that is an application. Jesus can understand what you are going through because Jesus has been there. For 40 days, Jesus goes into the wilderness and is tempted by Satan. But Jesus never sins!
If we are honest, we sin every single day. But not Jesus! Jesus did not sin a single time while He was on earth. But further, Jesus was tempted! Hebrews 4:15-16 talks about Jesus saying, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.”
Our savior knows what it is to be tempted and our savior has faced the same temptations that we face! This matters because as Hebrews 4:16 says, we can approach the throne of grace with boldness knowing that God gives grace and mercy even when we do not deserve it. My encouragement to each of us today is simple. Embrace the grace that God has given. If you do not know Jesus, then today, embrace the grace and mercy that God has given us! If you do know Jesus, take a minute to do two things. First, give thanks to Jesus for the grace He has given us! Secondly, think about who you can share this great news with!