Mark 1:12-13 “Heaven on Earth”

Suggested Praise Songs:

• “Break Every Chain” by Jesus Culture
• “More Like Jesus” by Passion

Resources for Family Worship (with Children):

• “Praise Ye The Lord Hallelujah” by Hi Heaven – Song for Kids
• “The Temptation of Jesus” Bible Story for Kids (from Saddleback Kids)
• Question for Children – What is Temptation?
  • Temptation is when we feel pulled to do something we know isn’t right, even though it might seem fun or easy at that moment. It’s like a voice saying, “Go ahead, no one will know,” even though we know God wants us to make a better choice.
  
  
  • For example, imagine you see a cookie ja and ly want a cookie, but your parents say, “Wait until after dinner.” That feeling of wanting to take one anyway is temptation. In the Bible, Jesus was also tempted, but he said “No” because he trusted God and wanted to do what was right.
  
  
  • When we face temptation, we can pray to God for help as Jesus Christ did. It is okay to feel tempted—it happens to everyone—but God helps us make good choices when we ask for God’s guidance.

Explanation:

After Jesus was baptized, the Spirit led him into the wilderness. The original text suggests a strong action—He was “driven” by the Spirit. This emphasizes that Jesus acted under the Spirit’s guidance. The wilderness is a place of testing, challenges, and spiritual growth. Jesus spent 40 days there. The number 40 is significant in the Bible: Moses was on Mount Sinai for 40 days, and the Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years. The phrase “was tempted” in verse 13 suggests ongoing temptation. Jesus battled these trials with fasting and prayer.

The word “Satan” means “adversary” or “one who opposes.” Satan, also called “the father of lies” (John 8:44), is a spiritual being who opposes God’s plans. He works through lies and temptations to lead people away from God. While Satan has power, he cannot defeat God or oppose the Holy Spirit directly. He relies on deception to lure people into his influence. Matthew and Luke provide more details about the specific temptations Jesus faced (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13), showing how Satan tempted Jesus to misuse his divine power for personal gain. But Jesus stood firm.

Mark’s note that Jesus “was with wild animals” reminds the image of Eden, where creation lived in harmony. It also points forward to the prophecy of peace in the new creation (Isaiah 65:25). The Apostle John later saw this fulfilled in the vision of the new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21:1-4). Jesus’ time in the wilderness, where he lived among wild animals and was ministered to by angels, is a glimpse of this restored harmony. Just as he saw heaven opened at his baptism, Jesus experienced a foretaste of the new creation after his 40 days of fasting and prayer.

Meditation:

We live between “Eden” and the “new heaven and new earth.” Eden represents God’s original blessing—a world where all life lived in love, peace, and harmony. It was the world which God called “very good.”

But sin disrupted this perfect peace. Humanity’s sin shattered the image of God within us and broke the harmony of creation. Our hearts are now vulnerable to the influence of evil spirits, and history is marked by suffering, injustice, and conflict. This brokenness is the root of all the pain and problems that we face today.

God sent His Son to address the root of these — sin. While people often see political, economic, or natural disasters as their greatest problems, these are symptoms of humanity’s deeper issue: sin. Jesus came to deal with that fundamental problem.

When Jesus was baptized, he began his journey to fulfill God’s mission. God showed him a vision of heaven opening, symbolizing the restoration that his sacrifice would bring. After 40 days of fasting and prayer, Jesus experienced a glimpse of the new creation—a restored Eden.

Today, we live under the open heaven that Jesus made possible. By God’s grace, we can approach God boldly and live in His love. Our ultimate hope is the new heaven and new earth where there will be no more death, sorrow, or pain (Revelation 21:4). While we await its full realization, we can experience glimpses of it even now. These moments strengthen our hope and remind us of the glorious future God has promised.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, who overcame Satan’s temptations, have mercy on us as we face the trials and deceptions of this world. Protect us from the evil spirits that seek to lead us astray. Help us not to underestimate the dangers of temptation but give us strength to resist and overcome. Help us experience glimpses of the new heaven and new earth, even as we live in this broken world. Though our feet are planted on earth, our hearts may always reach heaven. Amen.