Day 1 (Ash Wednesday) – The King Arrives

Opening Payer

Father, as Lent begins, clear away distractions and help me see Jesus truly, and trust him fully.

Mark 1:1-13

1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, ² as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way”—
³ “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.’”

⁴ And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵ The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. ⁶ John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷ And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. ⁸ I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

⁹ At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰ Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. ¹¹ And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

¹² At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, ¹³ and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

Comment

Mark begins like a breaking news alert, not a slow introduction: “The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.” (v.1) In one sentence we’re told who this is about—and why it matters. The “gospel” isn’t advice or a list of spiritual tips. It’s an announcement: God has acted, history has turned, the King has come.

Mark also wants us to see that Jesus isn’t just a king, but the promised Lord himself. When he quotes Isaiah and Malachi—“Prepare the way for the Lord” (v.3)—the original promise is about God coming to rescue and rule his people. Mark applies it straight to Jesus. In other words: the one John is preparing us for is the Lord we’ve been waiting for—the King who comes not merely to give directions, but to bring deliverance, to forgive, and to reign.

Before we see Jesus, we meet John the Baptist—the wilderness messenger promised by the prophets. John isn’t the main character. He’s the voice crying, “Make room. Get ready.” His baptism is a call to repentance: not a light spiritual tidy-up, but a real turning back to God.

Then Jesus steps into the water. That’s already startling. If anyone doesn’t need a baptism of repentance, it’s him. Yet he stands where sinners stand. And as he comes up, the curtain is pulled back: the Spirit descends, and the Father speaks—“You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (v.11) Before Jesus has preached, healed, or proved anything, the Father delights in him. Christianity begins not with our performance, but with God’s verdict on his Son.

And then Mark draws the battle lines. Immediately the Spirit drives Jesus into the wilderness: forty days of testing, Satan opposing, angels attending, wild animals lurking. On one side: God, Jesus, John, the Spirit. On the other: Satan and all that threatens life. Mark’s question presses in from the start: which side are we on?

Lent is a good time to face that question honestly—and to take heart. The road to Easter begins in the wilderness. But we walk behind a King who has already gone there first, and stood firm for us.

Reflection Questions

• Where do you sense “battle lines” in your life at the moment—temptation, fear, cynicism, compromise?
• What would repentance look like today: one concrete turn toward God and away from sin?
• When you feel weak or tested, what comfort do you take from knowing Jesus has gone into the wilderness first—and that God’s voice of love is stronger than the enemy’s lies?

 

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, you are the Messiah and the Son of God. Thank you for stepping into our place and standing where we so often fall. As I begin Lent, give me honest repentance, real faith, and fresh courage. In wilderness moments, remind me that you have faced the enemy for me, and that your Father’s love rests securely on you. Help me take my side with you today—gladly and wholeheartedly. Amen.