His Reign Has Begun
We begin 2021 with a new series in the Gospel of Mark. It is our belief that university is a place offers more than just a degree. If you wanted to, you have the opportunity to meet someone new. No, I’m not talking about a romantic partner. Neither am I talking about God, if that’s what you expected me to say. Read the Gospel of Mark together with us and God will show you not just who Jesus is, but who you are. God changes people through His Word. That’s our prayer for you this semester at ECU.
(Summarized transcript from week 1 public meeting, based on Mark 1:1-15)
Mark arguably only has 1 aim in writing – to show that Jesus is God the King. Look at the way it starts.
1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. (Mark 1:1)
See how Mark describes Jesus? He is the Christ, the Son of God. These are titles for God’s king. Not only that, remember how the Bible starts in Genesis, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” When Mark writes the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, he’s alluding to Genesis 1. In Genesis 1, God is the creator. Now here in Mark, God is coming as King. We are then given 3 pieces of evidence.
Prophetic writings predicted His coming
2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,
“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way,
3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’”
Hundreds of years before Mark wrote his gospel, Isaiah told of a coming King and one who will precede him. If you read the Old Testament you’ll find scores more places that likewise predict the coming of the Christ. What this does is it gives Christianity a legitimacy that cannot be duplicated. It prepares the way, as it says in the text.
Or put it another way, Jesus didn’t come suddenly out of nowhere. Mark didn’t write this after he had a vision in a cave somewhere and now we’re just supposed to take his word for it. For hundreds of years, God’s prophets have been predicting the coming of Jesus. And they all have one thing in common, they preached. That’s the second reason.
Public preaching establishes His identity
First prophetic writings predicted his coming. Secondly, public preaching establishes his identity.
4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Notice again the emphasis in verse 5 – all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to hear John the Baptist. John himself preached about the coming king. And he is no ordinary king, because look at verse 8, “I’ve baptized you with water, he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” What is John saying? Who can give people the Holy Spirit? It’s a huge claim. And if that isn’t enough,
Powerful signs confirm His mission
Prophetic writings predicted His coming. Public preaching establishes His identity. Lastly, powerful signs confirm His mission.
9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” 12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him. 14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
Isaiah wrote about Jesus. John the Baptist preached about Jesus. And now we see a heavenly voice confirming the mission of Jesus. In an allusion to Psalm 2, which is all about God’s king laughing in the face of His enemies (it’s a great read we highly recommend it!), a heavenly voice bear witness to what Isaiah and John are saying. Mark is making sure we get the point: Jesus is God the King.
Can you see it now? 3 things in the passage.
Prophetic writings predicted His coming
Public preaching establishes His identity
Powerful signs confirm His mission
Now what is the point of all this?
Look how our passage ends.
14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
Why did Jesus come? To wage war and defeat satan. To rescue people from satan’s grip – death. That’s what the whole wilderness temptation thing is all about here. Jesus being tempted by satan, satan throwing everything he had at Jesus and ultimately Jesus comes out victorious. And he says the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel. The good news that the battle has been won. The time is fulfilled. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Because the King is here.