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May I Introduce You to Jesus - Mark 1:1-13

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This week we began a new sermon series which will take us through the gospel of Mark.  Mark's gospel is unlike the other three gospels in the sense that Mark wasn't all that interested in the details surrounding the circumstances in Jesus' life.  So instead of writing a gospel with lots of details surrounding the events of Jesus' life and ministry, Mark's goal is to present Jesus.  From beginning to end his gospel is about making Jesus known.  So as we work through this gospel account we'll be titling this series:

Spare Me the Details - Just Give Me Jesus

Have you ever noticed that speakers of conferences, seminars, and other events are introduced to their audience before they begin speaking?  Do you know why they are introduced?  The main reason is because the one introducing the speaker wants to audience to understand why this speaker is credible and why they ought to pay attention to what is said.  So most times they will talk about the speaker's education, background, and life experiences which demonstrate their authority in the subject on which they are speaking.  And it's during that introduction that many in the audience are determining whether or not they are going to listen and pay attention or if they are going to spend their time thinking about other things.  Mark understands that if he wants his readers to rightly understand the gospel of Jesus, and if his readers are going to give consideration to His life, teachings, and ministry, then he needs to make a strong introduction.  For that reason we simply titled the first sermon:  

"May I Introduce You to Jesus"  Mark 1:1-13

Mark begins his gospel account in verse 1 by stating the subject of his account.  He is writing to his readers concerning "the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God."  In other words his account will tell them the story of salvation in Jesus.  Unfortunately, several wrongly held presuppositions existed about who Jesus was which were resulting in wrong understandings of the gospel of Jesus.  So in the first several verses of Mark's gospel we find him providing his readers with 3 keys for rightly understanding the gospel of Jesus Christ.

In verses 2-8 Mark gives a description of the forerunner for the promised Messiah (John the Baptist) and in so doing provides some strategic quotes and imagery that would have caused the readers to think back on several prominent Old Testament (OT) prophets and leaders.  In verses 2-3 Mark provides three quotes from the OT.  The quotes come from Exodus 23:20; Malachi 3:1; and Isaiah 40:3.  Mark gives credit for all three quotes to the prophet Isaiah, probably because the larger portion of the quote comes from his text, but also because Isaiah was one of the greatest OT prophets.  There are probably several purposes for quoting these texts.  The obvious reason was to remind the readers of the forerunner of the promised Messiah who would come and prepare the way for the coming deliverer.  But Mark was also very strategic in demonstrating that this plan for both sending a Savior and for sending one to prepare His way were not an after thought for God, but rather have been part of His plan since the beginning of time.  In addition, Mark was also very strategically calling to mind the prophet Isaiah.  As Mark goes on describing John he makes reference to his location in the wilderness.  This surely would have called to mind another great OT leader who led God's people in the wilderness - Moses.  And then in verse 6, Mark describes John's clothing, saying he was "clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist."  This description of John's clothes would have caused his readers to be reminded of the great OT prophet Elijah who wore clothes very similar to John's.  So in verses 2-8 Mark strategically calls to mind, either through direct quote or the use of imagery, several prominent OT leaders and prophets while describing John the Baptist, who, himself had a very significant ministry (see vs. 5).  And then Mark records for his readers John's message to the people in verses 7-8.  John was proclaiming that there was One coming who was 'mightier' than he was and who would baptize "with the Holy Spirit."  John was declaring to the many that came to him in the wilderness that the one coming after him was greater and One who had the ability to do what only God had been able to do in the OT - give the Holy Spirit.  Mark was in these verses providing the first key for rightly understanding the gospel of Jesus Christ.  By calling to mind the several of the prominent leaders and prophets of the OT and John the Baptist and closing out these first few verses that the coming One was even greater than these Mark was demonstrating that Jesus is more than a prophet - He is the promised Messiah.  From the very time that Jesus walked on the earth people have wrongly believed Him to be a prophet (Matthew 16:14; Mark 8:28; Luke 9:19).  But by calling the greatest of the OT leaders and prophets to mind and then hearing the proclamation that the One who was to come would be even greater, Mark provides a very important key for rightly understanding the gospel.

In verses 9-11 Mark moves to the account of Jesus' baptism.  For Mark, what unfolds at Jesus' baptism was hugely important and the reason that Mark gives it first priority in his gospel account.  And as these verses unfold Mark recounts three important supernatural events of great significance.  First, Mark says in verse 10 that Jesus came up from the water and that the sky/heavens tore apart.  This is the same Greek word which describes what happened to the temple curtain at Jesus' crucifixion.  This supernatural event seems to indicate that God was breaking the near 400 year period (from the time the book of Malachi ends until this moment) where He had not communicated to His people through any great prophet or leader.  The sky being torn apart wasn't happening when other repentant Jews were coming to be baptized.  But Mark says that at Jesus' baptism the sky is torn apart and secondly that the Spirit descended onto Jesus (vs. 10).  When Jesus came up from the water the sky not only tore apart but God's Spirit, in a visible manifestation, came down onto Jesus.  This was visual evidence that the Spirit of God was upon Jesus and that He was empowered not only to speak and act for God, but as God.  And finally, when Jesus came up from the water Mark says the audible voice of God was heard saying "You are my beloved Son . . ."  This was an unprecedented statement for God to be making.  Consider some of the great leaders of the OT.  Abraham was not called 'God's Son.'  Moses was not.  Aaron was not.  King David was not.  While great things were said about these men, God never declared any of them to be His Son.  So Mark in these verses provides us with the second key for rightly understanding the gospel of Jesus: Jesus is more than a repentant Jew - He is God's Son.  These three supernatural events which accompanied the baptism of Jesus demonstrated to those who were present as well as the readers of this gospel account that Jesus was far more than a repentant Jew.  Over the years many have wrongly believed that Jesus was simply a Jewish man who pleased God's heart and whom He adopted as a son at His baptism.  But Mark presents Jesus far differently by attesting to the unique demonstrations of God at Jesus' baptism, proving that Jesus was His Son.

In verses 12-13 Mark recounts what probably would have been a very unexpected to most readers.  Jesus, having just been declared God's Son doesn't go to a palace to reign on a throne, ruling over all people, and enjoying the finest things life has to offer.  Instead Mark recounts how the same Spirit that had just come upon Jesus drives Him out into the wilderness where He spent 40 days being tempted by Satan.  This seems like an odd think to happen to the Son of God, but once what took place and Mark's account of it is incredibly important for us to understand the gospel.  It had just been revealed that God had empowered Jesus with His Spirit and now Jesus was put in a situation where He would have to demonstrate if He would us that power to accomplish the will of God or if He would us that for His own selfish gain.  And so to determine what Jesus would do He was put into a situation where one option would be set against the other.  While in the wilderness Jesus was daily having to decide if He would do the will of His Father or if He would give into the temptations of God's adversary, Satan.  During those 40 days Jesus never once waivered from His Father's will.  Here in these verses Mark provided the third and final key for rightly understanding the gospel of Jesus: Jesus is more than a good teacher - He is the conqueror of Satan.  Over the years many have believed to be just a good teacher.  But Jesus did not spend those 40 days in the wilderness writing lesson plans for his next 3.5 years of ministry.  He wasn't working through lessons on good morals and good behavior.  Jesus was in those 40 days standing firm in the will of the Father and foreshadowing His coming victory over Satan.  A victory foretold in the very first prophecy of the coming Messiah in Gen. 3:15.

If Jesus were just a prophet there would be no hope for deliverance from sin.  If Jesus were just a repentant Jew there would be no hope for new life.  And If Jesus were just a good teacher, the best we would ever be able to do is know how we ought to live, but never having the ability to carry it out.  If this is all that Jesus is, there is no real reason for us to consider His life, teaching, and ministry.  What good is there in paying spending our time reading through a 'gospel' account that offers no hope?

But Mark introduces us to who Jesus really is!  Jesus is the promised Messiah, so there is hope that we can be delivered from sin.  Jesus is God's Son, so there is hope that we can have new life.  And Jesus is the conqueror of Satan, so not only can we know how to live, but there is hope that we can have the power to overcome the sin and temptation that we face each day in life!  This is who Jesus is!  And this demands that we consider Jesus' life, ministry, and teaching.  For in Him is the the good news of salvation!

Questions for Small Groups

1. Read Mark 1:1-8.  The great leaders and prophets of the OT and John the Baptist were always pointing the people to God and the coming Messiah.  Now read 2 Corinthians 5:18-21.  All believers in Christ today are considered and called to be "ambassadors for Christ."  How are we as individuals and as a small group pointing the lost to God and to Christ and imploring them to "be reconciled to God?"

2. Read Mark 1:9-11.  Immediately following Jesus' baptism there were supernatural signs that demonstrated to those present that Jesus was God's Son.  When we trust in Christ as Lord and Savior, becoming children of God, it isn't accompanied by supernatural events.  But should there be pieces of evidence in our lives that others can see that prove we belong to Him?  If so, what are they?  Finally, are we doing anything that would keep others from seeing those evidences?

3. Read Mark 1:12-13.  Then read Romans 6:11-19.  Because Jesus has defeated Satan, we can have power of sin too.  If we have hope that we can overcome sin and temptation because Jesus conquered Satan and we have power to overcome sin and temptation because Jesus conquered Satan, why is it still such a struggle to overcome sin and temptation?  How can we as a small group encourage one another in this struggle?

4. What step of faith does this passage of scripture require us to take as individuals and as a small group?  How do we work this out on mission?

1 Comment

This was really great! I look foreward to being there Sunday morning and hearing the next part in person!! Are you having small group meetings during the week?

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