Mark 1

Today, we’re kicking off a new series. Jumping from focusing on forgiveness, and entering into the Gospel of Mark. There’s a lot of exciting pieces of the story of Jesus in here, and I’m pumped to be bringing us into the series today.

Today’s section of scripture is going to give us a nice setting for starting off the Gospel of Mark

Mark 1:1–15 (NIV)

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

“I will send my messenger ahead of you,

who will prepare your way”—

“a voice of one calling in the wilderness,

‘Prepare the way for the Lord,

make straight paths for him.’ ”

And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 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. John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 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. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 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. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

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

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

There it is, the beginning of Mark. A lot happens in the first 15 verses. The book gives us a declaration of who Jesus is, He’s the Son of God. We see parts of Isaiah prophesying about John the baptist. We learn about what John the Baptist is doing, learn about His baptism of Jesus and what God says after. Get a quick look at Jesus in the wilderness being tempted and we see in our 15th verse here the first words from Jesus in Mark and the beginning of his ministry. That’s a lot happening in 15 verses. Go 15 verses into other Gospels, At this point in Matthew, we’re still reading through the genealogy of Jesus at verse 15. In Luke, we’re still in the conversation with Zechariah and the angel talking about his coming son, John the Baptist. In the Gospel of John, we’re coming to the end of the theological description of the Word. Each of these different beginnings of the Gospels plays an important role. Each one in its own way is teaching us about who Jesus is, what he’s here for, insight into the Gospel story, as well as setting us up for what we will be engaging with in the portions of the Gospel we are about to read.

So what are we looking at here in the beginning of Mark. What are we learning about Jesus, and how do these verses set us up for what is to come in this Gospel. There’s a lot to look at here, but we are going to focus in on a few big points.

First let’s set the stage for Jesus’ baptism. We’ve got John, baptizing in the wilderness and a lot of people were going out there to be baptized by him in the Jordan River.

I love baptism’s, and I’m sure you do as well. So many exciting memories of seeing people publicly display that their lives are for Christ. And people get baptized in so many different places. Here, we see John baptizing people in a river. I was baptized in Lake Whatcom about 15 years ago. Last year we saw people here at CTK Blaine baptized out in the harbor from the Semiahmoo spit. We filled up the baptismal pool back here, which if you didn’t know, there’s a little tub back here for baptisms. I remember at the church I was at before we moved to Birch Bay, we would bring out this big tub and baptize people right on stage. There are so many different kinds of places that people are baptized at and all are so amazing. And not only do we celebrate baptisms, but so do the angels. Jesus says in Luke 15:10 “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Now, we’ve got current times in mind and we’ll want to shift over to the Jordan River, about 2,000 years ago. John’s been here baptizing people but also telling about another guy. Matthew 3.11-12 gives us a little more about John’s words on the coming Jesus

Matthew 3:11–12 (NIV)

“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

So people are getting baptized by John and they’re also getting set up learning about this guy who is powerful and more amazing than John, so much so that John isn’t even worthy to tie his shoes, and this guys going to baptize them with the Holy Spirit and FIRE! You see though, we read this and we know it’s Jesus. These listeners… they don’t.

Reading this passage, I want to try to think what it must have been like for those who were there the day Jesus showed up and was was baptized. It probably wasn’t much different of a day than the other days John was baptizing people. Maybe there was a line of people, maybe people just sort of standing around and went into the water here and there. But what we know is lots of people are going into the water, confessing their sins and being baptized.

So one day, Jesus shows up. Imagine being at the river waiting to confess the stuff you do wrong, get baptized by John and Jesus, the guy John’s been hyping up,shows up. Maybe you’re looking at the water, waiting your turn, and all of a sudden John Yell’s

John 1:29–30 (NIV)

“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’

Now, if I’m there, I dunno, I’m probably like. He’s here. Guys, the one who is more powerful than John, the animal hair wearing, bug eating wild man, it’s the guy stronger than him. I’m thinking like the Hulk Hogan of believers is about to show up. And John isn’t even worthy to tie the straps on His sandals. Maybe He’s like super buff and like a king, like Hulk Hogan meets Prince Harry. This dudes starting to sound like the Tom Brady. And hold up, he might be baptizing people.

So, I dunno, I might be feeling a little nervous now, I have a lot of sin to confess before I’m baptized, like, a lot. What’s he going to say. He sounds perfect. I’mma look like idiot in front of him.

What if he ends up being the one that baptizes me. What if He doesn’t think I’m good enough? Oh my gosh, guys, John said He baptizes with the Holy Spirit.... AND FIRE. This is gonna hurt. I’m in trouble. This dudes about to rock the Jordan River area.

And I turn, and I see… the like most normal looking dude ever. Pretty sure he’s from Nazareth, judging by that robe.

Now, that inner monologue, is a little ridiculous. But in this moment, we’re caught up in knowing who Jesus is. Today, we know, He’s God. But, part of what we need to see here as well, is that Jesus showed up a little different than what is expected, and these people didn’t know He was God. We actually see people throughout the Gospels literally saying, “this guys from Nazareth. What good comes from Nazareth”. I think it’s safe to assume that Jesus' appearance was not something crazy. He walks over to John, but Johns got the inside scoop on Jesus. He knows who Jesus is. Jesus tells John, that he is going to be baptized, by John. The guy who John has been telling everyone who is around that he isn’t worthy to untie His sandals, is now telling John to baptize Him. John actually pushed back at Jesus saying Matt 3.14

Matthew 3:14 (NIV)

“I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

So Jesus goes into the water with John, and John obeys and baptizes Jesus. Just like He baptized all those sinners. Difference, Jesus has no sin to confess. And then we read,

Mark 1:10–11 (NIV)

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. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

In that moment, something really important happens. God speaks audibly, which side note, doesn’t happen much, even in the Bible, so we know, this is huge… and the voice of God identifies Jesus as His son. D.A. Carson points out that this statement, “introduces the mystery of the incarnation: Jesus is both Lord and Son.”

This moment of God’s audible voice speaking to Jesus is pretty epic, but it doesn’t happen in a synagogue or temple. It doesn’t happen at a big traditional feast of celebration or passover meal. There’s no parade or audience of kings and queens. No, Jesus, is baptized in the same river and by the same man as all the sinners watching. And what happens right afterwards.

Mark 1:12–13 (NIV)

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

Guys, at this point, something is real clear. Jesus, the prophesied one spoken of and pointed to in so many place in the Old Testament. The one who John declared as more powerful and so high that even John the baptist isn’t worthy to untie His sandals. The one of whom Isaiah 9.7 says.

Isaiah 9:7 (NIV)

Of the greatness of his government and peace

there will be no end.

He will reign on David’s throne

and over his kingdom,

establishing and upholding it

with justice and righteousness

from that time on and forever.

That one, He comes as a man.

Guys, look at this.

Philippians 2:5–8 (NIV)

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

rather, he made himself nothing

by taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to death—

even death on a cross!

Jesus came humbly. When He goes into that Wilderness, Satan tempts Him. We see the details of it in Matthew. Jesus responds to Satan with scripture, and doesn’t fall into temptation. And it feels easy, to just be like, “yeah, he’s Jesus. Walk in the park.” No. We look at this in the light of the Philippians two passage that tells us Philippians 2.7 “he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” . When I read that, and then look at the end of the temptation of Jesus after the devil left Him and we read that the angels came and attended to Jesus, that makes me think that it probably wasn’t like Jesus was like, “yo guys, devils gone, let’s hang.” What that probably means is that at the end of those 40 days, Jesus was exhausted weak, maybe even barely alive since he had been fasting that whole time. he was clearly in need of help. Guys, Jesus came humbly. Jesus came as a tiny fragile baby, birthed by a mother in a barn and placed in a food trough. Jesus was baptized at the same river as a bunch of sinners. Jesus was tempted, humbly, as a man.

And this will continue throughout the Gospel of Mark. We will see Jesus being lowly, and getting down with those who are needy repulsive. When he is healing people, he isn’t standing on a stage like Benny Hinn casting spells and wearing an expensive suit. A lot of the times, he was out on the streets, healing people that no body else likes. And not just hospital sick. But sick like you might see in Bellingham sleeping in tents on the sidewalk.

This changes how the first statement that Jesus says in the book of Mark comes off.

He came kind, and lovingly, and humbly. He didn’t call out anybody at that baptism for their sins, He got in the water too. But, Jesus is the Son of God. This is crazy. How could the King of all, come down and be so lowly and meek.

Not everybody shows up like Jesus does. Frankly, there are some, that show with a Bible in hand, and it’s, different to put it lightly.

I remember a number of years back at work here in Bellingham, we had a enthusiastic sign holder that stood outside the main building of our campus. Now, this is pre-covid. People are walking around. Downtown is bustling. And this guys been there for a few days in a row.

A coworker and I, who was a brother in Christ, are walking towards the building, and we gotta go right past this guy. And every time I see him, I’m like “rrrr”. I got anger inside. So we walk by, ignore his words at us, I don’t remember what he said, and as soon as we get into the building, I’m like, “man. That guy. Preaching lies and hurting people with his signs. Hate it.” My coworker looks at me and says, “why?” I’m like, c’mon. Did you read his sign.”

He says, “yeah, I agree with what it says.”

What!?

I turn around, I look back at his signs.

He’s got two. One says “Thieves, Drunks, Adulterers, Murderers, Idolaters, Liars”

The other One, says just one word.

“Repent” [explain what repent means]

Now I’m not saying that this guys way of evangelizing was right, and neither was my friend, but the words on the signs, my buddy was right, they weren’t incorrect. The Bible calls those people to repent. And you know what I thought, when I actually read the sign the second time, and this was horribly prideful of me, but I thought,

“Man, if somebody saw those signs and was one of those sinful people listed, they probably wouldn’t want to come to Jesus.”

now fast forward to a little over a week ago, it was a super stressful day, a lot as weighing heavy I was reading this passage that night, thinking about this sermon, and I was thinking about this story about the sign holder, about the sign he was holding. And as I went to the cupboard to grab a snack, I was thinking about the word Repent. I just couldn’t shake, that even though the words on that guys sign were not contrary to what the Bible says, something about that sign Repent just didn’t feel right with me. It made me feel uncomfortable. Yet, the first command Jesus gives in the book of Mark is to Repent and believe the Good News. So why do I have a hard time with that word. So there I am, thinking about if this story about the sign guy, fits into today's sermon. Thinking about how, to be honest, the guys sign was ineffective. I’m not a murderer. I don’t steal. His desire to convict others could have been done better. And as I stuffed fruit snacks in my mouth with one hand, and held my bible in the other, something happened.

See guys, I’m a stress eater. When life is tough. I eat. I don’t steal things, I don’t murder people. I don’t bow don’t to a golden calf. But, I raid my kids school snacks like hot dog eating contest champion when I’m stressed. And in that moment, while I was thinking about how I was too good for all those sins listed on that sign, God reminded me that when I turn to food as a source of comfort during stress rather than His word rather than prayer, I am seeking my own sinful ways and not His. And maybe you’re scratching your head right now, thinking, “Brian's talking about snack food as something to repent of?” Yes, and not because fruit snacks are bad for you, sorry for those of you that thought the word fruit universally meant this food good. No, guys, when my life is tough, my sinful heart wants food to be my comfort. Not God. And all of a sudden, the sign I was remembering reading all those years ago began to change. The list of sinners on that line started to shift in my mind.

It said;

Repent: Stress Eaters

Repent: Angry Parents

Repent: Those with sinful sexual thoughts

Repent: Gossips

Repent: Lazy workers

Repent: Selfish spouses

Repent: Social Media addicts

Repent: Liars

Repent: Those who are greedy

Repent: Those who worship their jobs

Repent Repent Repent

Guys, I realized, I hated that sign, because that sign, revealed my sin. T That word Repent, if I take it seriously, it reveals my sin. And not some “don’t eat fruit snacks because it’s bad for you” type of sin. No, it’s the “don’t seek worldly pleasure and comforts when times are hard.” I don’t know about you, but when I take the word repent seriously, I see the darkest parts of me. And not just what I’ve done, but why, and what that means about me. What that means about my ability to, or really, complete lack thereof, of ever being able to be good enough for Jesus. Cause guys, I’m not good enough for Jesus. None of us are. That sign with all the sinners listed on it, that I thought wasn’t for me, it’s for me too, the guy just did a bad job of writing it in a way that I could relate to.

No wonder, we don’t like seeing the word repent on a sign. Because I know there’s another sign next to it, with a long long list of things I’ve done. And I don’t want to think about it.

I know we just got heavy there. But bear with me. See, what we’re seeing here is that our worldly hearts and minds look at sin, and, the word repent, and we experience shame and guilt. Without Jesus, that word repent, it would make sense we feel those things. The need for repentance is just damning evidence, that there’s no hope in our abilities. Satan wants you to think it’s better to hide your sin under your bed, or in the closet, or wherever. He wants you to think that pretending it’s not there is the best way to like be a good person. He also wants us to think, that as believers, we need to perform and be perfect, and convince everyone nothing bad is there. Just, you know. Shhh about that sin.

Friends, Jesus tells us something completely different.

let’s return to those first words of Jesus here in Mark.

Mark 1:15 (NIV)

“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

There's a lot here, and what is here changes everything about our life and who we are.

First, this statement tells us that there is a God. God is real, He is the ruler of this universe. He has created all things for His glory. What is seen, what is unseen. And His Kingdom in Heaven is good and perfect and is our true home and He will return to claim what is His.

Second, the command to repent acknowledges something. That sin is real, and that sin means that we have been separated from God. We are born sinners. And because of our sin, we have earned the penalty of death, and we can do nothing to change that.

But the Good News, the Good news it tells us to believe. Guys, this is the part that Satan wants to you to forget.

The Good News is that the Kingdom of God has come near. That God sent His Son into the world, to become a man. That man is Jesus and he came to die in our place, to pay the penalty for our sin. Jesus died on the cross and paid our debt. But what’s more, that He rose from the grave, and conquered death and ascended to heaven to prepare it for us. And that if we believe in Him, we will have ever lasting life in His Kingdom. And He also tells us that He has given us His Spirit, of which we learn in Ephesians is “the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession. Our time between now and heaven, we are not alone. As believers, God, the Holy Spirit dwells in us.

You see, Jesus isn’t calling us to repent in shame or guilt, no. Titus 3 tells us

Titus 3:3–7 (NIV)

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

Guys, when Jesus calls us to repent, He is saying repent and believe, because as those who have faith in Jesus, we are heirs of His Kingdom. We are filled with the Holy Spirit. We have hope in eternal life. Of course God calls us to turn away from our past and towards Jesus, it’s who He has made us to be.

Michael Horton puts it well.

“By itself repentance is merely the experience of damnation—until one looks by faith to Jesus Christ.” - Michael Horton

So what do we see here, what will the Gospel of Mark be teaching us.

We will see that a King, stepped down from His throne and humbly became a man. That He would be called the Son of God and walk this earth as a man, a humble servant to others. A humility that we are called to exemplify. We will see many times just how seriously He takes our separation from God, our sin, and see that He calls us to also take seriously that sin by repenting of it. And we will see and hear from Him the good news, that He takes our sin, our separation from God so seriously, that He came and died on the cross to pay our debts, so that if we believe in Him, by His power alone will we be saved and spend eternity with Him, starting here on this earth and continuing forever in heaven.

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