Sermon Tone Analysis

A Peek Behind the Curtain

Rest of book Jesus surrounded by disciples & crowds

Here in first 13 vv, Mark pulls back curtain

Drink it in: rest of book = noise and confusion about identity of this man

For rest of this book, the characters are going to struggle with the identity of Jesus

You, the reader, have a chance to figure it out from the beginning: This is the promised Messiah.

This is the very Son of God

R.T. France:

while there is no doubt that Jesus is the ‘hero’ of this story, Mark seems to make a point of portraying him as unrecognised and rejected, even humiliated, continually let down and eventually deserted by even his closest associates, and the eventual victim of a hostile establishment.

But here in 13 vv, Mark leaves no doubt: Jesus, Christ, Son of God.

France again:

There is no indication that anyone other than Jesus himself saw or heard what happened after his baptism (1:10–11), or that the crowd had any reason to identify him with the ἰσχυρότερος of John’s prophecy.

No one else witnessed the confrontation with Satan and the animals, or saw the angelic intervention.

All that people saw was an unknown man from an obscure village joining the many others who responded to John’s call to baptism.

It is only Mark’s readers who, as a result of his prologue, are in a position to see more clearly who Jesus is, and how the prophetic words of vv.

2–3 are now coming to fulfilment.

Let’s get our bearings

1st v told who this is; next 12 about preparation

“The beginning of the good news” — jumps right in to the preparation for the Messiah

Historical Preparation

“The beginning of the gospel” = good news

“of Jesus Christ” — about JC or what JC preached?

Yes

Begins with quoting OT

Shorthand “as it is written in Isaiah the prophet” but actually quotes 2-3 authors

Our text:

Mark 1:2 (ESV)

“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,

who will prepare your way,

Quotes

Malachi 3:1 (ESV)

“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me.”

“before your face” = ahead of you

and

Mark letting us Gentiles in on something the Jews long expected: Messiah will be preceded by a messenger; forerunner; prophet

Jews even expecting a particular prophet: Elijah

And what does this forerunner look like?

And that’s what John was: the fulfillment of the forerunner, the 2nd Elijah

Not literally, but in that mold, and even greater—Comes preaching repentance, but also that the Messiah is following him

Think about how God has prepared human history for this moment

First promised to Eve that her seed would crush the head of serpent

Waited for seed through Genesis, all the way to Abraham

Then we learned that he would also be descendant of Israel’s greatest king, David

Learned he’d be preceded by a forerunner, prophet in mold of Elijah

John the Baptist set apart as a Nazirite from his mother’s womb for this role

Now, right before Jesus is set to start His public ministry, the forerunner is out here in the wilderness, doing his thing

God left nothing to chance.

How many billions of events and human decisions had to orchestrated to come down to this moment?

If you ever doubt whether God is sovereign over all things, just ponder this scene in Mark’s gospel

But God messed up in one big way: advent of photography and video recording

I speak as a fool.

God chose to reveal His Son to us in words, not images.

Because I trust His timing, and b/c I’ve read the 2nd Commandment, I don’t put my confidence in The Jesus Film, or Passion, or The Chosen, but right here, in His written word, which is sufficient

Our Father took no risks, no gambles, in bringing our Messiah to earth

Didn’t just prepare history: also prepared the people:

The Preparation of Repentance

How should you get ready for the Messiah?

How should *sinners*?

The forerunner is here, preparing the way—what’s his message?

You’re the chosen people of God! Get hyped!

Instead, unprecedented: baptism of repentance

Not Christian baptism (Acts 19:1–6)

Converts to Judaism had a ceremonial washing

But this, for Jewish people, apparently by full immersion, never done before

John’s message clear: you may be Jews, but you’re sinners

Want to be ready for Messiah?

Repent of your sins

Repentance = change of mind, but broader than that.

In NT, means to change your whole course of life

Repent, so that your sins may be forgiven (sent away)

Same message that Jesus preached:

So absolutely crucial that we get this message

We have a tendency to preach half a Gospel: trust in Jesus

Trust in Jesus to what?

Save you.

Save from what?

Your sins

If you don’t get this, you’ll never be saved, because you’ll never get over trusting in yourself and instead trust completely in another

Why Jesus said:

Mark 2:17 (ESV)

“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Don’t miss John’s message, Jesus’ message: you need a savior—from you, from your sin.

You need to repent

Theological Preparation

But of course, that wasn’t all of John’s message

What does he mean, “he who is mightier than I?”

This is the great end-times prophet, Elijah, sent to prepare the world?

How can another man be mightier?

This one won’t baptize with mere water:

I told you Mark combined two quotations, from Malachi and Isaiah

I didn’t tell you how he changed them

Mark said

According to Malachi, whose way is the messenger preparing?

Malachi 3:1 (ESV)

“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me.

“Me” Whom is Malachi quoting?

God.

Yahweh.

So who’s coming after the messenger?