Mark 1:1-8 ‘Ready – or Not? #2’
In different ways, we all know the importance of signs and symbols. They point us in the right direction, give us instruction, and help us avoid making mistakes. We might be washing our clothes, and looking at the label inside to tell us what temperature to wash our favourite jumper at, and whether or not to iron it. We might be driving our car, and following road-signs that tell us what route to take, or whether or not we are allowed to park. If we DON’T follow instructions, the results can be annoying, like when our jumper goes out of shape or shrinks, or when we get lost in our car. Or it can be dangerous, like when we park on a roadside where we’re not allowed to park, or drive faster than the signs tell us we should. Signs and symbols are important to us in our lives. They help guide us, pointing us in the right direction.
In our lives of faith, signs and symbols are important too. Especially as we reflect upon God’s Word as we read our Bibles, we see how the Old Testament and the Gospels SHOW US WAYS by which God wants us to live our lives. And the writers of the same Gospel and Old Testament stories tell us about signs and symbols, which they warn us to stay alert to if we are not to miss something of great importance.
In just such a way begins the Gospel of Mark. Perhaps surprisingly for us, Mark makes no mention of the Christmas event, the birth of Jesus. In his Gospel, Mark makes no mention of the events leading-up to Jesus’ birth which Matthew, Luke and John between them tell us about – like the Annunciation and Mary’s meeting with her cousin, Elisabeth. Like the vision of the shepherds, and the long journey of the Magi from the East. No, Mark says nothing of the months of preparation (perhaps years in the case of the Magi); nothing of the fear and confusion of Mary and Joseph. Nothing of the wonder and great joy of the birth in such humble surroundings, and the baby boy attended by the poor shepherds and the mysterious Three, bearing precious gifts of gold, frankincense and Myrrh.
For Mark, there is no Christmas story. Instead he immediately introduces us to Jesus’ second cousin, John the Baptizer, and takes us back to the words of that great prophet Isaiah: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God”.
What Mark is impatient to relate to those that would hear his words, is that John the Baptist is heralding, pointing towards, the One who was greater than he. The One, he says, “Who is mightier than I, whom I am not worthy even to stoop down and untie the thongs of his sandals.” The One who will come to baptise with the Holy Spirit, even as John had baptised with water. John is pointing towards Jesus who, in turn, comes to gather together, and point people towards God and God’s Kingdom. John’s words and baptisms are signs, symbols, pointing us towards Jesus; Jesus came to live out his life and word as a sign to point us in the direction of God.
So, Mark introduces us, at the beginning of his Gospel, not to an event (the Christmas event) but to a person (John the Baptist), and this in an atmosphere of great anticipation and expectation. Mark introduces us to John the Baptist who instructs us to prepare for the arrival of the One who would come after him. The one whom the prophets of old awaited with such enthusiasm and sense of urgency. The one who was imminently expected, and who would change people’s lives. And there was no time to waste – there were many preparations to make.
For Jesus was ‘mightier’ and ‘stronger’ that John the Baptist. Mark stresses the POWER of Jesus, and he will show this in his Gospel through his reporting of the miracles Jesus performs. Signs, in themselves, that point towards the power of God, and God’s love for all people.
The coming One is so much greater than himself, John the Baptist says, that he is unworthy to do even the most menial task for him – to take off his sandals (not even a slave would be expected to perform such a task for their master). Yet this image is a sign that points forward to the greatness of God who, in Christ Jesus, would kneel at the feet of his friends and wash their feet, at their Last Supper together. The Last Supper before Jesus is handed over to their enemies, subject to a mock trial, humiliation, torture and, finally, rejected in favour of (that which would be as shocking to us today as) a terrorist, and condemned to the most brutal execution and painful death imaginable. All so that we could be restored to God, and have the opportunity to live in the fullness of God’s presence – here on earth, and in heaven.
John the Baptist says that the One coming will baptise with the Holy Spirit, rather than with water as he is doing. The coming of the Holy Spirit is the sign that the final act of God’s love and God’s salvation has come. John the Baptist is a very important person for Mark, because he points forward to Jesus as the Messiah. And this he declares in the opening words of his Gospel, “The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”
For Mark this is the most important thing in the world. Proclaiming Jesus as ‘Christ’, which means (in Greek) ‘Anointed One’ and (in Hebrew) ‘Messiah’ – so pointing to Jesus as the fulfilment of the historical, messianic expectation of God’s people, the One waited for and anticipated for so very long. Expectations of a new, divinely appointed King who would bring about the reality of God’s kingdom in all its fullness. In preparation for this time, Mark has John the Baptist proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
[*BAPTISM – ‘washing’ as a sign of becoming ritually ‘clean’ (especially after a time of being pronounced ‘unclean’) and thus considered to be newly ‘worthy’ and acceptable to God.
*REPENT – literally, ‘turn back’ – that is to God and God’s ways.
*FORGIVE – literally ‘blot out’ – the smothering and eradication (of our sins).
*SIN – literally as an archer firing an arrow at a target, but which ‘falls short’ of the mark.]
So, John the Baptist is urging all people to be ‘made clean’ (thus acceptable to God) and through ‘turning back’ to God and God’s ways, to accept the opportunity to have their ‘shortcomings’ ‘blotted out’. The opportunity to have their ‘shortcomings’ ‘blotted out’ that begins by receiving and welcoming Christ Jesus, through whose life, word and ministry, the love and free grace and forgiveness of God is made known. But preparations need to be made before Jesus the Christ can be received and welcomed.
This is John the Baptist’s message for us at Advent-time, pointing us like a sign to make clear the need to be ready for Jesus’ advent (‘coming’). To continue our Advent self-examination, prayer and spiritual discipline; cleansing our hearts, minds and spirits of all that hinders our relationship with God. A time of ‘turning back’ to God; of acknowledging how we ‘fall short’ of the love, mercy and forgiveness for others but asking God to ‘blot out’ these shortcomings. A time of preparing, repairing and maintaining that highway, straight and true, through the wilderness of our lives, the mountains and valleys of the world of which can so easily impede our closeness of relationship with God.
For the Good News has come in Christ Jesus, as long foretold and expected by the prophets of old: Jesus has come and will come again to guide us along the road of truth and life in all its fullness. The way that points to God and to God’s Kingdom. The Christ will come, so let us prepare, make ready for his Advent; and let us be alert to see the signs that point us towards the arrival of the long-expected One – even amid all the hectic activity as we prepare to celebrate his birth!
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Disclaimer: I have been privileged to share with God’s people, for more than ten years since my Ordination, many, many sermons and Bible studies. As so often, preachers ‘absorb’ words and other insights without knowing or remembering their original source. If any of the above seems somehow ‘familiar’, please accept my humble apologies – I have not wittingly reproduced any writing as my own that should be otherwise acknowledged.
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