I want to begin this morning by playing a word association game. I am going to name a famous person; you tell me what they are known for…
Oprah
Bill Gates
Lady Ga-Ga
Abraham Lincoln
Tiger Woods
Jesus Christ
Each one of these people is famous for something. There is something they do that makes them distinctive from everyone else. There is not another Oprah, Bill Gates or Lady Ga-Ga (Thank goodness!) They are unique, different and have had or are having a distinct impact on our culture.
Webster defines Distinct as Something or Someone who is distinguishable from all others; or having a special quality, style or attractiveness.
Distinguishable from all others
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Indeed the people we listed have distinct personalities. Let me give you one more word association – I will give you the word you tell me the first thing that comes to your mind READY – CHRISTIAN
We have a lot of definitions for the word that simply means; Like Christ or as the Romans would call them little Christ.
I fear we may have spiritual amnesia, I wonder if we have forgotten our spiritual identity. Maybe we have bought into the myth that we only exist to eat, sleep, work, pay our bills and be good citizens. However scripture teaches us we are so much more than just a person who does things, we are to be something – we are to be distinctive in our nature. Our lifestyles and our actions are to be different from the world. Remember the definition of Distinct… Someone who is distinguishable from all others; or having a special quality, style or attractiveness.
I believe God wants us to recapture our distinctiveness, to remember who we are as God’s people. Understanding our identity is crucial to fulfilling our destiny.
Over the next several weeks we are going to look at the one whom we are to model our life after – Jesus Christ. The Hebrew writer calls us to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Maybe you have grown weary; maybe you have lost your heart. Maybe it is time to forget who you have become and remember who you are!
To help us remember who we are we are going to look at the life of Jesus through the gospel of Mark.
In Mark 1, we see three distinctive marks to help us remember who we are as Christ followers.
Read Mark 1:1-8
1 This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. It began
2 just as the prophet Isaiah had written: “Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way.
3 He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’ ”
4 This messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.
5 All of Judea, including all the people of Jerusalem, went out to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.
6 His clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey.
7 John announced: “Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals.
8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!”
Mark begins the story of Jesus by telling us of…
A Distinctive Man
Note the details of this distinctive man…
His arrival was predicted by the prophet Isaiah, Isaiah was Israel’s prophet in 700 b.c. Isaiah does not give us the man’s name, he simply calls him “The Voice of one calling in the wilderness” In the NT, the word wilderness stirred up painful memories for those who were familiar with Israel’s past. The wilderness was a place of wandering and discipline, but with the arrival of the voice; the wilderness becomes a place of hope; for in the wilderness there is a voice calling people to something new. The Lord is coming.
His message was not the only item that was distinct. Verse 6 describes his diet and wardrobe. His clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey.
Not only is the man distinctive, He also has…
A Distinctive Message
The Lord is coming. For 450 years God had been silent, no prophecies, no visions, and no miracles. During that time Israel had been fought over, occupied and seemly forgotten by God. But now John comes with a distinct message – The Lord is coming! Verses 7 & 8 gives us a snapshot of the coming Lord, “Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!”
Someone is coming who is great than I – in fact I am not worthy to tie or untie his shoes. While I baptize you with water, he is going to baptize you with the Holy Spirit.
This was a different message for the people of Israel to hear. In times past, the prophets had stood up and called the people to repentance or they predicted an impending doom, such as Noah preaching about the flood or Jonah preaching to Nineveh. This message is different; No impending doom, no call for repentance, rather a call to prepare for the coming Lord.
Why does Mark go into such detail about this man and his message? Why the history lesson?
If you have ever visited a doctor you know they want your medical history to help see where you have been medically. Our medically history helps the doctor to better understand our current condition.
In the same way, Mark wants us to remember who this man is in relation to Israel’s history so we may have a better appreciation of who Jesus is to each of us. When it comes down to it these verses help us remember who we are when we realize who Jesus is.
Jesus is not simply the latest and greatest savior. He is not simply another choice on the spiritual buffet; you can’t say, I will take a little bit of Jesus, a little bit of astrology, a little slice of Buddhism and a sampling of New Age Philosophy and that will get me to God.
By Mark telling us the messenger was predicted 700 years earlier, and that he was going to baptize with the Holy Spirit, and that he was going to be powerful, reminded his audience and us that those who choose to follow Christ. Those who choose to make him Lord of their life are going to be just as distinctive as John himself.
John was clothed in Camel Hair - We are clothed in Christ
John was sustained physically with a diet of honey and locust
Believers are sustained spiritually with the Lord’s Supper; bread and the fruit of the vine so simple, yet so filling.
John was not worthy to untie the sandals of the coming Christ, untying sandals was the work of a servant; however, believers are joint heirs with Christ.
But it is not enough for us to look at the distinctive voice of John and his distinctive message we must choose to follow…
A Distinctive Messiah
After telling us of John and his message, Mark now introduces us to the messiah. Read Mark 1:9-11
9 One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River.
10 As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove.
11 And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.”
What makes Jesus the distinctive messiah?
Submitted to the will of God.
Mark tells us Jesus traveled from Galilee to the Jordan for the purpose of Baptism. Why did Jesus need to be baptized – he had no sin. In Matthew’s gospel we are told Jesus was baptized to fulfill righteousness. Jesus baptism was the example for us. The question is not should I be baptized, the question is why would I not be baptized? Why would I not follow in my Lord’s footsteps?
Baptism is the point where I willingly submit to God’s will. Just as Jesus willingly submitted to God through Baptism, we too willingly submit in obedience.
Not only was Jesus a distinctive messiah because he was baptized – He was distinctive because he was God’s son. Verse 11 reads, a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son”. Literally you are my one and only son. What makes Jesus worthy to be followed is the claim that he is God’s son. If you ever are in a discussion with someone regarding spiritual issues, the key question is WHO IS Jesus? If he was a good teacher, a prophet, a holy man, a wise leader – that does not get it. Jesus was/is and forevermore the Son of God. No other religious believe can make that claim.
He was the distinctive messiah because he lived to please God
Note the last part of verse 11, a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.” Would you raise your hand if everything you have ever done has pleased God? Every though, every action, every deed has been done according to God’s will. I have to confess I cannot raise my hand. I want to please God, but you get in my way, and the truth is most of us want to please God but we get in each other‘s way. I like the comic strip Peanuts, where Charlie Brown and Linus are looking over the fence and Charlie Brown says it is not mankind that makes me mess up, it’s humans. Sometimes we get in one another’s way, and when we do we fail to please God. However Jesus lived in such a way that everything he did pleased God; every though, every action, every deed was according to God’s will. No one ever kept him from doing the will of the father, no one kept him from trying to please God. In John 6 Jesus said, For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. Would we not have that desire today in our church, in our homes and in our families?
Jesus was distinctive because he was willing to submit to God’s will in baptism.
Jesus was distinctive because he was God’s son.
Jesus was distinctive because he sought to please God.
Mark begins this gospel by telling us why Jesus was distinct, but the question this morning is are you distinct. When you became a Christian, when you became a Christ follower you took on a distinctiveness that made you different. Remember our definition of distinct or distinction - Someone who is distinguishable from all others; or having a special quality, style or attractiveness.
I want you to imagine what living a life of distinction would look like today.
Imagine marriages that are different from the norm – in a culture that has accepted the fact 50% of all marriages fail. Imagine what would happen if Christian husbands would love their wives as Christ loved the church and Christian wives would honor God by respecting their husbands as the leader of the home.
Imagine families that are different from the norm – in a culture that focuses on isolation as the norm, everyone going their separate ways we begin to live differently, by cooperating with one another where there is mutual respect and the sweet spirit of harmony is found in the home.
Imagine churches that are different from the norm – in a culture that says the church’s best days are over, we choose to live differently. We choose to live distinctively; bearing one another’s burdens, serving one another, accepting one another’s differences and focus on being the pure spotless bride of Christ.
Imagine your workplace being different from the norm – in a culture that says I hate Mondays and we resent our boss, our co-workers or our job, we choose to live differently – we choose to live distinctively remembering the words of Paul - Whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. Colossians 3:17.
Do you remember who you are? Do you have spiritual amnesia; have forgotten your spiritual identity. Maybe you have bought into the myth that we only exist to eat, sleep, work, pay our bills and be good citizens. Maybe you have grown weary; maybe you have lost your heart. Maybe it is time to forget who you have become and remember who you are!
Mark opened the gospel with a distinct message – prepare the way for the Coming Lord. Are you prepared for his coming? Are you living a life of distinction?
John was a distinctive man, he had a distinctive message and he met a distinctive messiah.
Can the same be said of you today will be a distinctive man or woman for Christ?
Will you carry a distinctive message for Christ? Are you willing to meet the distinctive messiah?
