The Ministry Begins
Mark 1:1-15
- Today will begin our study of the Gospel of Mark; runs for couple of months
-- Expository method of preaching: verse by verse, examining context & meaning
-- Very important to discover God’s word in this way (tackle even the tough stuff)
∆ Introduction
- Mark was born in Jerusalem; he was part of a well-to-do family
-- Acts 12:12-16 shows his mother hosted place for church to meet
-- Mark is the nephew of Barnabas; point of contention for him and Paul (Acts 15)
-- Mark is GREAT example that redemption is possible (shunned by Paul; restored)
--- 2 Timothy 4:11, “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.”
- Mark emphasizes what Jesus “did” vs. what He said (gives the headlines)
-- Other Gospels weave stories and lessons: Mark is straight to the point
-- Probably because Mark was not original disciple, didn’t walk with Jesus
-- His writings are most likely recollection of stories he heard from Peter
- Jesus is demonstrated in this book as a “servant” who acts, immediately
-- He is the ultimate servant; giving Himself clearly for all who will receive
-- Key verse: Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
- Read Mark 1:1-15
∆ Point 1 - The Purpose (v1)
- What we see is Mark being very deliberate about the purpose of this book
-- Jesus is referred to by Mark as a servant, or literally: a slave of God
-- This book is written to a Roman audience, who’ve no need to know lineage
-- IMP: Slaves have no genealogy (no considered people), and Mark knows this
-- APP: He delivers a complete, concise, biography in 14 words (re-read v1)
- His name is Jesus, which is as common as the name Joshua
-- His name literally means “the salvation of Jehovah” or “God’s salvation”
- Christ is a formal title which means “Messiah”; He is the anointed One
-- Being the “Son of God” is a direct representation of who He is
- This is told up front, without apology, so even we would “get it”
-- APP: We need to see this throughout the whole book: make no mistake
-- Jesus is of God, the redeemer promised, and a servant of His Father’s will
∆ Point 2 - Make Way! (v2-8)
- The promise of Jesus coming was foretold long before this book written
-- We’ve covered this in our study of creation … Gen 3 refers to Him first
- Mark quotes from two prophets that Jews would know when they heard it
-- Malachi 3:1 (v2) and Isaiah 40:3 (v3)
- From the end of Malachi to Jesus’ ministry was approx. 400 years
-- 400 years of SILENCE from God: no prophets, no ministry, no nothing!
-- Then God sends a messenger to prepare the way (John the Baptist) “and so…”
- This messenger had one purpose: to preach and prepare others for the Christ
-- IMP: If you are hearing nothing else, hear the voice of the John in this (see v7)
- His clothes were ordinary, that of a beggar and one who owns nothing
-- No fancy degree, no trained theology, just messenger “because God called him”
-- This servant was declaring that another servant was coming … MAKE WAY!
- The message is one of repentance for forgiveness; something we couldn’t earn
-- GET THIS: Do you need a good example of repentance (look up): You can’t keep walking down the wrong road & expect it to turn right
- John preaches that those would hear, and know that someone else is coming
-- He is a warning to the unfaithful; to the rebellious; and to the CHURCH!
-- This is for you and I; no sugar coating what John says in v8 (re-read)
- APP: My ministry is an announcement; it’s only symbolic of the real ministry
- The baptism that Jesus brings will rock your world; and it will be permanent
-- The Holy Spirit brings about TOTAL change (ref Acts 1 – Pentecost)
-- Mark writes here that John was bent on sounding the alarm
- TRANS: John’s ministry is a testament that being popular doesn’t matter
∆ Point 3 - Preparing the Servant (v9-13)
- Two things happen here after John’s announcement that changed the world
- 1) Jesus submits to baptism
-- IMP: He did not do this to be forgiven of sin; He knew NO sin in Him
-- He did this to identify Himself with the sin which humanity had in it
-- 2 Cor 5:21, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
- 2) Jesus receives approval from the Father
-- Heaven literally tears open and God’s approval is showered down on Him
-- Confirmation from God: “You are my son” (see Mark 1:1 above)
-- Psalm 2:7, “I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father.”
-- Isaiah 42:1, “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations.”
- Mark opens this book confessing who Jesus is (for the sake of the reader)
-- 8 sentences in & we see God confirming it: so that we’ve heard it twice now
-- APP: We can’t tell others (or even God) that we “didn’t know”
-- If God’s word is true (Rev 22:6, “These words are trustworthy and true”) …
-- HUGE: Then you and I need to hear, heed, and apply what it says
- (v12) The Bible tells us that Jesus was “sent” … rather than led
-- Being sent is indicative of Jesus being given a task to do; to execute something
- (v13) For forty days He is in the wilderness tested by Satan (not “the devil”)
-- Satan is the adversary; the Devil is the accuser: the words literally show a battle
- TRANS: Remember that Jesus is a servant in Mark’s eyes
-- Servant of God, sent to do God’s purpose, so His “flavor” is different than others
∆ Point 4 - The ministry begins (v14-15)
- Jesus’ public ministry begins and what we see is something very unique
-- Mark concentrates on the servanthood of ministry; something we can learn from
- Note there is no info between John’s imprisonment and Jesus’ ministry starting
-- The other Gospels handle that very well; Mark gets right to the “work”
-- The servanthood of Jesus is what is VERY critical in this entire book
-- It will be the focus of our study over the next few months
- (v15) THE TIME HAS COME!
-- God’s timing is perfect and God’s redemption for your sin is now before you
-- If we get nothing else, once again we see God’s timing is perfect
-- But it is HIS timing, not our own, & Jesus proclaims it (re: 400 years silence)
-- APP: God waiting to answer doesn’t mean “NO” or that He didn’t hear you
- THE KINGDOM OF GOD HAS COME NEAR!
-- Preaching God’s Kingdom is the central message of Jesus’ ministry
-- Nothing is more evident in all the Gospel’s than the importance of the Kingdom
-- God promised throughout OT that the Kingdom would come
-- Exod 15:18, “The Lord reigns forever and ever”
-- Psa 29:10, “ … the Lord is enthroned as King forever.”
- TRANS: God’s revelation as King is a promise, which we need to confess also!
∆ Big Ideas
- The biggest idea for us is actually found at the end of verse 15 …
-- REPENT AND BELIEVE THE GOOD NEWS!
-- APP: You are not getting into the Kingdom without this critical step
- Jesus presents the urgency of repenting of YOUR sin, which you know of
-- Psalm 51:3, “For I acknowledge my transgressions: my sin is ever before me.”
- Once you repent, you can then believe what God has sent to you and I
-- What has He sent? (v11) His Son! In whom He is pleased … !
-- Note there is NO proclamation of how awesome we are …
-- There is NO confession from God about how pleased He is with us …
- Just the confession from God about His love for His Son
-- HUGE: Even with the knowledge of what was about to happen three years later
-- APP: Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
- IMP: If nothing else, we need to get over ourselves and into a verse like that!
- Pray specifically for REPENTANCE in our lives …
