Taking up the Mantle
Mark 1:1-8
Matthew has a Christmas story in which Joseph is prominent. Luke has a Christmas story. Even John has a Christmas story from a cosmic perspective where the Word became flesh. But is there a Christmas story in Mark? Let us see.
From first appearances, it kinda looks like Mark …left out the coming of Jesus into the world
Mark begins with; “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” (Mark 1:1)
In that day, Roman Emperor's birthdays were proclaimed as “good news.” The world is run by highly intelligent, very well-educated people who have never been able to solve our world’s problems …and never will! The real answers to the problems we face in life are spiritual! Mark used the political language of his day, but pointed us to the real answer …Christ …not the bad news of this world’s politics.
In Mark’s account of the Good News …there are no wise men, virgin birth, angels, shepherds, or even a single account from Jesus’ youth, like Luke has. It appears to begin when Jesus was about thirty years old.
But, as we look closer, ...the Gospel of Mark does not begin with the Baptizing of John, ….but rather the prophecies of the Old Testament ...of which John the Baptist’s ministry was the fulfillment.
The Gospel actually begins with the promise of God given to the world in the Old Testament. Although he credits it to Isaiah, he actually quotes two prophets, Malachi and Isaiah. Malachi was the last of the Old Testament prophets, …and the Old Testament ends …with a promise of sending a messenger, …Elijah, …to prepare the way of the Messiah.
Mark picks up His gospel where Malachi left off …about 400 years earlier, …and shows …the continuity of the two testaments.
Mark then tells us the message of preparation which the messenger was to bring. He quotes the prophet Isaiah, the 40th chapter. He only quotes the third voice about the messenger crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord”.
By citing this verse from Isaiah, he is in a sense quoting the entire passage.
As we look at Isaiah 40 in context …it could be seen to have been fulfilled by the return of the Jewish captives from Babylon, first after the edict of Cyrus in 539 B.C.
God could be seen as preparing the way through the wilderness for the Jew’s return to Jerusalem. Like the preparations for a superhighway, every attempt is made to make this road as straight and smooth as possible. The straightest path often encountered obstacles like mountains and gullies. This is why many roads curve around the obstacles. But God had set the way to be straight. If this were the fulfillment of this prophecy, it looks like the high places would have had to be cut down to fill the low places so that the road would be level and straight. And it would be paved to make it smooth. We know that these things did not happen in 539 BC.
So, is the return of the exiles in 539 BC under Nehemiah the real fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy? The answer has to be “no”, or at-least, not the complete fulfillment. A more complete fulfillment is laid out for us by the preaching of John the Baptist in the wilderness. John made …spiritual preparations ..for the return of God’s people from their real exile. Their exile was not from the land. Rather their exile was one from God!
The prophets had been silent for hundreds of years. Now after an exile of 400 years, the same period of time that the Israelites were slaves in Egypt, the voice of God was heard again. The time of Exodus had come. The time of the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah was now. John the Baptist was to prepare a straight path to Jesus without any detours.
Verse four tells us that John’s preparation for the Christ was the way of repentance. Repentance has the Hebrew idea of turning from the road one is on to a new road. The Greek idea of repentance is to carefully consider where the road they were currently on was taking them and to make sure that was where they wanted to go. The idea is that of changing one’s mind ….and making a conscientious decision to do so. Both of these ideas are at work here.
The people were called to consider that their sins had separated them from God’s promise. Then they were baptized in water, …a practice normally used …for the initiation of Gentiles …who converted to Judaism …along with circumcision of the males.
In a sense, this says …that the people’s sins …had rendered them as …heathens in the eyes of God. They were cut off from the covenant. They needed to start over.
But baptism is not literal immersion only:
• Acts 22:16 tells us that It is a washing;
• Romans 6:3-4 says that we are baptized “into His death” …a position that leads us to “newness of life”;
• Mark 10:8 tells us that baptism includes us in Jesus’ suffering
• Colossians 2 calls it a spiritual circumcision;
• Ephesians 4:6 tells us there is only “one baptism”;
• And Galatians 3:27 assures us that we are baptized “into Christ”.
Just as circumcision was the sign of a Jew …in covenant with God, Christian baptism is the sign …of belonging to Christ …and His Church today. Unlike circumcision, …which could only be done to males, ...Christian baptism in both sexes …also serves as a symbol of the …purity …of the covenant …God made with us, His people.
Verses 6 tells us that John was clothed in camel hair, …with a leather belt …and he ate locusts and wild honey.
John’s clothing was the same as the prophet Elijah and identifies John the Baptist as the coming Elijah prophesied in Malachi. No, John was not Elijah returning from heaven. John was John, but the way he lived; what he wore, what he ate, the way he preached …all symbolized the prophet Isaiah.
John’s life was centered in God …and demonstrates …where the priorities of the believer should be.
Jesus would later reinforce this in His temptation in the wilderness when he responds …from the Book of Deuteronomy …that man does not solely live for this world’s bread, …but rather …to hunger for …and hang upon …the Word of God.
In verse 7, we see that …John’s message told the people why they must repent. The promised Messiah was about to come.
John was not that one, …but John was sent to announce that His coming was near. The people needed to repent …of their sinful ways …and demonstrate this repentance …in baptism …and with a change of their lifestyle. Their lives were to be centered in the expectation of the coming of Jesus.
So, all this sets up things for Jesus to come, but we still haven’t seen the Christmas story in the Gospel of Mark!
Well, if you are looking for a Christmas story like that in Luke or Matthew, then you will not find THAT in Mark’s gospel. …But let us look at it a different way…
The true Christmas story begins when we are born again; when Christ is born in the heart of evert believer. This is in no way to discount the historicity of the Christmas story in the other Gospels. …But these facts of history mean nothing …until the story becomes alive in the human heart!
And that story becoming personal, …making a difference …in the lives of believers is celebrated and confirmed …in the act of baptism!
People can put out all the manger scenes they want to. …They can go shopping …and buy the perfect gift for someone. …They can celebrate Christmas …and sing all the Christmas songs ever written. …But until they accept Christ in a personal way …and repent of their sins and …are Baptized …in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit ….all the good of all their celebration is done as soon as they are done!
The celebration of Christmas is not at all …a measure of spiritual health, …nor of the sanctification of the person!
Christmas is seen as a time for charity …by Christian and non-Christian alike. …The clinking of coins ringing in Salvation Army kettles will be heard.
…But other not so savory things will show …the false Christmas spirit too.
• There will be fights by parents in the stores competing to get the toy of the year for their children.
• Instead of the freedom one finds only when Jesus is born in one’s heart, people will become slaves to debt to pretend to show love by buying a gift of monetary value that will be broken, lost, or discarded before the payments are done.
• There will be traffic jams and the one finger salute given to those who cut people off.
• The whole message of Christmas will be mixed in with grinches and Santa Claus.
• For these people, what difference has the Christmas story really made?
Only people who have accepted Jesus Christ; …the baby of Christmas …but the Savior of all who believe;
• Only those people are the ones in whom Christ resides!
• Only those people are the ones who have repented of their sins and now desire to live new lives…
• Only those people are the ones whom Christ has been formed in by the new birth
• And only those people truly understand the Christmas story!
Until the Christmas story in the Gospel of Mark happens, …then the Christmas stories …in Matthew and Luke …have no real meaning!
But when a person is born again …and baptized in the Holy Spirit by Jesus Christ; …the same Jesus whom John was sent to prepare the way for, …then all of the Christmas stories in the four gospels have meaning!
Folks, this second week of Advent …is a time for us to continue our journey… we are on a path toward …being prepared …for the coming of Christ!
• First – Christ coming in our lives!
• and secondly – Christ coming in the clouds at his second coming!
• and thirdly – clearly thirdly - remembering His glorious birth in a lowly stable some 2000 years ago!
Folks, Advent is the time we take up the cloak of John the Baptist ourselves! John’s task was to prepare the way, …to make the way straight …for the coming of Jesus into the world.
It is not going to be long before Jesus comes back to earth …to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords!
My friends, I ask you as John the Baptizer asked people so long ago: are you ready?
Have you repented of your sins? You brood of vipers! Have you rejected the callings of this world to be able to hear the calling of your Lord?
Now is the time for the church to understand and to accept that the same Jesus who came as an infant in Bethlehem is coming back to reign triumphantly! He is returning to judge the earth and gather His people unto himself.
At this time of year, people like to think of the baby Jesus that we can hold in our arms. It accentuates Jesus’ character of love and makes Him seem huggable and cute …like someone whom we can control and manipulate …like He is dependent on us to care for Him ….and yet He is the one caring for us and bringing blessings in abundance into our lives! He is the one who hung on a cross so you and I can know life!
Folks, Jesus is not dependent on us for anything! …He gives us the great privilege of being able to be called by HIS name ….he blesses us and allows us to work for HIS kingdom!
My friends, …at this time of year …it is not all about ….baby Jesus, ….but Lord Jesus!
We sing songs about Santa Clause comin’ to town …but we must remember that Advent is not preparing us for Santa Claus, the fat jolly man who brings presents to nice girls and boys …whose greatest punishment for being bad is to give you a lump of coal.
Rather it is the Lord Jesus who is returning! ….He’s the real one who knows who is naughty or nice!
The coals the Lord Jesus brings are lit coals. These coals can be the coals which purged the lips of Isaiah, …the coals of …repentance and transformation.
…Or they can be the coals of brimstone …that are never quenched …for those who have not repented.
It is a season for the church to consider its ways and prepare for the return of the Lord …in our lives!
…Can you truly say in your heart right now, without any reservation or contemplation: “Come Lord Jesus”?
My friends, during this Advent season …we who believe the message of Jesus Christ …who became Incarnate in human flesh, …truly human, …but also truly divine, ……we have a message to bring to the world!
It is time for us to take up the mantle of John the Baptizer! …time for us to stand up and realize that God has called and commissioned us …HIS CHURCH …in this world today …and We must bring the straight message about Jesus to the lost people all around us!
Just a couple of weeks ago, Christie and I bought a new car …well, not a new car, but a new-to-us car. While we were considering what we wanted in our next vehicle, we first needed one that would carry all 6 of us! …that led us to some pretty nice vehicles …with pretty nice price tags. …in our considerations, though, we were adamant that we were going to find something that we could afford, …regardless of the kind of vehicle we could have qualified for. In the end, we chose one that would not stress our budget …one that allows us to continue to give to the work of God around the world, and here in Carteret County too.
We as the church need to spend less time trying to keep up with those Joneses in the world, and pay attention to the ways that God puts opportunities in our faces to serve Him and help alleviate hunger, suffering, and oppression; the very captivity of people …ALL made in the image of God!
Isaiah 40:3-5
3 A voice cries out:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD,
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
5 Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
and all people shall see it together,
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
Making the path straight for Jesus does not require a single bull dozer and not even one tree to be cut. Making the path straight for Jesus is spending time with someone so they can see our faith. Loving someone enough to tell them the truth about Jesus, even at the risk of damaging our “friendship”. I put friendship in quotation marks because a friend whom you cannot be honest with is really not a friend at all. …but even if they push you away …the words you speak to them …in love and honesty …will ring in their ears …calling them to a place of decision. …they will ask themselves over and over ….am I going to prepare for the coming of the Lord?
Mark concludes this segment of scripture in verse 8 with “I baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
When we accept Christ and submit to baptism…
• 1 Corinthians 10:2 tells us that we pass through the sea …escaping slavery;
• In Acts 22:16, all our sins are washed away;
• Mark 7:4 says we are washed;
• 1 Corinthians 6:4 tells us that we are sanctified …and justified!
• All four gospels tell us that we are baptized, or covered by the holy spirit!
• And Galatians 5:22-23 tells us that the fruit of the Spirit in our lives is the presence of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control …in our lives!
My friends, I want some of that! …I want some more of that in my life!
I asked at the beginning of this message if the gospel of Mark had an account of the coming of Jesus. …I hope you have realized that the most important coming of Jesus is His coming in our own hearts …Just as Mark’s gospel introduces! …the beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God! (Mark 1:1)
So, what do we need to do …to prepare for Christ’s coming? What’s blocking our way to authentic relationship with our God and our Lord? We have all been taken captive …deluded by the deceitful riches and power of a lost world.
Jesus is the only way we will ever find freedom! …are you prepared?
Amen and Amen!
This sermon is based on an original sermon by Mark A. Barber entitled “Christmas According to Mark”. There are also excerpts from a sermon by I. G. Spong entitled “The Way to Zion”. Both are excellent sermons and I recommend them both.
