Kingdom Come!
Mark 1:14-39
INTRO:
What’s the best news you have ever heard/could ever hear?
Today, God has some really good news for you!
PREV:
Today we will see Jesus begin to proclaim God’s good news. He’ll tell us what this good news is, and we will see what we are invited to do about this good news. Then we will see what we can expect from this good news, as well as what not to focus on. It all begins in with some bad news, though, so look with me at
Mark 1:14-15
A. The kingdom is near
The bad news is that John was put in prison...
The good news comes from Jesus.
“The time has come!”
Come = fulfilled. OT promises are coming true - Messiah!
Its the right time!
Favorable, opportune, significant time, not just chronology
Time is now - a sense of urgency
“Time’s up!” – The Message
The kingdom is near.
Rule of God over His creation. Spiritual & physical.
Kingdom & king always go hand in hand.
Near = at hand; this stage complete, return of Jesus is ultimate.
God has begun the decisive, ultimate chapter of history that will climax with Christ’s return. More news later...
God has drawn close in a dramatic fashion – in the person of Jesus. That’s as close as you can get!
Reach out and take it - we often make it distant and difficult.
Illus.: Think about this for a minute. Is this good news or bad news? First day of school, wedding day, April 15th – good days or bad days?
Good or bad news? Jesus says this is Good News! The kingdom has come so close you can touch it! “I’ve got good news for you,” Jesus says, “The kingdom has come near!”
B. RSVP!
This stunning announcement requires a response.
You must RSVP!
There is an urgency – time is up! Time to decide!
How should we respond to this wonderful news?
Jesus says “Repent, and believe the good news”
Make a radical change in one’s life as a whole
“Change your life” (The Message)
“Change your hearts and lives” (NCV)
Turn back to God!
And believe that the kingdom is near! A new emphasis on faith. "To bet your life that Christ is right."
Jesus is God’s final word to man in man’s last hour.
An either/or decision is required.
God has opened the door and made provision for repentance, but there is no time for delay!
Only by turning to God with faith can man participate with joy in the coming kingdom.
We’ll see an example of the kind of decision necessary in the next few verses. Notice the immediate responses of these 4 men as I read vv. 16-20.
C. We are invited to follow
Jesus suddenly calls Simon (Peter) and Andrew to follow. Their response is immediate.
They are called to fish for men. A clever play on words, yes, but more than that. What does it mean?
When I fish, I use lure or bait to fool, trick fish. Hmmm.
When they fished, they dropped a net and hauled in a scoop
This coincides with OT picture of God as fishermen/judge, (Jer 16:16; Ezek. 29:4f., 38:4; Amos 4:2)
Jesus was calling them to the urgent task of gathering men in view of the forthcoming judgment.
There is an urgency. Because Jesus has come, fishing is necessary!
Jesus gives us the same invitation.
We’re invited to join the KOG!
Prompt - Simon and Andrew immediately dropped all.
Complete - James and John left behind a successful business, and family to follow.
The call is so compelling, all other calls lose their validity.
Jesus expects the same response from us.
To respond requires following Jesus exclusively.
Notice that they don’t volunteer, they are invited...
I. THE KINGDOM OF GOD HAS DRAWN NEAR, AND YOU ARE GRACIOUSLY INVITED TO ENTER
God’s kingdom is close at hand, and he invites you to participate, to follow. Good news! Jesus brings the kingdom of God near, and invites you to follow!
Transition: Because Jesus has come, the kingdom is close, and we are invited to participate. What do we expect from this close kingdom? What happens because the kingdom is near? Next we will see what happens when the kingdom draws near. We will see what Jesus did, what happens when we go fishing. The first thing comes in vv. 21-22.
A. Teaching truth
As was the custom in the synagogue, a visiting teacher was invited to teach that day.
This is a good example of Mark’s emphasis on events – we’re not told what he actually said. Implied: v. 15.
His teaching "amazed" them. Mark mentions this often.
A sense of alarm. Alarmed at his authority.
New style (unlike scribes - scholars) and New content.
Illus.: In preparing for my dissertation, I read a book that essentially said “Make sure you always say ‘it seems, it appears, its probable.” Or you committee will ram it down your throat.” That’s academia.
This week I replied to a Bible question with “I’d say its probably...”
Jesus wasn’t afraid to tell it like it is.
Jesus has the authority to tell you the truth, to free you from the confusion, lies, etc. that surround you.
So the people were alarmed, a little disturbed by this new teaching. But there was someone there who got really alarmed. Notice who as I read vv. 23-28.
B. Overcoming evil
If that wasn’t enough, a demon-possessed man speaks out.
A man possessed by a spirit bent on tormenting a distorting one created in the image of God.
The demon senses the threat that Jesus brings.
“Holy One of God” – attempt to disarm, not dignify him.
It recognizes and tries to control and discredit him.
Use of exact name was supposed to be a control device.
In fact, understands more clearly than the people did.
Jesus looks him in the eye and says, “Be quiet. Come out of him.”. "Be muzzled" - put a cork in it!
“Shut up. Get out.”
He shows his absolute power over the demon.
It left with one last violent, epileptic fit.
Again, the people were amazed - astonished!
This was unlike their exorcists who connected themselves to some authority, used spells, etc, to invoke the authorities power. Jesus just spoke directly, and the spirit obeyed.
There is no authority parallel to Jesus!
This is significant! The silencing and expulsion of the demon affirms that God is taking control over a creation which was subject to Satan’s invasion and rule.
The kingdom has drawn near. Jesus has come to confront Satan and strip him of his power.
With the coming of Jesus comes the power of God over the evil, over the bondage in your life.
To the alcoholism, the consistent sin, the thoughts of unworthiness or unlovliness, the thoughts that you deserve to suffer, that you can’t amount to anything, the feelings of failure and discouragement, Jesus says:
“Shut up. Get out!”
His fame spread quickly, like rumors do.
With the arrival of the kingdom in the person of Jesus, we can expect to hear the truth. We can expect to see evil overcome. What else can we expect? read vv. 29-34.
C. Healing hurts
After the big day at the Synagogue, Jesus and the four men head over to Simon and Andrew’s for the Sabbath meal.
Jesus heals Simon’s mother-in-law of a fever, completely, immediately. Fever was a bigger deal to them than to us.
This is a wonderful story, not only because it shows that he chooses to demonstrate his power in compassionate ways, but look at what it show Simon (Peter). “You have responded to me with radical repentance and complete commitment. You have chosen me over everything. Now you can count on me to take care of you and yours.”
The Sabbath ended at sunset. During the Sabbath no work, lifting, carrying, etc. could be done. These people had heard the buzz about Jesus and were excited. No doubt they watched the sun go down tensely, waiting to spring into action! The instant the Sabbath was over, the "whole town" rushed over, and brought all the sick and demon-possessed, and Jesus healed them all, who were many. I always think of little children in hospital gowns, head bald from radiation and chemo. I know they didn’t have that, but that’s what I see. What a day that was in Capernaum!
The kingdom of God has come near. He can heal what hurts you. We look all over for healing.
Illus.: The woman at GNC this week – looking everywhere for healing, relief.
“Whatever’s broken, I can fix,” he says. That illness, that cancer. Your heart, the part that broke when your spouse betrayed you, your child turned from you. Because Jesus has brought the kingdom near, we can expect to see healing for our hurts.
When the kingdom of God is near, God is at work!
II. WHEN THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NEAR, GOD IS AT WORK TEACHING TRUTH, OVERCOMING EVIL, AND HEALING HURTS
Jesus brings God close, and shows us the power of the kingdom. When the kingdom is near we can expect God to be at work teaching truth, overcoming evil, and healing hurts. Jesus can tell you the truth and free you from the confusion, lies, and uncertainty that surrounds you. Jesus has the power to say to the forces holding you in bondage “Shut up. Get out!” Jesus can take the broken parts of your life and make them whole again.
All this activity attracts a lot of people, a lot of attention. But it leads to a curious, a surprising response by Jesus. Look at his reaction as I read vv. 35-39.
A. They missed the main point of the kingdom
Very early - between 3 & 6 a.m. – Jesus leaves the house and goes of to pray in a solitary place. Solitary = desert.
Was he excited, praising God for all that had happened? Was he exhausted, needing replenishing? We’ll see...
Simon and Co. "hunted him down".
“What are you doing out here? Everyone is looking for you! Things are going great! Let’s go back!”
Jesus says, “Let’s go on, somewhere else, to the other villages, so I can preach to them. That is why I have come.”
What’s going on here?
Jesus says, “I came to proclaim that the kingdom is near, and call people to change their lives and believe. I came to strip Satan of his power over your lives. But all you want is a miracle worker.”
They failed to grasp the significance of Jesus’ conflict with demonic power. The big deal isn’t that he cast out a demon, it that he has power over Satan, and is breaking his hold on life. The big deal isn’t that he can make a sick person well (they will die eventually), its that he has power over nature, over life. They couldn’t get beyond the surface. They flocked to him, but only for relief of pain and affliction. Jesus graciously and compassionately heals them, but this is not his primary purpose, so he moves on.
Mark summarizes an extensive preaching tour with one sentence. Notice that preaching and driving out demons are emphasized, not healing.
B. We also miss the main point of the kingdom
They missed the main point of the kingdom, and so do we.
When someone we love is sick or suffering, we pound the gates of heaven! And well we should. But sometimes that’s all there is to our relationship with Jesus. We want him to do stuff for us. We don’t like it when he doesn’t. We forget that there is more to it than that.
Illus.: When Anne’s Mom died of cancer, she cried out “God, why didn’t you do something?” His answer was “I did! I didn’t heal her body, I healed her soul.”
I’m not saying we don’t ask for, seek for healing. If our kids, our loved ones need help, we ask God for it. We know what its like to sit up with a child who has an earache are beg God for relief.
But let’s remember there’s more than that. Jesus didn’t come to just heal your body. He came to heal your soul. Jesus didn’t come to give you a great life, he came to give you eternal life. Its far better!
III. LET’S EMBRACE THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT GOD’S KINGDOM, AND THE LIFE IT BRINGS US.
Let’s not miss the significance of Jesus and his power. Let’s embrace Jesus!
Perhaps you need to believe the good news for the first time and change your life.
Perhaps you need to follow him exclusively with your whole life.
Perhaps you need to let Jesus say “Shut up. Get out!” to your bondage.
Perhaps you need to believe that Jesus can heal the part of you that’s broken.
Perhaps you need to stop looking to Jesus only for what spectacular things he can do for you, and embrace the life that he brings.
