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Having overcome the temptations in the wilderness Jesus begins His a ministry in the power of the Spirit. Mark demonstrates clearly how Jesus shows His power and authority. Jesus has power over Satan, therefore He is able to cast out demons. He has power over sickness and disease and he heals people of their afflictions. He has power over sin and so He forgives and cleanses from sin. One of the first things that Mark shows us is that Jesus has power over men’s hearts – and to demonstrate that Jesus calls, Peter, Andrew, James and John to leave everything and follow Him.

The Call of God is Different

Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying,”The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:14-15 NKJV)

The kingdom of God calls us to a different way to live life; a different reality of worship and a different way to do relationships.

The Kingdom of God is the realm of God’s rule and the environment of His ethic.

The Call of God is Drastic

Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him. (Mark 1:17-18 NKJV)

What did Jesus mean by “unless you hate…” (Luke 14:26)?

• We are not called to “hate” actively but comparatively.
• We are called to love Jesus so much more!

Jesus has the right to call us to abandon all for Him by virtue of the fact He is both Creator and Redeemer.

The Call of God is a Discovery 

 “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” (Mark 1:17 NKJV)

Jesus calls us into a process of change and discovery. When Jesus first called the disciples they had little clue what it meant to follow Jesus. They thought He was headed for the throne and had no idea His destination was the Cross. it was the process of following that caused them to discover what it meant to be a “fisher of men”.

Jesus comes with authority which means He is the author of our story and our destiny (Mark 1:21-22)

 

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Though Mark’s writing style is brief, it is certainly powerful. In recording both the baptism and temptation of Jesus. Mark deliberately points us back to creation, to the very beginning of history. Just as the original creation of the world was a project of the Triune God. So too the redemption of the world, that is beginning now with the arrival of the King, is also a project of the Triune God. And in like fashion. just as Adam and Eve were subsequently tempted by Satan in the Garden, Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness as a part of God’s plan to restore lost humanity.

Why is it important to know that both Creation and Redemption are products of a Triune God?

• Trinitarianism: There is one God in three persons who know and love one another.
• Tritheism: Three separate gods who get along and work together.
• Unipersonalism: God takes one of three forms, but these are not persons but simply different manifestations of one God.

“The persons within God exalt each other, commune with each other and defer to one another. Each divine person harbors the others at the top of the center of His being. In constant movement of overture and acceptance. each person envelops and encircles the others. God’s interior life (therefore) overflows with regard for others.“ – Comelius Plantinga

What are the implications of the Trinity?

Being in love relationship with God is ultimate reality. If this is who God is and how He has designed the universe, then surely He intended it to be the design for how relationships are to work.

Why was Jesus tempted in the wilderness?

In the Garden. God said to Adam: “Obey Me about the tree.” To which of course Adam failed and all humanity was subject to sin and death. God said to Jesus “Obey me about the tree.” Only this time the tree was a cross and Jesus did obey so that all those who believe in Christ are delivered from sin and death to righteousness and life.

What does the reality of a Triune God mean?

• We are invited into a love relationship with the Triune God.
• You can only truly know the Triune God in community.
• We cannot survive without the Triune God.
• God does not leave us alone in the battle.

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Notice how Mark emphasizes the theme of the wilderness in these opening verses. John the Baptist lives in the wilderness. He ministers in the wilderness. Those who are baptized by John went out into the wilderness. Jesus himself comes to the wilderness to be baptized by John and immediately following He was driven into the wilderness by the Spirit. And so there is something about the “wilderness” that God wants us to learn. I think Mark is telling us that if we we want to meet the King, we must be willing to find Him in the wilderness.

Wilderness is a major theme throughout the Bible

• Moses and the burning bush (Exodus 3)
• Jacob wrestles with God in the wilderness (Genesis 32)
• David finds God’s presence in the wilderness (Psalm 63)
• Israel meets with God at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19)

The wilderness represents our absolute need for God

“Most people if they really learned how look into their own hearts, would know that they do want and want acutely something that cannot be had in this world. There are all sorts of things in this world that offer to give it to you, but they never keep their promise… There is always something that we grasp at in that first moment of longing that always fades away in the reality… what we were really looking for has evaded us.” – C.S. Lewis

John the Baptist, a true wilderness man

• Bare essentials (diet and dress)
• Prophetic in nature (authentic and anointed)
• Baptism of repentance unto forgiveness (not self-applied religion)

“My hearing him preach gave me a heart wound and by God’s grace my old foundation was broken up and  saw that my own righteousness could not save me.” – Nathan Cole

Meeting the King in the wilderness

• Preparing the “way” for the King
• Following the King’s pathway – the Cross
• Receiving the Spirit’s power
• Knowing the Father’s love

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We begin a new sermon series in the Gospel of Mark. Mark begins with a bang!

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Mark 1:1)

Mark gives us the real Jesus; the unadulterated, unfiltered version of Jesus. While the other Gospels begin at the birth of Jesus, Mark starts right at the point of Jesus’ ministry. Mark is an action Gospel. It’s written for the Romans who were all about “action,” and so it’s kind of a front page, newspaper edition. The word “immediately” appears over 40 times. Mark announces that the King has arrived in the person of Jesus, the Christ and the Son of God.

Why Were The Gospels Written?

• Eye witnesses gave early testimony to Christ
• Over time there was a need for a written record
• The Gospels, especially Mark give us the Real Jesus

Who is This  Mark?

• John Mark is associated with Peter (Acts 12:12)
• A ministry companion of Barnabas Paul (Acts 12:25;13:5)
• Is known as the quitter and deserter (Acts 13:13)
• Graciously restored (Acts 15:37-40; 2 Timothy 4:11)

Mark Announces The King

• “Gospel” currency in Mark’s day
• Jesus is the King, the Messiah, the Son of God
• John’s fulfillment of Isaiah 40 is proof positive of Christ
• The Incarnation is the end to all philosophy and other religions

How Can This Be Believed?

Mark’s announcement of the Christ sounds impressive, but he was speaking to a much more primitive audience. They could believe something like the divine has become incarnate. But do we really expect a modem sophisticated person with all the intellectual and cultural barriers to believe such a thing?

Consider the real impact of the truth of the lncarnation

• It changes our basic motivation
• It is a tremendous source for suffering
• It is great motivation for peace and justice