Good News For a Bad World - Studies in the Gospel of Mark - 3
Mark 1:2-14 (1)
Maybe you know the amazing story of the Wright brothers. On the 17th of December 1908, after years of preparing and planning and quite a bit of panicking, these two brave brothers finally defied the laws of gravity and managed to make their very first air born flight.
And so with great excitement that they sent a telegram to Catherine their sister. Here’s what it said, “Flown 120 feet. Will be home for Christmas”.
Of course, Catherine rushed to the local newspaper office and handed the telegram to the editor. He looked and said, “Well, it’ll be lovely to have your brothers home for Christmas.”
Isn’t that unbelievable? One of the biggest news stories, one of biggest scoops of the century and yet he completely missed the point.
Whatever we do we daren’t make the same mistake. We can miss the greatest news story of the century but I don’t want you to miss THE greatest news story of ALL time.
And listen, neither does Mark. That’s why he begins where he begins in chapter 1:1, with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Here then we have the earliest Gospel account. Dictated by Peter. Written by Mark. Penned in Rome. Sent out to the world. And it’s good news for all baddies everywhere. And it all revolves around who? Jesus Christ.
In these next two programmes we want to focus our thoughts on Mark 1:2-14. And basically 4 dramatic scenes begin to unfold.
Scene 1 has to do with A SIGNPOST.
We’re introduced in verse 2 to the greatest man who ever lived, who was ever born - John the Baptist.
Crowds from everywhere, we’re told, came to see him and see him for themselves. Imagine throngs of people heading out into the desert to listen to and be baptised by this preaching prophet.
If you glance at verse 6 you’ll find that John looked rather strange. His dress was strange and his diet was strange.
He wore camel skin. A camel skin coat, tied with a leather belt. And his favourite meal was guess what? Locusts and wild honey.
And what was his message? Verses 7-8 … he preached, saying, "There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. I indeed baptised you with water, but He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit".
Do you see that? This great man realised there was One who was far greater than him. He wants to fade into the background. John doesn’t want the limelight or the spotlight to fall on John. No way. He wants it to fall on the One he represents, the one he’s preparing the way for. Not the messenger BUT the Messiah.
John then, had the privilege of being nothing more than a signpost. Directing eyes and minds and hearts, directing everyone’s attention to Him and Him alone.
Listen. The most amazing privilege we have, apart from knowing Christ ourselves, is to be signposts to Him. Directing others to Jesus, the Messiah. And so we catch a glimpse of Jesus the Messiah.
Scene 1 A Signpost.
Scene 2, A STATEMENT. And what a statement it is!
John’s done his job well. He’s prepared the way for the Messiah. Now the Messiah comes. He arrives from Nazareth verse 9. I mean Nazareth of all places. It’s despised and disdained by everyone. Nothing good ever comes from there. WRONG! Something good did come from there. Goodness personified came from there.
Just in case you didn’t realise, God does things quite differently from us. He likes to spring a few surprises just to keep us on our toes and to remind us who’s actually God.
And so, Jesus comes from Nazareth. It’s unthinkable BUT true. And He goes to the Jordan River and there He’s baptised by John.
Now just think about this for just a second. Jesus is 30 years of age. Born in Bethlehem of Judea. Raised in Nazareth. Worked as a carpenter. He’s been waiting and waiting for His hour to come and now it has.
His public ministry, His heavenly work on earth is about to commence. A ministry and a work that will shake and shape the whole of history and transform the eternity of all who believe in Him.
And listen, that’s what His baptism is about. He lays down His chisel and hammer, wipes the sawdust from His clothes, closes the door of His carpenter’s shop, leaves home and family and friends and walks 20 miles, He goes down into the river and He’s baptised by John.
And that’s when it happens. As He comes out of the water, drenched and dripping, the heavens open, the Spirit descends upon Him in the form of a dove. And from the excellent glory a voice booms. It’s the voice of His heavenly Father. (verse 11) “This is my beloved Son …”
Listen. How do we know that Jesus was the Son of God? Because Mark says so? Because I say so? Because you say so? Because some Apostle or prophets or pastor or preacher says so? NO! WHY? Because God the Father says so.
And so, a Signpost and a statement.