Good News For a Bad World - Studies in the Gospel of Mark - 4
Mark 1:2-14 (2)
Last time we began looking at Mark 1:2-14.
There are four scenes. Scene 1, we have a SIGNPOST … his name is John the Baptist. He’s directing everyone’s attention to Jesus. Scene 2, a STATEMENT … Right at the beginning of the public ministry of Christ, His heavenly Father declares Him to be His beloved Son, the One He’s well pleased with.
And so, a signpost and a statement.
Scene 3, has to do with A SIEGE.
Verses 12-13 “And immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him”.
Note this if you would. We might call verses 9-11 a mountain top experience. What a blessing. BUT listen. IMMEDIATELY after such a blessing there’s a vicious attack.
We go from the mountain top, right down into the valley in a matter of minutes. The baptism and then the battle.
Here’s the lesson. We need to be extra careful and watchful and prayerful after times and seasons of blessing. WHY? Because that’s when the enemy of our soul is likely to launch his assaults. So it was with Jesus and so it is with us.
Now if you compare what we’re told here with the other Gospel writers, you’ll find that Satan tried to trip Him and tempt Him from every possible angle.
BUT Jesus resisted every single temptation. He was tempted and tested in all points like us, yet without sin. He never succumbed, never gave in, never yielded. NOT even once. Tempted yes, tried yes, BUT overtaken NO! He was victorious.
You see the Father had just said He was His Son. Now in the conflict of battle, He proves it.
Listen. You want to be better than you are, so you try harder and you turn over a new leaf and make all sorts of resolutions. But you soon blow it AGAIN! Do you know what you need to do? You need to give your life over to the One who NEVER blew it. Ask Him to take charge, take control, take over. And let Him live His life through you.
Only He can break the stranglehold of sin. Only He can set us free. Free from the penalty of sin and free from the power of sin. Isn’t that good news for baddies? Of course it is. And its good news for you and good news for me, because I’m afraid we’re all baddies.
Well, the curtain lifts for the 4th and final scene - A SERMON.
Verses 14-15 “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".
You say what does all this kingdom stuff mean? Well it means a lot of things. BUT if you boil it all down, basically it means salvation.
To be part of the kingdom of God is to be under His Kingship and to enter into the realm of salvation.
And so here’s Jesus preaching all about the kingdom. All about salvation. You want to know how to enter the kingdom, how to be part of God’s kingdom, how to enjoy the blessings of salvation? Well here’s how. Repent and believe.
Repent, acknowledge your sin and turn from your sin. Recognise your going the wrong way and with God’s help turn round and start going the right way.
And believe. What’s another word for believe? Trust. Don’t trust yourself or your friends or your feelings. Don’t trust in a church or in a system of religion. Trust in Him and what He’s done for you. Throw yourself on Him.
That’s the message Jesus preached and maybe that’s the message you need to hear.
Mark 1:2-15 … a Signpost, a Statement, a Siege and a Sermon. Four dramatic scenes and each one very good news for all baddies everywhere.