For Whom Jesus Came

For Whom He Came

Intro.: I expect that most of us are familiar with the questions that a good journalist is expected to answer ...

1.     The five 'W's and one 'H':

·         Who is it about?

·         What happened?

·         When did it take place?

·         Where did it take place?

·         Why did it happen?

·         How did they do it?

2.     It might be fun sometime to take a look at the life of Christ with that perspective.

3.     But today, I want to focus only on the first of these questions - “Who?”

4.     Who was it that Jesus would be reaching out to for the next three years? Whose lives would be challenged by Jesus' words and life?

Read: Mark 1:14-39

Pray

Trans: These verses set the tone for the entire book.

1.     “Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

2.     This is the message John wants his readers to understand – it is the message he wants us to understand.

3.     “The kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe.”

4.     It was an urgent message for Jesus, it is a message that is urgent for us grasp for ourselves.

T.S. As we move through the book of Mark, we don't want to forget those God seeks to reach out to. Mark 1:14-49 illustrates three of those groups -

       I.            Jesus came for the ill.

                           A.            Too often I look around a church and see people who seem to have it all together. They have answers for everything.

                           B.            Yet, even here at the beginning of Jesus' three years of active ministry, it becomes obvious that He had a heart for those who had pain – whether it be physical, emotional, or spiritual.

                           C.            Jesus was there for Peter and his mother-in-law, He was there for the man with leprosy – in fact, Mark tells us He healed many.

                           D.            There seems to be an unwritten rule that only the perfect can be used by God. Yet, over and over again, we see Jesus reach out to those with blemishes – with pains, with hurts and marks, that let the world know that they are definitely no perfect.

                                                     1.            It might be their health that yells out to the world, “There is something wrong with me.”

                                                     2.            It might be their behavior that lets those around know that they are hurting on the inside in ways they cannot put into worlds

                                                     3.            Or it may be their words – either as they describe themselves or as they interact with others – that let the world know the seriousness of the pain they have experienced and still carry with them.

(Ill.) Nicolas Herman was born in what is today Eastern France. He felt God's call at the age of 18. He joined a Carmelite monastery where he spent most of his life serving the church as a cook. Late in life he left the kitchen and spent his time repairing shoes. Most of us do not know Nicolas Herman, but as a Catholic, he chose a different name when he entered the monastery. The name he chose was “Lawrence of the Resurrection.” You may know him better as Brother Lawrence. As best I can tell, he wrote one book in his entire life which goes by the title “The Practice of the Presence of God.” He learned that the most mundane of activities were opportunities to serve God – whether it was mopping floors, peeling potatoes, or praying for others – he was serving God.

Now, why have I spent a brief period of time introducing you to Brother Lawrence – it is because he made a very astute observation that speaks to the role of illness in the life of the believer, “God is often (in some senses) nearer to us, and more effectually present with us, in sickness than in health.... He often sends diseases of the body to cure those of the soul. Comfort yourself with the sovereign Physician of both the soul and the body."

                            

             E.            I don't know where you will find yourself this week, but I do know that God will be there waiting for you, ready to stand beside you. He came for those of us who are ill, those of us who are weak, those of us who feel empty. He did not come for the full, he did not come for the strong, he did not come for the well. He came for you and for me.

    II.            Jesus came for those who he is sending

                           A.            In the remaining verses of chapter 1, we see Jesus calling Peter, Andrew, James, and John, to follow Him into ministry.

                           B.            Sometimes it is easy to sit back and listen to Bible stories – it may work in young children; but as we age, we must be willing to follow Jesus' example, we must be willing to follow His commands.

(Ill.) Have you ever watched a small boy follow his dad through the snow. He stretches to step where his dad stepped. Not an easy task. His small legs extend as far as they can so his feet can fall in his father’s footprints.

The father, seeing what the son is doing, smiles and begins taking shorter steps, so the son can follow.

It’s a picture of discipleship.

In our faith we follow in someone’s steps. A parent, a teacher, a hero—none of us are the first to walk the trail. All of us have someone we follow.

In our faith we leave footprints to guide others. A child, a friend, a recent convert. None should be left to walk the trail alone. Jesus is the one we are to follow.ⁱ

                           C.            But if we are to follow Jesus – there are some prerequisites:

                                                     1.            I need to know the one I will be following – now simply knowing about Jesus, but know Him.

                                                     2.            I need to know what he wants of me – that means being in His word, listening to what he wants from us

                           D.            Am I willing to be prepared to follow?

    III. Jesus came for us all

                           A. Jesus did come for those who are sick

                           B. Jesus did come for those he is sending

                           C. But we must remember, Jesus came for one other group
– He came for the world.

                           D. John 3:16 says it all, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

                            E. In our passage today, we find Jesus preaching in Galilee. And what is He doing, He is preaching the gospel, the good news. Twice in this first chapter of Mark, we find Jesus preaching.

                            F. And the people are amazed – not my word, but that is the word that Mark used. Those who heard Jesus are amazed – he spoke as one with authority.

(Ill.) Authority is one of those words that defines the book of Mark. We will see this word again – nine times it is used, of Jesus, of His teaching, He even used the word of himself. We all live with authority—whether supervisors, professors, parents, police. And depending on how that authority is exercised, we feel either put upon, trapped, used, or we feel secure, free and useful.ⁱⁱ

                           

              G.            Jesus spoke to His world, and to our world, with authority.

                           H.            As we continue our walk through Mark, we must remember that we are studying Jesus – a man who speaks with authority and who has authority.

Conclusion:

Pray

iRowell, Edward K., ed. 1001 Quotes, Illustrations, and Humorous Stories: For Preachers, Teachers, and Writers. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2008. WORDsearch CROSS e-book. Originally published as three books, Quotes and Idea Starters for Preaching and Teaching (© 1996), Fresh Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching (© 1997), and Humor for Preaching and Teaching (© 1996, with coeditor Bonne L. Steffen).

iiLifeGuide Bible Studies – Mark: Follow Me.

Gospel Beginnings

Gospel Beginnings

Intro.: I like musicals – though it is not one of my favorites, many people like “Sound of Music”.

1.     Though not my favorite musical, one of my favorite songs is Do-Re-Me

2.     It begins like this:

let's start at the very beginning
a very good place to start
when you read you begin with abc
when you sing you begin with do re mi
do re mi
the first three notes just happen to be
do re mi do re mi
do re mi fa so la teⁱ

3.     Mark's definition of beginning is somewhat different than ours. Listen to the words of Mark 1:1-13

Read: Mark 1:1-13

Pray

Trans: I have long said that the first book of the Bible that most people should read is Mark

1.     Others would say John – but remember

2.     Mark is the shortest book

3.     Mark was the first book written

4.     Mark was written to help the early church remember

5.     And when he starts with the “beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ”

T.S. The key events of Mark 1:1-13 set up many of the themes we will see in the rest of the book of Mark.

       I. Key Event #1: The beginning of the Gospel

                           A. Like Genesis and John (which both start with “In the beginning ...”, and like Luke (who tells us he begins his story by understanding and reporting everything from the very beginning), Mark wants to begin at the beginning – the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

                           B. For Mark, the Gospel does not start with the Baptism of Jesus, it does not start with the birth of Christ, it also does not start with Mary or Joseph learning that they are going to serve as the step parents of the Son of God.

                           C. No, for Mark the Gospel has its beginning in the words spoken by two prophets – Malachi living 400 years before Christ's appearance, and Isaiah living 800 years before Christ's beginning his ministry.

                           D. The two prophesies that Mark quotes discuss the messenger that will prepare His world for His arrival – Mark knows something that those living in that 1^st century do not.

(Ill.) For some, today, the Sunday after after Easter, is known as “Holy Humor Sunday” or “Laughter Sunday” or “Bright Sunday”. Easter does not seem like a time for laughter or humor (unless we spend time looking at the various pictures of the Easter bunny).

Yet, when we think of the contrast between what the priest's and Pharisee's anger with frustration and what God knew about Jesus' future, I expect he could not help but laugh. Here is the Son of God – they are plotting to kill him, I can imagine their snickering as they see their plans coming together; yet God knows the future. He knows of His own Son's resurrection, He knows of the church's resurrection. There is an irony here – the plans that man has are nearly as important as those God has made. It was a lesson that would be learned by those who plotted – it is a lesson that we need to learn as well. Our plans must always be made knowing that ultimately God is in control.

                            E. The two quotes that Mark uses are just the tip of the iceberg for the OT prophesies that point to Jesus' coming. One author suggests that they number in the hundreds.ⁱⁱ

                            F. The beginning of the Gospel for Mark was the prophesies that told of His coming.

                           G. This is how Mark began Christ's story.

    II. Key Event #2: The presence of John the Baptist

                           A. The fact that Mark quickly moves form discussing the messenger that will announce Christ's coming to discussing John the Baptist makes it clear he sees the connection.

                           B. A number of things make John stand out:

                                        1. He dresses and eats weird – even for the 1^st century. His clothing and food were common for the poorest. But certainly, the most respectable members of the 1^st century culture would neither dress in camels hair or eat locust or honey.

                                         2. His message could very well have been irritating – as he called people to confess their sin. I mean, he call on his audience to be honest with God. In public, yet. A tough message to a tough crowd.

                                         3. And John was baptizing. Now, baptism was not unknown – in fact it was part of the ceremony that non-Jews had to go through when they converted to Judaism.ⁱⁱⁱ And that is the problem – asking the 1^st century Jew to go through a ceremony reserved for the non-Jew would have been offensive.

                                         4. And he attracted a crowd. From Judea (an area about the size of NY) and the city of Jerusalem they came. They came to see the strange man. They heard his call to confess their sins and to be baptised. And they did.

(Appl.) God's word requires that we respond to it. Those who came out hear Jesus did respond. The bigger question that each of us has to offer is this, “Are we willing to respond to God's word?”

 III. Key Event #3: The Baptism of Jesus

                           A. John had said he was coming, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptized you with the Holy Spirit.”

                             B. Mark does not give us a great deal of detail about the baptism itself. But he does tell us God's response:

And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

                           C. I can't help but wonder what it would have been like to be there that day.

John the Baptist draws people to himself. He has told us about one who is coming, we have been waiting for a Messiah - the Christ. And then, after that man, that one over there, is baptized, first there was a dove, and then there was that voice. “This is my beloved Son.” Wow – what a moment. The Son of God, the Messiah, there in front of us.

And then he started walking, walking as if he had to go – he starting walking toward the wilderness. I don't know much of what happened after that – but it was a day not to be forgotten.

                           D. If I had been there that day, I might not know what happened after that baptism – but we do.

IV. Key Event #4: The temptation of Jesus

                           A. The last event that is part of this picture Mark presents of the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the temptation of Christ.

                           B.  Read Mark 1:12-13

                           C. Mark presents the temptation as a natural continuation of Jesus' baptism. We have no details of the conversation Jesus had with Satan during those days in the wilderness.

                           D. Besides Jesus, there were three others out there in the wilderness with Him.

1. There was no doubt that the conflict with Satan was stressful to the extreme – three years later they would fight again. Satan would win that fight – but only for three days.

2. There angels that ministered to Jesus – that got Him through the stressful interaction he was having with Satan

3. And then there were the animals. The scripture says nothing about their role – other than their presence. But can't help but seeing an artist's rendition laid out here before us –

                                      

4. It's a picture that helps me to remember what Jesus faced out in that wilderness – at least as Mark explains it.

                            E. Jesus spent 40 days under constant threat – of Satan and of animals.

                            F. We go through times that are difficult for us as well. And Jesus is there. We are not alone – regardless of how difficult life becomes, we are not alone.

Conclusion:

Pray

i http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/t/the_sound_of_music/

iiGot Questions Ministries. Got Questions? Bible Questions Answered. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010.

iiiKeener, Craig S. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993.