Eagle's Landing
Mark 1:14-15
“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.’ ”
Mark’s Gospel has several unique features.
1. Mark wrote to a Roman, Gentile audience.
2. Jesus is the centerpiece; the works and deeds of Jesus the focus; the urgency of this Gospel can be seen in the use of the word immediately over 40 times.
3. Despite being the shortest of the four Gospels, it records 18 of Jesus’ miracles.
4. Over one-third of the book covers the last eight days of Jesus’ life.
5. It is Mark’s Gospel that refers to Jesus as a carpenter (Mark 6:3).
Mark begins by answering two questions:
Who is Jesus?
What is the Gospel?
Who is Jesus?
Mark 1:1
“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”
First, Mark says that Jesus is the Christ.
Christ – is a title rather than a name meaning “anointed one” or “Messiah”, it refers to the Old Testament promised Messiah.
Second, Mark states that Jesus is the Son of God.
This is not the same as saying a “I am the son of my father.”
Why is it different?
1. God has always, forever been God—three persons, co-equal, co-eternal.
In other words, the Father has always been the Father, the Son has always been the Son.
Colossians 1:13-16
“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.”
2. Jesus isn’t “like” his Father he is the exact representation of the Father, he is God in the flesh.
Hebrews 1:1-3
“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.”
The phrase “Son of God” means that Jesus is God the Son, or all of God in the flesh.
What is the Gospel?
Gospel: εὐαγγέλιον – transliterated is evangelism.
εὐ – means well or good.
αγγέλοs – is the word for which we get angel – or messenger. αγγέλιον means message. So we have good message or good news.
It is the good news “Of Jesus” – the “Gospel of Jesus” can be understood in two ways—both are used in Mark:
- the message about Jesus.
- the message Jesus proclaimed.
The testimony of John the Baptist! (Mark 1:1-8)
John 1:6-7
“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.”
John 1:15
“John bore witness about him, and cried out, This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”
John 1:19-24; 34
“And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, ‘I am not the Christ.’ And they asked him, ‘What then? Are you Elijah?’ He said, ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you the Prophet?’ And he answered, ‘No.’ So they said to him, ‘Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?’ He said, ‘I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, “Make straight the way of the Lord,” as the prophet Isaiah said…And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
The testimony of the Baptism of Jesus! (Mark 1:9-11)
Why was Jesus Baptized?
1. To identify with those he came to save.
2. To provide an example.
Jesus always modeled obedience.
3. To picture his ministry and mission.
4. To express divine approval of Jesus.
It is at the baptism of Jesus that God the Father affirmed that Jesus is the Son of God.
John 1:32-34
“And John bore witness: ‘I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.”And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
The testimony of the Temptation of Jesus! (Mark 1:12-13)
Behind the scenes of redemptive history lies the conflict between God and Satan.
It was he who tempted Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:1–7).
The first Adam had faced the temptations of Satan in a bountiful garden and failed. The second Adam faces the temptations of Satan in a desolate wilderness and succeeds.
In order to be our Savior, it was necessary for Jesus to live a life of complete obedience to God. His sinlessness was absolutely necessary for our salvation. In the wilderness, Jesus was tempted like Adam, but did not sin.
The testimony of Jesus own words! (Mark 1:14-15)
Mark 1:14-15
“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.’ ”
There are two key words in this summary:
Repent—Jesus called for an internal change of heart and mind concerning our sin and God’s salvation in Jesus.
Luke 13:5
“No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
Martin Luther initiated the Reformation by nailing the “Ninety-five Theses” to the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. The very first one proclaimed that “our Lord and Master Jesus Christ . . . willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.”
Believe— believing the foundational element of our response to Jesus.Believing means…
to acknowledge He is the only true God and our Savior and,
to trust in him as our Savior for the forgiveness of our sins, and
to love him as our savior and Lord.
John 20:30-31
“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”