"The Shift is Here"

The Gospel Must Be our Compass

In the southern seas an American vessel was attacked by a wounded whale. The huge monster ran out for the length of a mile from the ship, turned around, and with the whole force of its acquired speed struck the ship and made it leak at every timber, so as to begin to go down. The sailors got out all their boats, filled them as quickly as they could with the necessaries of life, and began to pull away from the ship. Just then two strong men might be seen leaping into the water. They swam to the vessel, leaped on board, disappeared for a moment, and then came up, bringing something in their hands. Just as they sprang into the sea, down went the vessel, and they were carried around in the vortex, but they were observed to be both of them swimming, not as if struggling to get away, but as if looking for something, which at last they both seized and carried to the boats.

What was this treasure? What article could be so valued as to lead them to risk their lives? It was the ship’s compass, which had been left behind—without which they could not have found their way out of those lonely southern seas into the high road of commerce.

That compass was life to them, and the gospel of the living God is the same to us. You and I must venture all for the gospel; this infallible word of God must be guarded to the death. Men may tell us what they please, and say what they will, but we will risk everything sooner than give up those eternal principles by which we have been saved. The Lord give all of us his abundant grace that we may take fast hold of divine instruction.

The Gospel of Mark

Mark introduces his gospel in one sentence—“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Marks makes the argument for Jesus being the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus announced the Kingdom of God, healed the sick, and died as a ransom for sinners. In addition to Jesus, Mark features three main groups of people: the disciples, the crowds, and the religious leaders, none of whom understood Jesus. When the time came for Jesus to go to the cross, the religious leaders arrested him, the disciples abandoned him, and the crowds jeered him. Only when he died alone on the cross did a Roman centurion recognize that he was the Son of God. He may have based his Gospel on Peter’s preaching, writing sometime in the 50s or 60s A.D.

Context of Mark chapter 1

Mark opens with John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness preaching repentance and the forgiveness of sins. John was attracting great crowds to confess their sins and receive baptism from the Baptizer. His only message was there was someone coming after him that was mightier that would baptize them with the Holy Spirit. Jesus arrives the river Jordan and baptizes him, then, the heavens open and approves of Jesus’ baptism. He’s driven in to the wilderness to be tempted of the devil after forty days of fasting, and comes out victorious through declaring God’s word…He calls Simon, Andrew, James, and John from their fishing business to become fishers of men, heals a man with an unclean spirit, healed Peter’s mother-in-law that sparked a massive healing crusade throughout Capernaum and Galilee, healing the sick and casting out demons and silenced them because “they knew him.” (Mark 1:34). Jesus preaches the kingdom message to those who dwelt in darkness would experience the light…He cleanses a leper, charges him to keep silent, but he went and told everyone to the point where Jesus could not enter a town, but had to go to the desolate places.

Yet, tucked away within the periscope of the text is the crux of Jesus’ ministry and Mark’s argument for Jesus being the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus’ ministry would lead him to a hill called Golgotha, but while on his way there he will “shift” the culture from religiosity to relationship. Jesus’ message of the kingdom shifts the narrative and introduces Christ into the human narrative. The primary concern of the first major division in Mark is Jesus’ proclamation and demonstration of the nearness of the kingdom of God. The proclamation was by preaching and teaching; the demonstration, by miracles. These further establish the identity and authority of Jesus. The first division is set in Galilee and the surrounding regions. Mark pictured Jesus as constantly moving from place to place, something that emphasizes the urgency of this message about the kingdom of God. Some of the travel was in Gentile territory, foreshadowing the Gentile mission that took place after the events of the narrative but before its writing.

Shifting to a New Messenger — “From the Forerunner to the Focus”

The brevity of the narrative leaves one to wonder did Jesus come to Galilee because of the imprisonment of John, and while there just begin his ministry....Matthew and Mark agree with the idea of Jesus’ ministry beginning after the arrest of John…John 3:25-36

John 3:25–36 ESV

Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.” He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

John completed the ministry assigned to him, and that was to be the forerunner for Jesus. John was comfortable in his ministry, and when the shift occured he was prepared for it. “People who aren’t prepared for the shift are those who left things undone.” Even when the Pharisees questioned whether John was the Messiah or not, he quickly answered that he was in fact not the Messiah. Today, some would have taken that opportunity and ran with it because those who’ve had no power will use any means to obtain it. The shift comes as John stands up to the religious order of his day, and for his stand, he shifted towards his impending doom. Now some would not see this to be important, but it bears to note that Jesus did not infringe on the Baptizer because the anointing for that time was on John, and only Jesus’ forty days of testing in the wilderness was Jesus prepared to step into his ministry. “If Jesus had forty days of testing, then what does that say about you and I?” If you can’t stand the test, then, you can’t stand for God to use you.....The stage is not for the “shifty” but for the shifted.

Shifting to a New Message — From the Law to the Gospel

John’s message to his captive audience is found in Isaiah 40:3-5

Isaiah 40:3–5 ESV

A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

This is John’s message: (1) The Lord is soon coming, so prepare the way, (2) Creation acknowledges God’s sovereignty, (3) He shifts creation for glory because He’s spoken. John speaks of looking for the one who would fulfill Old Testament prophecies that spoke of him in types and shadows after the fall of man in Eden. From Moses to Malachi, the prophets look through the ages and times to a time when God would come and redeem not only Israel, but all men. John’s message is not for the faint of heart as it calls for repentance from sin through baptism. It would be his preaching that led to his arrest and subsequent beheading by Herod Antipas. Enter the new messenger with the new message, and that is the gospel of Christ, the kingdom message. The gospel for humanity is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but it was not the same message during Jesus’ time (he had not died yet). No dobut Peter is sharing his faith with his scribe, Mark and in one verse sums up the whole of Jesus’ ministry: the preaching of the kingdom to all men.

Mark 1:15 (NAC Mk): The word translated “time” (kairos) means a favorable, opportune, or significant time as opposed to mere chronology. Here Mark referred to the time appointed by God for the fulfillment of his promises. The period of preparation, that of ancient Israel and John, was complete. The divinely appointed time had come. The prophecies were being fulfilled in Jesus.

The expression “kingdom of God” appears fourteen times in Mark (also 4:11, 26, 30; 9:1, 47; 10:14, 15, 23, 24, 25; 12:34; 14:25; 15:43). According to the Synoptic Gospels, it was the major subject of Jesus’ message. In first-century Judaism it described a future, earthly kingdom in which God through Israel would rule over the nations. With the possible exceptions of 14:25 and 15:43, however, in Mark it refers to a present, spiritual kingdom rather than a future, earthly one. Therefore the expression refers to the kingly rule, the reign, the dominion, the sovereignty of God in the hearts of people. “Realm” in the sense of sphere of influence might be a better translation, but it too is subject to misunderstanding. “Reign” probably is the best translation.

Shift Your Mind Towards a Decision

Mark 1:15 (NAC Mk): Jesus claimed that the kingdom, which to most Jews seemed far in the future, had drawn near with his appearance. On linguistic grounds either “is near” or “is at hand” (RSV, NASB) or “has come near” (NRSV) is a better translation than “has come” (cf. use in 14:42). One of the former alternatives is preferable on theological grounds as well. The reign of God began to take place in the life and ministry of Jesus, but it was not fully manifested then and will not be until Jesus returns. Therefore a present, mystical kingdom does not rule out the possibility of a future, earthly one. Mark, however, says little about that. Jesus, like John (cf. v. 4), preached repentance, but the distinctive element in his message was faith or commitment or trust. The necessity of faith is a major subject in Mark, underscoring the theological motivation of the writing. Note especially the commands to believe in 1:15; 5:36; 11:22, 24 and the rebuke of unbelief in 4:40; 6:6; 9:19. Note also how faith is commended in 2:5; 5:34; 9:23; 10:52; 11:23.