Make Room for Jesus
The Gospel of Mark • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction:
Introduction:
This morning we have the privilege to dive into God’s Word together. As we being to study through this gospel our prayer is that you will be diligent students of the Word of God and continue to be in the Word daily.
Reading through the Bible flyers in the back.
Breaking up the teaching with the squad throughout the year.
Context:
Context:
Author:
Much like the Gospel of Luke, Mark was not an eyewitness of all that Jesus had done, nor was he a real follower of Jesus during Christ’s earthly ministry.
You might be aware that Mark is not the name of one of the 12 apostles. So who is our author?
Mark 14:52 might be the only glimpse at the author, as the rest of the gospels do not include that account.
52 and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.
According to the early church fathers they affirm that Mark’s gospel comes from Peter’s reports and word and deeds of Jesus. And that the person who collected these was, John Mark.
We find John Mark, first mentioned in Acts 12:12. Paul and Barnabas would bring John Mark with them:
25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry, and they also took with them John whose surname was Mark.
Unfortunate we see that John Mark joins Paul and Barnabas during one of the most fruitless seasons of their ministry (Acts 13). If we were to study that passage, you would find that the group experienced strong demonic opposition.
13 Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem.
Sometime later we find that John Mark desertion cause a strong disagreement between Paul and Barnabas in Acts 15:36-41. The two men would part ways. Paul taking Silas with him and Barnabas taking John Mark.
There would be reconciliation later on.
I bring up this history to paint a picture for us this morning. John Mark when the going got tough deserted his companions. Mark would find solace in Jerusalem and were he would be under the tutelage of Peter.
Mark abandoned his friends and family (Barnabas was his cousin). Peter abandoned the Lord Jesus. I believe the Lord lead Mark to the one person who could truly minister to his soul after making a bad mistake.
There is quite a lot of evidence within this Gospel to support the idea that Peter is what stands behind Mark’s Gospel. As Mark’s account is especially specific when recounting incidents involving Peter.
Also it lays out the weakness of Peter, as well as all of the rest of the disciples. What is fascinating about Mark’s Gospel is that it omits praiseworthy or noticeable references to Peter that is shared in Matthew’s and Luke’s gospels.
Date and Location:
When it comes to dating the book there are 3 trains of thought.
The first being those who believe in an early date mid- or late- 50s A.D.
The second are those who believe in a slightly older date that places it in the mid- or late-60s A.D.
The lastly there are those who hold to a critical view, which I strong disagree with (but it is important to understand where they are coming from), believe that the Gospel of Mark was written after the destruction of the temple some time after 70 A.D.
What makes the critical view so dangerous is that it comes from very intelligent men and women, who maliciously or ignorantly, down play the importance of the Bible being the Word of God and are simply ancient text from a bygone era.
I’m in favor for an early date in the mid- to late- 50s. And i believe that Mark was the first Gospel written and that it in some way influenced the Gospel of Luke.
“After their [Peter and Paul’s] departure, Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, did also hand down to us in writing what had been preached by Peter.”–Irenaeus
Key Theme:
Major themes include:
Jesus corrects messianic expectations and misunderstands.
Jesus is man.
Jesus is the Son of God.
Jesus has all power and authority.
Jesus is the rightful Lord of all.
Jesus calls those who are His to humility, denial of self, and to experience suffering.
The last big theme of this gospel is the kingdom of God and what that means.
Purpose:
As we have read through this gospel together, my hope is that you might have picked up on a very important theme and that Mark presents and defends Jesus’ call to discipleship. This Gospel addresses an audience that is unfamiliar with Jewish customs, intending to familiarize them; because only then will they understand the coming of Jesus as the culmination of God’s plan to work with Israel to bring salvation to the entire world.
vv. 1-3) Be Ready
vv. 1-3) Be Ready
[1] The Introduction:
The Gospel of Jesus Christ:
When it comes to the title of this Gospel we probably give little thought to what we are saying. We call this book, “The Gospel of Mark.” When in reality that isn’t true, it is the after all as the first verse alludes too, the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Our attention should also be drawn to the first the first two words “the beginning,” as with Genesis 1:1
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
God is about to start something new, something foretold by the prophets, something mankind desperately needs, something the Jews were waiting for, that all of creations patiently waited for… the coming of the Messiah.
Christ = Messiah
A term that is used a lot within the Christian circle is the term “gospel” [εὐαγγέλιον]. What I found fascinating is the fact that Christians shaped how we understand this word. It appears to have had the meaning, prior to the Christianity, “a reward for good news” to what we know it now as simply “good news.”
As believers in Jesus Christ the gospel is the “good news” of Jesus Christ. It doesn’t take an rocket scientist to understand that there is something deeply broken in our world and especially in our culture.
As a church we understand the gospel to be 4 simple points:
Accountable to God
Sinned against God
God sent His Son Jesus Christ to pay the wages of your sin
How are you going to respond to this message?
Sometimes because there is so much for us we can make “a mountain out of a mole hill” so to speak when dealing with the gospel, making it more complicated then it really is. The paradox of the gospel is this: it can be easily understood by children, so that they are saved through their belief in Jesus Christ. But also so complex that the greatest theologian will never be able to plumb the depths of what the gospel is and its ramifications.
Lets look at just a few verses that helps us understand the gospel message a little more.
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Jesus Christ, the Son of God:
Throughout the gospels there are several different title for Jesus. For example: Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Man, and as we find here the Son of God.
This title is important to understand and grasp correctly. I can refer to Israel (Matt. 2:14), to man as created by God (Luke 3:38), or those who are redeemed through Jesus Christ (Rom 8:14, 19, 23).
Yet here this title is used not of man but thee God/Man Jesus Christ. It has the implication that Jesus is the heavenly, eternal Son who is equal to God (Matt 11:25-30; 17:5; 1 Cor 15:28; Heb 1:1-3, 5, 8). Jesus is the unique Son from the Father (John 1:14, 18, 34, 49), who fully reveals the Father (John 8:19; 14:9).
As the Son he is so great that we can believe and trust on Him for eternal life, something that is unique to Him alone, as that could not be said of any created being (John 3:16, 36; 20:31). With Sonship comes authority, and all authority of the Father to give life, dish out judgement, and rightfully rule over everything (John 3:36; 5:20-22, 25; 10:17; 16:15).
It should also be mentioned that as the Son of God He was sent by the Father, meaning he existed before he entered into the World (John 3:17; 5:23; 10:36).
This exact phrase is only mentioned 3 total times in this gospel. Here in chapter 1, chapter 3 and chapter 15.
Chapter 1: we see that it lays the precedent of what this gospel is about, Jesus Christ the Son of God.
Chapter 3: the demons know who Jesus is, but Jesus commands them to remain silent and not to speak. Not wanting the proclamation of who He is to come from the mouth of demons lest people confuse the two into believing that they are some how associated.
Chapter 15: Through his life and death the centurion comes to the realization that Jesus truly is the Son of God is a most spectacular fashion.
38 Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, “Truly this Man was the Son of God!”
[2-3] Interestingly, this particular gospel did not feel the need to take the reader back to the birth of Christ but to begin with Jesus’ earthly ministry. Picking up about 30 years after the birth of Christ.
This morning we do not have the time to go into that aspect of the story nor do we have the time to spend studying about all the prophecies that Christ fulfilled.
Mark gives us insight into just one of many prophecies of Christ the prophecy of the forerunner.
We have a passage quoted from Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3.
What we should really take to heart here is that when God makes a promise, you will never have to question if it will come to pass.
Family this is something that as we continue to grow in our relationship with God that we really need to take to heart. That you will not be the first person in human history to prove God a liar. That everything that he promises you will be fulfilled.
The promise of salvation to any who believe in Him. Romans 1:16-17
The promise of eternal security. Titus 3:5
The promise that all things will work out for good for His children. Romans 8:28
The promise of a new life in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17
The promise of comfort in times of trials and hardships. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
The promise of peace when we pray. Philippians 4:6-7
The promise of rest. Matthew 11:28-30
The promise to supply our needs. Philippians 4:19
And even the promise of persecution. John 15:19-20
Application:
Our application here comes from verse three. As our title suggests there is some work that we need to do to prepare the Lord to reign in our hearts. God’s messenger who we will find out is John the Baptist. Now I want to clarify that we are not making room for salvific purposes. There is only one way to be saved and that is through belief in Jesus Christ.
What I want to bring across is this understand that we, now saved and purchased by the blood of Christ, have a responsibility to place the Lord on the throne of our hearts. And here is where we find the distinction between a true disciple of Christ and a believer.
Both are saved. A disciple is a believer, but not every believer is a disciple. Because a true disciple is going to make straight a path for the Lord to come into their lives.
This doesn’t mean that God needs your help in making a straight path, but that He has given you this responsibility.
Tempted to say, “well home come God doesn’t just do ‘this’ or ‘that’ for me?”
He already did all the heavy lifting for you… doing the impossible, saving your soul. The least you can do is submit to the Lordship of Christ and remove the things in your life that are not pleasing to Him.
“Remove any obstacle in the way of you following Jesus.”
vv. 4-6) Be Willing
vv. 4-6) Be Willing
[4] Being bold in ministry requires a confidence in God and not oneself.
[5] The people prepared for Jesus through repentance, confession, and baptism.
[6] You don’t have to look like the world in order for the world to look to you.
vv. 7-8) Be Humble
vv. 7-8) Be Humble
[7] Never get so caught up focusing on your kingdom that you neglect to prioritize God’s kingdom.
[8] John cleared the path for Jesus; Jesus cleared the path for the Holy Spirit.