The King Has Come

INTRO

Thank You -

Sermon Series & Plan: Mark: Conquering King; Suffering Servant

“Even the best laid plans often go awry”…

The best place to begin is the Life of Jesus - I believe that ALL of Scripture points to Jesus —> All of the OT points forward to his Coming & the NT points back to his life, teaching & work on the cross for salvation.

NFG & Social Media - Bible Reading - We won’t preach every verse of Mark, but we will read every verse in the next several weeks.

Outline - if it helps - use it, if it doesn’t ‘don’t’ - Exegetical Outline = the Text.

Mark 1:1–11 (ESV)

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,

“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,

who will prepare your way,

the voice of one crying in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord,

make his paths straight,’ ”

John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “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 baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 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.”

PRAY

BODY

Purpose/Occasion/Background/Date/Theme

Mark is believed to be the first Gospel account that was ever written. (60s A.D.)

The book itself never mention’s an author - Early tradition attributes the Gospel account to Mark — John Mark.

Mark is believed to be John Mark - Mentioned in Acts

Companion of Paul & Barnabas (Cousin) - schism

Reconciled with Paul - served him in prison

Likely an ‘assistant’ of Peter’s in the Early Church.

Believed most of the content of Mark comes (at least in part) from Peter’s teaching.

Probably an oral tradition in the early church that Mark sought to preserve.

Moves really quickly from one ‘scene’ the next - not accounts of Jesus’ preaching - uses the word “immediately” 42 times.

Purpose: To record these teachings officially - to a Gentile Christian audience.

Likely the reason Mark provides less background/detail & why less OT & Jewish references.

Occasion: Early Church persecution in 60s - wrote to encourage believers and give them confidence in the face of persecution.

Emperor Nero - possibly blamed Christians for a fire in Rome, but heavy persecution is certain.

Theme: Conquering King, Suffering Servant.

Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.””

Mark 1:1–3 “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’ ””

The Gospel of Jesus Christ

The Prophets (Isaiah & Malachi)

Mark 1:4–8 (ESV)

John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “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 baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

The Arrival of John the Baptist

The Appearance of John

The Work of John

Mark 1:9–11 (ESV)

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 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.”

The Arrival of Jesus

Where Jesus is Physically from

Where Jesus is Spiritually from

1) A Proclamation

The Gospel — “Good News of Victory”

The Prophets - Covenant of Old —> The connection to Isaiah & Malachi tie this “good news” to the Covenant God made with Abraham & with Israel as His People.

Some key symbolism in Mark:

The Wilderness — Important place in Israel’s history…

John the Baptist - ministering in the wilderness @ the Jordan River - Where Israel enters into the Promised Land.

Returning to the wilderness is like a returning to beginning - a rebirth of sorts.

Jesus — A rebirth is NOT good news if the ‘people’ just have to try again, but the Conquering King & Suffering Servant has come to FULFILL the COVENANT - in our place…

His divinity —> Conquering King ( gospel meant “joyful news about the emperor” to the Roman audience)

Christ = term for the Messiah

The Son of God - an official title - adapted from OT - meaning Messiah (also possibly a dig at the Romans).

“whose straps I am not worthy to stoop down & untie”

“You are my beloved Son; in whom I am well pleased.”

His humanity —> Suffering Servant

Jesus = personal name

He comes to John

He is identified by specific geography - “from Nazareth of Galilee”

There is no “Good News” without both the DIVINITY & the HUMANITY of Jesus.

Theological term = Hypo-static Union | The God-Man | 100% God & 100% Man

Two natures that must exist in completeness.

If Jesus is not DIVINE - there is no authority - why he was crucified…

If Jesus is not HUMAN - than his sacrifice can not be applied to humanity…

Jesus > Adam (Romans 5)

But Jesus is Divine & Human - So there is “Good News”…

2) A Promise

The Atonement —> We don’t have to wait long for this promise to show up.

Jesus’ baptism assures that the forgiveness of sins will be secured by the Son of God.

John was baptizing people in their repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Jesus was sinless — He had no sins to forgive — But the effectiveness of that forgiveness will be secured by this very man being baptized by John.

Affirming this baptism & giving us a model & from to follow.

This is why we are a people of believer’s baptism.

After professing faith in Jesus Christ - we follow in obedience in a baptism like his , “came up out of the water”

Baptism of the Holy Spirit —> Not only will Christ atone for the sins of His people - But he will be WITH them!

The Messenger proclaims it — John promises that this is what Jesus will ultimately provide for His people (“he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit”).

“He told them he had drenched them with water that was only external, but One would come who would drench them in the Holy Spirit, which was intrinsically internal. What a beautiful metaphor for the work of the Holy Spirit! When we are baptized with the Holy Spirit, he permeates every part of us. Christianity meets men and women in their radical need and provides a radical answer. If you don not know Christ, you are still in your sins. The Spirit’s baptism is the answer. When he drenches your life with his, you are changed!” - R. Kent Hughes

RESPONSE

Confession -> Repentance -> Forgiveness -> Holy Spirit -> Baptism

Road-Map of Faith:

Confess --> Agree that you are sinful & separated from God.

Repent --> Turn 180 degrees away from your sin toward God (Jesus).

Forgiveness --> Receive the forgiveness of your sins that Jesus provides.

Holy Spirit --> This is Promised --> are you stunting the Holy Spirit in your life?

Baptism --> Obedience --> Symbolic of receiving forgiveness & the Holy Spirit --> we are reminded through Communion.

The Gospel demands that we Respond —>

CONCLUSION

Explanation of Mark Series -

Right from the beginning we see Jesus portrayed as both, The Conquering King & the Suffering Servant. — A constant theme of Mark.

The “Good news of Jesus Christ” is both 1) A PROCLAMATION and 2) A PROMISE

Proclamation - That the King has come — Savior - King

Hope is here because Jesus, the Christ, has come.

Promise - he has delivered the forgiveness of sins.

His baptism was a promise of the reality that has now been secured.

And a promise of the Holy Spirit - God in us - our seal for salvation - our guarantor.

Agnostic who translated the NT - Illustration ->

“Dr. E. V. Rieu was world renowned scholar of the ‘classics’ & had just completed a translation of Homer into modern English for Penguin Classics. The publisher approached him to translate the Gospels. Rieu’s son responded, ‘It will be interesting to see what Father will make of the four Gospels. It will be even more interesting to see what the four Gospels make of Father.’ — Within a year Dr. E. V. Rieu, lifelong agnostic, responded to the very Gospels he was translating and became a committed follower of Jesus.”

Transforming Power of God’s Word —>

Challenge: What will this book, this Gospel of Jesus Christ ‘make of me?’

My prayer is that you would not be the same person.

That I would not be the same person...

That we would not be the same church.

May our study enrich our Theology, enliven our Prayer Lives, & form us more into the image of Christ...