Announcing Revolution
Mark: Living the Way of Jesus in the World • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 1 viewNotes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Good evening everyone,
We’re looking at the first of this new series looking at Living the Way of Jesus in the World. And this first topic is called Announcing Revolution!
I must admit, I find the word ‘revolution’ a bit challenging for me - I feel a bit rebellious saying it - possibly a bit to left wing as well!
But I think it’s a helpful way to think about what Jesus is doing when he is announcing the arrival or dawning of the Kingdom of God … God is bringing forth a revolution!
But it’s not a revolution as you might think of it. When I think of revolutions, I particularly think back to the Russian Revolution that I learnt about when I was a secondary school, and then I think about the Arab Spring in the 2010s, and many other uprisings since then.
What I remember about the Arab Spring uprisings is that huge sustained protests started in many different Arab countries around the Meditteranean and the Middle East, and they started in one country and then they began in other countries … and I remember watching scenes of them during my breaks at work in the canteen. One after another huge protests took place and then tyranical leaders were overthrown. But then what happened were power vacuums and then other leaders took the opportunity to fight for leadership. I know very little about Middle Eastern politics I must admit, but from a perspective of someone who didn’t really understand all the background and what had led to this point, it all just felt so dangerous and unstable. And we still see much of that in the Middle East today. We just need to think of Israel and Gaza, and although we are thankful for the ceasefire and pray for it to continue, we know that tensions are high.
Israel in the NT time was also an unstable province of the Roman Empire. There had been uprisings in the past against the Roman authorities, and some expected the Messiah to be one who would rid Israel of the Roman conquerors and bring freedom. When you read the NT, you see different Jewish political groups mentioned - the Sadducees and the Pharisees are two big ones. Then one of the disciples is Simon the Zealot, and the Zealots were a key political group too - wanting to overthrow the Roman authorities, and they were prepared to use violent actions to do this. Later in AD 70 they attempt an uprising that is unsuccessful.
So, the idea of a Messiah coming and beginning a revolution was language that the people were familiar with, but the type of Messiah and the type of revolution that Jesus was about to bring was so different to what people expected.
What type of revolution?
What type of revolution?
Mark 1:5-15
The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
The Baptism and Testing of Jesus
At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” 12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, 13 and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.
Jesus Announces the Good News
14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
I’ve talked about the type of revolution that we might think of when I look around the world, and the type that some Jews were expecting and longing for in the 1st century, but what is the type of revolution that Jesus is talking about?
The type of revolution that Jesus is talking about is a huge shift - and it has huge spiritual, political and social impact
When Jesus announces that the Kingdom of God has come near, he means that the revolution is dawning.
Jesus is not going to be a Messiah that overthrows the Roman authorities through violent force or through political protest - he’s not going to rally followers to form an army to fight the Romans and kick them out of Israel and then make himself king.
What Jesus is bringing in is the presence of God to earth - he comes to undo the destruction of sin and set people free - so that they can love God and love one another with the power that he gives them. And this is not a temporary revolution - it’s not going to come and then fizzle out when he eventually dies - Jesus is introducing a kingdom that will last forever. It’s a movement that begins with him and his followers, and then after he dies and rises again, from Pentecost onwards it grows until in 300 years it turns the entire Roman Empire upside down.
This type of revolution is not one that comes with physical might, with persuasive arguments, through the leadership of kings or emperors, or is only for a particular nation or people group.
This revolution takes place in the hearts of individuals of every language and background
John baptised with water, Jesus baptised with the Holy Spirit - cleansing of the body symbolised the cleaning of the heart by the Holy Spirit
The kingdom of God coming near
Repenting and believing the good news
Being born again - repenting, believing, baptism, receiving the Holy Spirit
First time - or a renewal
What does this mean for us?
What does this mean for us?
It’s a spiritual revolution … and it’s also political and social too
If this is for us … we are told to ‘repent and believe the good news’ … we are to turn away from that which God says ‘no’ to, and choose to believe and follow the Way of Jesus. It’s about giving our all to him … surrendering everything.
Sometimes we find that we lay everything down before our Father at one point, and then over time we begin to try to take back control of our lives … and if that’s you, maybe tonight you want to give everything to God afresh.
That is what our baptism signifies - dying to our old way of life, and rising to the new way of life with Jesus, following him by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Perhaps you haven’t