A New Exodus for a New Israel
Text: Mk 1:1-15
Theme: New Exodus for a New Israel
Doctrine: continuity of covenants
Image: exodus
Need: reminder of need for unity, desire to study scriptures
Message: remain one and study the scriptures
New Exodus for a New Israel
Mk 1:1-15
I do not know much about what is going on in this church, but I do know that you are going through a bit of a transition. You are trying to figure out where, and how God can continue to use you. What is really important? What does it mean to be the community of believers? What is your identity within the surrounding community and the greater body of Christ? Well, you are not alone. This kind of thing happens to many, if not all churches, from time to time. In fact, there are many who argue that the book of Mark was written with a similar purpose in mind. When the book was written the time of the apostles was drawing to a close. Many of them have passed away and others are feeling the effects of age.
Tradition has it that this book was written by John Mark as a recording of the teaching of the Apostle Peter. It was written just before Peter died in AD 60. The church at that time was uncertain how to continue. They did not know what they would do when the apostles finally passed away. How could they continue in the faith when all the people who knew Jesus face to face were dead? The church was worried about its place in history, its place in the world, and its future.
The section that we read this morning is really an introduction to the entire book . It spells out the manner and the message of what is to follow. This short section is all that Mark uses to introduce the ministry of Jesus, and in this abrupt introduction, Mark focusses on two main things; the Old Testament prophecy of Isaiah with its fulfilment in the person of John the Baptist, and the baptism and temptation of Jesus. In this introduction Mark gives an outline of a New Exodus for a New Israel. See, the church in Rome was made up primarily of Gentiles, and they wondered how they fit in with the whole story? How did the promises to the Israelites continue in them?
If this book records the teaching of Peter, as tradition maintains, then where did Peter start? Unlike the other gospels, there is no account of Jesus's nativity. There is no genealogy, like in Matthew and Luke, tying Jesus back to Abraham or Adam. There is no eloquent connection between Jesus and the creation, like in the gospel of John. It all begins rather abruptly. He simply proclaims that what he is about to say is the beginning of the good news, or gospel, of Jesus Christ.
As we may or may not know, Peter spent the end of his life preaching in Rome. St Peter's square inside the Vatican is the site where he was finally put to death by the Caesar. This book, then, was most likely written to people in Rome, and for the Romans, good news, or gospel, was always about the emperor. A messenger would come from the battle lines and declare the good news that the Emperor had defeated the enemies and peace was once again restored. When a new Emperor was installed, the good news was proclaimed throughout the realm. Here, however, the good news is about someone else. This good news is about another ruler, one who's kingdom is not of this world. This good news is about Jesus Christ, who is none other than the Son of God.
For Peter, the beginning of the gospel, or the good news about Jesus Christ, the Son of God is in Old Testament prophecy. This is important, because we often force two big a wedge between the old and the new testaments. The new does not replace the old, but fulfils it. The good news of Jesus begins in this conflated quote of Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3. Mark simply records it as from Isaiah, because the major contribution comes from there. Isaiah 40:3-5 reads as follows.
A voice of one calling: “In the desert prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
This passage was a key text for Israel, even before Jesus came around. This passage outlined some major themes of new Exodus, a new movement of the people of God out of bondage into a place where they would see God's glory. Peter takes this text, which would bring out all the expectation of the people for redemption and modifies it with the beginning of Mal 3:1.
“See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.
By conflating these quotes, Peter is saying that the messenger God is sending before him to prepare the way for him is the one who calls in the dessert. The beginning of the good news about Jesus Christ in Mark is not Jesus's birth, as it is in Matthew, nor is it John the Baptist, like in Luke, nor does he go all the way to the beginning like John. The good news about Jesus began with Isaiah's pronouncement of the salvation of Israel by Yahweh.
But is this good news just for Israel? This book is written to the Roman church, and we know that the Roman church was mainly made up of Gentiles. When Paul wrote his letter to the Romans, he claimed authority over the church because he was the “apostle to the gentiles.” So the gospel message is not just for the Jews, but it was for Gentiles as well. It was for Christians. So, this is the beginning of the good news for us too.
But, why is an OT prophecy the beginning of good news for us? I know what you might be thinking. “I thought that we were included sometime after Jesus's death and resurrection. I thought that the church was born on Pentecost. Even then, gentiles were not accepted as part of the church until Acts 10, when Peter receives the vision of the clean and unclean animals.” Well, the OT prophecy is the beginning of the good news, because it was fulfilled. God was going to send a messenger ahead of himself, a messenger who would cry out in the desert, “prepare the way of the Lord.”
“And so, John came, baptising in the desert, saying, 'After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptise you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.'” (Mk 1:7,8) This proclamation that someone greater was coming, someone who would baptise with the Holy Spirit means that unprecedented is coming, in the words of Isaiah, “the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.”
The glory of the Lord has been revealed. It was revealed in Christ when he died and rose again. It has been revealed in the church all throughout the ages. And it is revealed today, right here, in this church. The glory of God shines out of all those who call on his name. The glory of God is revealed in us through the working of the Holy Spirit. God's glory is revealed when we work to prepare the way of God. God's glory is revealed when we tell others of the hope that lies within us. God's glory is revealed when a community of believers, regardless of size, puts aside its differences and begins to work together to spread the gospel message. I ask you this morning, who do you know that has not seen the glory of God? Who do you associate with who has not been awed by the glory of God? Well, why have they not seen it? Do they not know you? Are you not living in such a way that God's glory is revealed? Are you living in a way that veils his glory rather than reflecting it?
While I was working at Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services in Grand Rapids, MI, a couple of summers ago I had a couple conversations with a man who had given up on the church. He went as a boy, but then was sexually abused by his aunt, who was a prominent member of the church. He could not handle the hypocrisy of the whole thing and stopped going. Talking to me he kept bringing up all the bad things of the church, the schisms, the infighting, the condemnation of others, the abuse trials, the hypocrisy, even the crusades. Listening to his story and to his objections toward the church I got very sad. It hurts that the bride of Christ is so ugly, it hurts that she has harmed herself so much, it hurts that she has covered herself in a veil to hide her glory.
Not that long ago I was in the Holocaust museum in Washington, DC. In this museum they have a room where people narrate stories of how they were treated in Auschwitz. One of the ladies was telling her story and she said that at one point as they are entering the camp all of their hair is shaved off, and their clothes are taken away. She expressed the pain of standing there so exposed, but for her the worst of the experience was that it was almost impossible for her to recognise her loved ones anymore, they had to call to each other by name.
Thinking about all the crap that has been done in the name of the church makes me wonder if Jesus will be able to recognise her. When Jesus returns, will he recognise his disfigured bride? Will he weep at what has happened to her? How much more damage has the church done to herself? We have not only shaved off her hair, we have cut off limbs, dismembering her as we separate from one another. We have ignored the advice of Paul and the hand has said to the foot, “I do not need you.” The eye has said to the ear, “I do not need you.”
Where, then, is the glory of God in the church? Is there any glory left in the church? Some of the events in the past few years have given me hope. The closer union between the RCA and the CRC has begun to heal a 150 year separation. This is a small thing between small denominations, but it gives witness to the glory of God. The ability of the last synod to agree to work together, in spite of differences on various issues has given a glimpse of the glory of God. When churches reach out to their communities and provide loving places of contact for individuals, we see the glory of God.
Although this glory is often veiled, everyday we prepare the way for God's glory to be fully revealed in Christ, just as it was on the banks of the river Jordan as Jesus came up from John's baptism. In this scene the headship of Christ is revealed. Mark uses this story to show clearly Jesus's is the Christ, the Son of God. Listen to the voice from heaven “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Here Jesus is clearly outlined as the son of God, he is the 'one who would come after' John who would baptise with the Holy Spirit.
The voice during the baptism links Jesus to Israel. It is reminiscent of the voice of God in Isaiah 42 where the servant of God is outlined.
“Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice. (Is 42:1-3)
This servant is generally interpreted as Israel. As it says in Is 41.
“But you, O Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend, I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Is 41:8-10)
At Jesus's baptism we have the servant being directly identified as Jesus, and through our baptism we are one with Christ, so this recounts our new exodus. The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, is not just a story for the Jews, or for the Romans. This is our story. This is our exodus. This is our good news. This is our messiah, our Christ, our saviour, our servant.
Mark ends his introduction with Jesus's preaching. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news.” Well, I tell you this morning, the kingdom of God is not near, it is here! Jesus has died and been raised to new life. The curtain separating God from humankind has been torn in two. Those who believe in Jesus as their Lord and Saviour are one with him. The church carries within her cracked appearance a real treasure, the message of reconciliation, the message of the cross. The story of Jesus is the story of our Exodus, a new exodus for a new Israel. God says to us all here this morning.
I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Amen
Let us pray.
Heavenly father, we thank you for the story of our new exodus. We are deeply grateful that you have sent your son, your servant to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. We were blind from our sin, we were imprisoned in our own evil natures, we were sitting in the darkness of our own reason, but you chose to lead us out. You chose to send your son into the world to release us from our sin. To cover our debt and set us free. Lord, we claim the promise you have given to us, that you have chosen us and will not cast us off. Help us to follow your will without fear, to show your glory to the world and not be dismayed. Lord, be our strength, be our guide, uphold us with your righteous right hand.