Jesus Speaks

Introduction

If you read the news today what will you see. Murder. Greed. Lust. Racism. Hatred. Market Crashing. Job losses. It’s all bad news. Fox News. CNN. Twitter. Facebook. Everywhere you turn there is bad news. And it not just in the new and on social media…it’s in our lives. Doctors give us bad reports…your child has infection in both ears; you have cancer. Bills come. Weather strikes. All leaving seemingly bad news.

If you read the news today what will you see. Murder. Greed. Lust. Racism. Hatred. Market Crashing. Job losses. It’s all bad news. Fox News. CNN. Twitter. Facebook. Everywhere you turn there is bad news. And it not just in the new and on social media…it’s in our lives. Doctors give us bad reports…your child has infection in both ears; you have cancer. Bills come. Weather strikes. All leaving seemingly bad news.

Today, though, I want to consider some good news.

Now let’s get into the Test

Read along with me as I read aloud.

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 1

MINISTRY IN GALILEE

14 After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee, proclaiming the good news,I, of God: 15 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

THE FIRST DISCIPLES

16 As he passed alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. 17 “Follow me,” Jesus told them, “and I will make you fish for,bk people.” 18 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 Going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat putting their nets in order. 20 Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

John is arrested

A lot has happened since the beginning of Marks Gospel. Just a few short sentences earlier John the Baptist was preaching, calling people to repent, and baptizing them. John was doing the very thing he was called to do; the very thing that had been prophesied in the Old Testament he would do, but now his work is complete. Now, months after Jesus’ baptism, Johns ministry was coming to an end and Jesus’ ministry is beginning.

MINISTRY IN GALILEE

The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Gospel in a Nutshell (1:14–15)

The arrest of John and the beginning of Jesus’ ministry are intentionally correlated to show that the gospel is proclaimed and known in adversity and suffering, not in ease and comfort.

The arrest of John and the beginning of Jesus’ ministry are intentionally correlated to show that the gospel is proclaimed and known in adversity and suffering, not in ease and comfort.

14 After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee, proclaiming the good news,I, of God: 15 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Now, months after Jesus’ baptism, his ministry is beginning and the one who came to herald his coming ends.

Herod himself had given orders to arrest John and to chain him in prison

THE FIRST DISCIPLES

Jesus begins his ministry in Galilee

16 As he passed alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. 17 “Follow me,” Jesus told them, “and I will make you fish for,bk people.” 18 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 Going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat putting their nets in order. 20 Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Preaching

With John’s work complete, Jesus begins his work in Galilee preaching the gospel of God. That is, Jesus proclaimed the truth of God’s good news about Himself and His kingdom of salvation. Jesus goes village to village…proclaiming…or better yet preaching…speaking out loud so that others can hear. This is important to note. God the Father’s method of reaching people with his good news in those days was through preaching the gospel, through proclaiming the good news so others could hear. The same is true today. Preaching is still the means that God has ordained, as faithful men herald the truth.

In Romans we see the importance of this. says,

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 10

So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.

God primarily purposes that Christians become Christians only through the gospel being preached to them. And that is what Jesus came to do.

The Gospel

What did Jesus preach? He preached the good news of God…the gospel. The gospel of God, a common New Testament term, refers to the truth that comes from God Himself to the world concerning the salvation from sin and judgment available only through Jesus Christ. Jesus sums it up here saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near.” Jesus has come near to us. He has come close to us. This is the good news.

Preaching

The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Key to Mark (1:1)

for Mark the gospel is the story of salvation in Jesus. The word for “gospel” (Gk. euangelion) literally means “good news.” In both the OT and in Greek literature euangelion was commonly used of reports of victory from the battlefield.

In both the OT and in Greek literature euangelion was commonly used of reports of victory from the battlefield.

This is not the good news about God. It is the good news from God made known in Jesus Christ. It is the story of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Thus, Jesus didn’t just proclaim the gospel; he was (and still is) the gospel. Here Mark summarizes the whole of Jesus’ life and teach in a single concept, “the kingdom of God.”

The gospel of God (a common New Testament term—; ; ; , ; ) refers to the truth that comes from God Himself to the world concerning the salvation from sin and judgment available only through Jesus Christ.

Jesus didn’t just proclaim the gospel; he was the gospel.

Remember, the gospel is good news. It is good news in a world full of bad news. The worst of that news is that we, as good as we think we are, stand condemned by God. Our sin has made us enemies of God and the object of his wrath. But the good news is the time has come and the Kingdom of God has come near. Jesus has come near to us so that we do not have to live as enemies of God. Rather, we can live in good fellowship with God if we would but repent of our sin and believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Remember, the gospel is good news. It is good news in a world full of bad news. The worst of that news is that we, as good as we think we are, stand condemned by God. Our sin has made us enemies of God and the object of his wrath. But the good news is the time has come and the Kingdom of God has come near. Jesus has come near to us so that we do not have to live as enemies of God. Rather, we can live in good fellowship with God if we would but repent of our sin and believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior.

One commentator said it this way:

Mark 1–8: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Jesus’ Kingdom Message: His Authority over Sin (1:14–15)

Christ offered His hearers a place in His eternal kingdom of salvation, the sphere of forgiveness and redemption, if they would repent of their sin and believe in Him as Lord and Savior.

The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Gospel in a Nutshell (1:14–15)

Coupled with the command to repent is the command to “believe.” If repentance denotes that which one turns from, belief denotes that which one turns to—the gospel.

The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Gospel in a Nutshell (1:14–15)

the gospel, as it is proclaimed by and present in Jesus, can remarkably be summarized in a single indicative: the divine blessing is present in “the kingdom of God,” and the human obligation is contained in two simple imperatives, “repent” and “believe.”

A few questions that would be good for you to consider this week are:

A few questions that would be good for you to consider this week are:

Parenting Application

How does this apply to our parenting?

If you have spent time with me, in this bible study for even one week, you have heard the gospel. I make it the point each week to ensure that the gospel is heard. It is the most important thing I can tell you all about. There are other good things we will talk about here…communications, discipline & correction, healthy eating, budgeting, and many more. But the most important thing we will talk about is the Gospel.