Arrival of the King (Mk. 1:1-20)

Introduction

· This morning we begin a brand new study in the Gospel of Mark. Would you turn there with me today?

· This book is entitled “The Gospel According to Mark.”

· Recently my parents met up with us for a rendezvous in Utah and handed off the kids to them to take them back to Colorado. While we were all together, the little town where we stayed was having their county fair. It was an old time classic fair complete with rides, 4H, even a tour of the local school bus and ride in the firetruck and a ride up 30’ in the air in the hydrolic fire ladder. Firefighters are true superheroes! They will go to almost any length to rescue a person in danger, even at the risk of their own lives. But even this does not compare to what Christ did!

· Our mission is discipleship - following Jesus. But in reality, we cannot follow Him unless we know him.

· Jesus has many names – Prince of Peace, Bread of Life, Lion of Judah, but also King of Kings.

· Revelation 14:14 describes Jesus like “a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand.” The crown reminds us that He is a king, and the sickle, that he will come to judge the earth, as a farmer chopping slicing down his field to gather up the wheat and to burn up the tares. Jesus is our great King. He has already visited the earth once, and he’s coming again soon. This book describes his first coming, including his words, his works, his life, his death, and his resurrection.

· Here in chapter one, we will consider how the king has come, then how the king conquers, and finally, what to do when the king calls.

The King Comes (vv. 1-11)

· Verse one reads, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” This is the story of Jesus, born of the virgin Mary. His birth account is not told in this gospel, but you can learn all about it in Matthew or Luke’s gospels. Jesus was a common name in that time. But this was no ordinary boy.

· Christ – Messiah, Anointed One. Like a prophet, a priest, a king. Born of a virgin.

· The Son of God – a reminder that he is God.

· Read vv. 1-11

· John the Baptist – A king would often be preceded by a herald, preparing the way. For security purposes and so people would come out to meet him.

· John’s ministry of baptism and preaching – repentance.

· Foretold by the prophet Isaiah. Two quotes. One from Isaiah 40:3 A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. The other from Malachi 3:1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.

· Jesus is Baptized. – obviously, not for repentance of His own sin. But I think it was at least threefold: (1) to perfectly obey His Father; cf. accompanying His family to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. (2) to fully identify with the human race (3) to begin His public ministry. This event is described by all 4 gospels.

· Part of the Great Commission – “go and make disciples, baptizing…teaching.” If you have not been baptized, you should do it soon. Through much of history, this has been seen as a pre-requisite to the Lord’s Supper.

· Mark makes only passing reference to an important episode…

The King Conquers (vv. 12-13)

· Read vv. 12-13

· Now at this point, there is something very important we need to understand. Adam was not merely acting for himself; he was the first man of the human race and actually represented the entire human race. God chose that his actions would affect all of us. He was our federal head – our representative. As long as he obeyed, it was as if the whole human race was obeying. But if he disobeyed, all of us disobeyed. Blessing vs. cursing. Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned. His sin was imputed to us. Romans 5:15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.

· But now, Jesus has the opportunity to be our representative.

· Notice the conditions of the temptation. Wilderness, solitude, fasting.

· Notice the length of the temptation. Reminds us of 40 days spent by other great prophets Moses and Elijah.

· Notice the source of temptation – Satan. The adversary. James 1:13–15 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Temptation is not the same as sin.

· Notice a strategy for temptation. Matt. 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13 give much more detail – turn stones into bread; jump off pinnacle of temple; bow down and worship me, and I will give all kingdoms. For example, Matthew 4:3–4 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” (quoting from Deut. 8:3).

· Jesus a high priest tempted but without sin.

· >>We leave this episode with hope, perhaps this is the one! This victor invites us to follow Him…

The King Calls (vv. 14-20)

· Read vv. 16-20

· In all, Jesus calls twelve. See Mark 3:16-19.

· Follow me – first of all, put your trust in me. Then, walk where I walk. Go where I lead you.

· Some people think, “God could never use me. I have no talents. I never went to Bible college. I can hardly read. I have no special training.”

· Or, “My life is too big a mess for God to fix.”

· Listen. God loves to save hardened sinners and put them to work in His kingdom.

· 1 Timothy 1:15–16 … Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.

· Simon (Peter) – special attention will be given to this disciple in the Gospel of Mark. Mark was a close friend and served alongside Peter. Peter never wrote his own gospel, but many early church fathers called this the “Gospel of Peter.” 1 Peter 5:13 “Mark, my son.”

Conclusion

· The king has arrived!

· Still not sure if Jesus is really the King, the Messiah?? Just ask John the Baptist. He says in John 1:32–34 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” Ask Isaiah. Ask God. Ask the disciples. Ask the demoniac. Ask Simon Peter. They all affirm, “Yes!” The evidence is laid plain before us.

· And the King gives us a clear command: “Follow Me.”

· What prevents you from following Christ today?