Repentance: A Call to Return

New Year, 2022 Series: Message Two

Mark 1:14-15

ETS: Jesus urged the people to repent and believe in the Gospel.

ESS: We need to repent and believe in the Gospel.

OSS: [MO: Devotional] {SO: I want the hearers to repent and turn back to following after God.}

PQ: What highlights are observed in the Gospel proclaimed by Jesus?

UW: Highlights

Intro.: [Events: 1) John was arrested because he rebuked Herod Antipas (Mt. 14:3 and Lk. 3:19) 2) Jesus went to Galilee ]

TS: Let us focus together on a few highlights in the Gospel proclaimed by Jesus.

The first highlight is the content of the Gospel. (v. 15a)

Note: the content of the Gospel is Jesus himself: His birth, life, ministry, teaching, death, burial, and resurrection. Mark 1:1 asserts that, as well, and verse 14 provides an inclusio using the Greek word εὐαγγέλιον: Gospel or Good News.

However, highlighted specifically by Jesus are two factors pointing to a single event: 1) the time is fulfilled; 2) the kingdom has come near.

καιρὸς: Refers to a specific time noted by the definite article.

The two verbs used (πεπλήρωται and ἤγγικεν) are in the perfect tense implying that the act was done in the past but the results are still present and abiding. Thus, the time was fulfilled- in the past- the Kingdom has come near- in the past, but the results of both acts are still effective today: Jesus is the Messiah, the one who fulfilled the prophesies and brought the Kingdom close to man.

The content of the Gospel proclaimed by Jesus consisted of the time being fulfilled and the Kingdom coming near.

The second highlight is the instruction of the Gospel. (v. 15b)

Two imperatives are used in the Gospel proclaimed by Jesus: ματανοεῖτε καὶ πιστεύετε ἐν (repent and believe in).

The first imperative is translated as “repent.” Adam Clarke wrote, “This was the matter of the preaching. The verb μετανοεω is either compounded of μετα, after, and νοειν to understand, which signifies that, after hearing such preaching, the sinner is led to understand, that the way he has walked in was the way of misery, death, and hell. Or the word may be derived from μετα after, and ανοια, madness, which intimates that the whole life of a sinner is no other than a continued course of madness and folly: and if to live in a constant opposition to all the dictates of true wisdom; to wage war with his own best interests in time and eternity; to provoke and insult the living God; and, by habitual sin, to prepare himself only for a state of misery, be evidences of insanity, every sinner exhibits them plentifully... Repentance, then, implies that a measure of Divine wisdom is communicated to the sinner, and that he thereby becomes wise to salvation. That his mind, purposes, opinions, and inclinations, are changed; and that, in consequence, there is a total change in his conduct. It need scarcely be remarked, that, in this state, a man feels deep anguish of soul, because he has sinned against God, unfitted himself for heaven, and exposed his soul to hell. Hence, a true penitent has that sorrow, whereby he forsakes sin, not only because it has been ruinous to his own soul, but because it has been offensive to God.” (Clarke, A. (2014). The Holy Bible with a Commentary and Critical Notes (New Edition, Vol. 5, p. 50). Faithlife Corporation.)

The second imperative is “believe in” which is the only occurrence in the NT where this verb appears with this preposition. Here it means, “…to commit oneself wholeheartedly to an object of faith. Thus to believe in the good news meant to believe in Jesus Himself as the Messiah, the Son of God. He is the “content” of the good news (cf. v. 1)...” (BKC)

CONCLUSION:

“Jesus’ use of the idea of the appointed time makes it clear that he was referring to the rule God had promised he would bring to earth one day. As that kingdom-rule approached, two things were required as a response: repentance (a change of direction) and belief that the Kingdom had arrived. In a real sense, these two responses are really one. The new era of the Kingdom cannot be embraced without the need to share in it. Attachment to a previous way of life must be released to allow for participation in the new Kingdom and its benefits. Jesus would secure the means necessary for entrance into the forgiveness, life, and power of God’s presence and rule. However, once again, this takes us ahead of Mark’s story.” (Turner, D., & Bock, D. L. (2005). Cornerstone biblical commentary, Vol 11: Matthew and Mark (p. 410). Tyndale House Publishers.)

Thus, required of every person is a response. The appropriate response is to repent of our sin in brokenness (discussed in Mess. 1 of this series) and believe in Jesus wholeheartedly.

Today, what is it that you are still attached to which is of the “old life”? What do you need to let go of in order to turn to God completely? What holds you back? Are you willing to let it go?

John the Baptist is recorded saying the following words, “Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance.” (Mt. 3:8)

Let us produce fruit in our life that is consistent with or worthy of repentance.