After Jesus’ proclamation concerning repentance and faith in the Gospel in response to the inbreaking kingdom of God (Mk 1:14-15), Jesus fishes for His first followers on the Sea (lake) of Galilee. Mark records Simon and Andrew as the first to respond appropriately to the summons of King Jesus
Jesus announces the inauguration of the prophesied, inbreaking kingdom of God — which has come at God’s appointed time. The kingdom has come because the King has come. The kingdom is here “already” but “not yet” fully consummated — not until the Second Coming. In the meantime, Jesus commands people to repent and believe the Good News of the kingdom. We must turn from our sin and turn to Christ the King in loving, loyal obedience.
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What Does It Mean to Get Ready for Christmas? Too often, in our American society it means preparing to celebrate the presents… instead of celebrating the Presence (of the Lord). John the Baptist’s mission was to prepare his people for the Presence of the Lord. Before they could follow the Way (cf. Jn 14:6), they had to stop going their own way. They had to turn around, to turn back… to repent.
After John the Baptist is handed over — to be arrested and eventually killed, Jesus begins His public ministry in Galilee. Christ proclaims the Gospel in a cosmopolitan region that will apparently be more receptive than the holy city of Jerusalem.
John the Baptist is Jesus’ forerunner in ministry and in (brutal) death. Proclaiming the Gospel often leads to persecution.
Three important experiences signify the inauguration of the kingdom of God through Jesus Christ — the King. (1) The heavens are torn open, (2) the Holy Spirit descends into Jesus, and (3) God’s heavenly voice speaks. God’s word confirm that Jesus is the royal Messiah, the unique Son of God, and the prophesied Suffering Servant.
Then, Jesus is driven out into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan — setting the stage for the spiritual battle that runs throughout Mark.
Jesus is tempted in the wilderness — a place of both promise and testing in the Old Testament — by Satan for forty days — a number that recalls important moments in the ministry of Moses and Elijah.
Satan and the wild animals are on one side, while Jesus and His attending angels are on the other. This spiritual battle will continue through Mark.
After His baptism and anointing, Jesus is “driven out” into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit. The wilderness was not only the place of the prophetic promise fulfilled by John the Baptist, but also the place of Israel’s previous testing. Soon, Jesus will square off with Satan — who will have somewhat of a home field advantage
In just a few words, God’s voice from heaven provides heavenly confirmation that Jesus is the Son of God (the royal Messiah of Psalm 2:7), the Beloved Son of God (as Isaac was the beloved son Abraham whom was willing to sacrifice in Genesis 22), and the Servant of the LORD (the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 52:13-53:12 who would bring salvation to the ends of the earth through His sacrifice.
After Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist, he sees the heavens being torn open — likely indicating a divine arrival (cf. Is 64:1). He also sees the Holy Spirit descending into Him like a dove, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy that the Anointed One (i.e., Christ, Messiah) would be anointed by the Spirit (Is 11:2, 61:1).
Jesus is permanently indwelt and empowered by the Spirit, perhaps foreshadowing how followers of Jesus are (to a lesser degree, of course) indwelt and empowered by the Spirit today.
Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God (Mk 1:1), the Stronger One — who was to come after John the Baptist (Mk 1:7) — comes. But He comes from an unexpected place (i.e., Nazareth) and does the unexpected (i.e., being baptized by John). Throughout Mark, He will continue to correct everyone’s expectations about what it means to be the Messiah. It entails identifying with His people and their sin — both in the water and on the cross — in order to save them.
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