The Story of Jesus

Mrk 1:1-8 (ESV) The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. [2] As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, [3] the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’” [4] John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. [5] And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. [6] Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. [7] And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. [8] I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”\

As we begin this study of the book of Mark think of this phrase, “Love in Action.” More than any of the other accounts of the life and purpose of Jesus, Mark shows the Savior in action. Mark focuses more on the deeds of Jesus than he does the words of Jesus. From the very first chapter we see Jesus displaying his love for the Father and the Father’s love for him through action. Jesus demonstrated his love. As we study together, we will notice often one of Mark’s favorite words, “immediately.” The Key Verse in all of Mark is probably Mark 10:45—“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” What does this verse show us? The Son of God who is the Son of Man and the Savior of mankind, came (action), not to be served but to serve (action) and to give his life as a ransom for many (action). As we walk through these 16 chapters it is my prayer that we will see Jesus in a fresh way. We will see him in all his glory, and we will see that Jesus is the way to truly live.

Every story has a beginning. Most great stories have an opening line that will draw the reader in…Let’s test that theory by seeing if you can name the books just by hearing the opening line:

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” Pride and Prejudice

“Call me Ishmael.” Moby Dick

“Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy. This story is about something that happened to them when they were sent away from London during the war because of the air-raids.” The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe

“Marley was dead: to begin with.” A Christmas Carol

Mark jumps right into the story of Jesus by stating—here is the origin story or the commencement of the “good news” of Jesus.

Ask yourself, what is this narrative, this biography (in a sense) about?

Primarily it is a story of good news. Good news about what? Let’s look at the passage we just read and attempt to answer that question.

It’s good news because—

1. The King is Coming.
   1. Mrk 1:1-3 (ESV) The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, [3] the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’”
   2. Jesus—the name given to Jesus in his humanity, but a name that he carried with him and continues to carry with him that is a declaration of the purpose for which he came.
   3. Mat 1:21 (ESV) She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
   4. Christ—Anointed One. He came because he was the only One that could accomplish the mission of salvation. He was the One chosen. He was the One called and equipped. He was the only perfect One who could make the ransom for sin. Why?
   5. The Son of God—he is the eternal God. He is God. He is deity. He is Lord.
   6. Mark lets us in on a conversation from the realm of heaven. God the Father said to God the Son. I’m going to send my messenger (John) to go before you. He will proclaim the good news that the King is coming! He will prepare the way. He will clear the path in the desert. And don’t get confused. He’s not concerned with physical roads in the wilderness. He’s concerned with clearing the way through the barrenness of our soul, trying to make sure that our hearts are prepared to receive the King.
   7. Consider the opening story line of Mark: The world needed saving. The King entered the battlefield and did it himself.
   8. The King has come to give his life to save you from your sins. Are you ready to receive him?

2. The King is Forgiving.
   1. Mrk 1:4-6 (ESV) John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. [5] And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. [6] Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.
   2. Picture the wilderness surrounding the Jordan, John decked out in the attire of the prophet Elijah (2 Kings 1:8). Remember John’s birth and the supernatural circumstances surrounding it! John was born to aging parents after the announcement that God had answered their prayers. John’s father, Zechariah, was told to name him John. Why John? The name means “God is a gracious giver.” I don’t believe this is simply an announcement to say that God was being gracious to parents that longed for a child. John was to be the proclaimer of the Savior, the Messiah, the Son of God, the King. God is a gracious giver in providing salvation and forgiveness and John got to be the one to announce that incredible news! So out in the wilderness of the Jordan River, John held nothing back as he passionately declared the Kingdom of God was coming and that the people needed to prepare the way. John held nothing back as he declared man was sinful and had violated the commands of God and needed to repent (to have a change of heart that led to a change of being that led to a change of doing). He called out the crowds “brood of vipers”, bear fruit in keeping with repentance. Crowds, tax collectors, soldiers all asked John what they needed to do to demonstrate repentance. With many exhortations he preached the good news to them.
   3. But don’t miss this—in declaring repentance for the forgiveness of sins—he was saying that there was hope for man yet. The King, the Son of God was coming, but he wasn’t coming in judgment, he was coming to extend forgiveness.
   4. How was this possible? The people came out to the wilderness to hear John. They believed the message John proclaimed. They repented of their sins through confession of their sins. Their sins were forgiven and they were baptized as evidence that they had repented.
   5. What a beautiful declaration! The King could have come in wrath and judgment. He could have come to destroy us for our rebellion. Instead, love in action moved him to come as the chosen Savior, to serve us by giving his very life so that he might give us forgiveness in the place of wrath.

3. The King is Life-changing.
   1. Mrk 1:7-8 (ESV) And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. [8] I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
   2. John is an interesting individual. He was set aside from conception for the work of the Lord. He was called and appointed by the Lord and the Holy Spirit of God rested upon him from the womb (Lk. 1:13-17)
   3. It’s very reminiscent of the prophet Jeremiah– Jer 1:4-5 (ESV) Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, [5] “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
   4. John proclaimed the might of the Savior and the unworthiness of himself to even untie his sandals.
   5. John proclaimed that the Son of God was going to immerse them with the very Spirit of God.
   6. Again, Kent Hughes insight is helpful—“When we are baptized with the Holy Spirit, he permeates every part of us…If you do not know Christ, you are still in your sins. The Spirit’s baptism is the answer. When he drenches your life with his, you are changed!”

There are 2 responses for us to consider today:

1. If you have already believed in Jesus, repented of and confessed your sins and been forgiven—how are you now doing the work of John? Jesus said, John was the greatest individual that ever lived, but that we, as followers of Jesus, would do greater things than John. To be filled with the Spirit of God is to be a preparer and a proclaimer that the King has come, and people need to prepare the way.
2. Do you need to respond like the people did with John? Do you need to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God who has come to bring in the Kingdom of God?
3. Do you need to turn from your sin and rebellion against God and confess your sins against him and and ask for his forgiveness? He will forgive. He will save. That’s why he came.

Here is something else you need to understand about the story of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It’s good news because he loves you so much, he wants to make you a part of his story. Jesus is the way to truly live.