"Proclaiming the Good News"
Day One
Read Mark 1
Introduction and Background of Mark:
Read Mark 1:2-15 and notice particularly verses 14-15
“The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ., As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, Who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight,’ ” Mark 1:1-3
“He (John the Baptizer) proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” Mark 1:7-8
“In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” Mark 1:9-11
“And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tested by Satan, and he was with the wild beasts, and the angels waited on him.” Mark 1:12-13
Mark is in hurry to get to the essentials. Unlike the other gospels, there is no birth narrative. Jesus makes his first appearance to the world when he comes to the river Jordan to be baptized by John. We get to know who Jesus really is. John declares that Jesus is more powerful than him. And within the same paragraph, the Holy Spirit announces Jesus’ unique relationship with God. “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” Apparently, John is the one witness to this event, because there were many around waiting to be baptized by John.
Then to prove that Jesus is the real deal, Mark writes that he is tempted by Satan in the wilderness. Jesus may be the Son of God, but here, we witness his humanity. Jesus is tempted as to how he will direct his mission to humanity. Either he will succumb to his ego and rule for his own selfish purposes or he will “empty himself” for the salvation of humanity. Paul, the first Christian theologian said it best why the Christ chose to be with us.”
“…who, though he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, assuming human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a human, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:6-8
Paul nails down the meaning and purpose of Jesus’ incarnation with one word, “…emptied himself…” in Greek, Kenosis.
Unlike the other gospels, there is no list of three temptations as in Matthew and Luke. Mark summarizes them. Jesus struggled as to what his role, purpose will be in order to fulfill his mission on earth.
The answer comes quicky.
“Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, 1.“The time (kairos, an opportune moment filled with great significance) is fulfilled, (completed) 2. and the kingdom of God (living in the Sermon the Mount) has come near; 3. repent (Gk. metanoia, turn around, be transformed), and believe in the good news.” Mark 1:14-15
Jesus announces his mission, which is the theme throughout the gospel of Mark. The Markan narrative is totally dedicated to the Kingdom or Reign of God and how are we disciples are to live in it.
Jesus called his first four disciples: Simon Peter, his brother Andrew, and James and John, the sons of Zebadee. All are fishermen, untrained in religion, but willing, nonetheless to follow Jesus and learn. Did they know him or of him prior to their call to follow? We don’t know. But we get the sense from reading Mark that Jesus walked down to the dock where the men were working, asked them to follow, and they left everything behind to follow a stranger. The significance of the moment is that they said “yes” to Jesus – not how long it took for them to do so.
They made a stop at the home of Peter’s mother-in-law. She is in bed, sick, and Jesus heals her. And then, as word quickly spreads of her recovery. Many people are brought to him to be healed. Demons are cast out and not permitted to speak – not permitted to reveal to the crowd who Jesus really is. Why? Was he wanting people to hear the proclamation (1:14-15) first? Did he want to prevent any misunderstandings the people had about the role of the Messiah? Did he want to avoid being overrun with people needing to be healed?
All day long he taught and healed. There is an unending stream of people who are sick and want the healer to make them well. Finally, Jesus and his four disciples are given a reprieve and they sleep. But Jesus gets up very early the following morning to pray alone (vs.35-37).
Upon arising, Simon Peter and his companions go looking for Jesus. It seems that his mother-in-law’s home is filling up again with people wanting to see Jesus. "Everyone is searching for you," Simon says. Jesus needs to alone, praying with his father, abba (daddy). Then he says, "Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; “for that is what I came out to do.”
His time with abba gave him strength for proclaiming the Good News.
We, as Jesus’ disciples, also need time alone with God. The life of the disciple is a balance between doing ministry and charging one’s spiritual batteries with prayer, reflecting upon the Scriptures, and silent meditation. If we don’t, we burn out and aren’t any use to anyone.
Jesus will demonstrate over and over again in his ministry that healing is important, but it is a by-product of the message he has come to reveal and the gracious gift of a loving God. Moving on demonstrates the urgency of the message that Jesus has come to share. The Kingdom of God has come near. Most people would throng to him for the miracles, while missing his message.
There are many lessons we can learn from the examples of John and Jesus about the importance of proclaiming the Good News. What are they?
Day Two
The Four Parts of the Gospel
Gospel means “good news” (Gk. evangelion). Jesus proclaims it in one sentence: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe the good news.” Mark 1:15
First, notice the context of Jesus’ announcement. As Jesus makes known his mission, John the Baptist is arrested for publicly challenging the marriage of King Herod Antipas to his brother’s wife, Herodias by calling it unlawful and adulterous.
Sometime later, Herod gives a dinner party and he asks his stepdaughter and niece to dance for his dinner guests. She tricks him into promising her anything she wanted if she would dance for him and his guests. Afterward she asks her uncle for the head of John the Baptist. Herod, being afraid of John, didn’t want to kill him, but she coaxed him into fulfilling his promise. John was beheaded.
Proclaiming the Gospel is risky, dangerous business.
"The Time is fulfilled"
“The time is fulfilled”, an event the Hebrew people have been waiting for a long time. In verse 15, Jesus proclaims that the time is fulfilled. The Kingdom of God has, indeed, come near in the person of Jesus Christ.
Jesus lives in kairos, which in Greek, means a moment in time filled with deep significance and meaning. For Jesus, kairos means being in the present moment all the time. But like the rest of us, and the disciples we live in chronos or linear time, wrist watch time. This is why the disciples were confused with Jesus’ teachings and actions. They did just didn’t “get it”.
For example, Jesus announces three times to his disciples (8:31-32, 9:31-33, 10:32-34,) that he is going to Jerusalem. He will be handed over to the religious authorities who will curse, beat him, and be killed, to be resurrected on the third day.
In each declaration, “… they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him. Mark 9:32
Jesus inaugurates his mission near Nazareth. From there, he begins his pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
How does this difference in emphasis effect one’s decision to be a disciple of Jesus Christ?
Day Three
Read Mark 2
“…and the Kingdom of God has come near.”
God’s Kingdom is found wherever God reigns and it graciously emerges in the forgiveness of sin, in acts of mercy and justice, and in peace. The Kingdom of God is manifested “on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10), and is among us for now and forever. Kingdom living calls God’s people to live in obedience and to act within God’s will. Our greatest teacher and example for Kingdom living is Jesus.
There are contemprary modern prophets who were martyred because they lived in the Kingdom, guided by Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, his lifestyle, and teachings, especially his parables. Among so many was Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “who went to the mountaintop and saw the other side,” only to be slain. German theologian and pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, was a pacifist in Nazi Germany who gave his life for conspiring with others to kill Adolph Hitler. Salvadoran Archbishop St Oscar Romero was martyred for defending the poor and marginalized from the tyranny of the powerful in his country.
Read Mark 2:18-21.
A confrontation between Jesus and the Jewish leaders has been festering. This rabbi – Jesus – is more interested in the spirit of the Law than in the letter of the Law.
Now, there came a rabbi – a teacher – permitting his students to eat when they should be fasting, to work when they should be resting, to ignore the traditions of Judaism. The Pharisees felt a need to point out that John’s disciples fast and Jesus’ disciples feasted. Jesus’ answer is telling the parable of the coming of the Bridegroom and the new wine skins. He suggests that he is the bridegroom and while he is with his disciples, the wedding celebration is not the time for fasting. However, a time will come when the “bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day.” (Mark 2:22)
The parable of the new wine skins suggests that you cannot expect a radically new understanding of living in the will of God (new wine) to fit into a system that measures the will of God by ultra-strict adherence to a behavioral and morality codes without regard for the real needs of people (old wine skins). New wine must have new wine skins.
Repent-Change, be Transoformed - Gk Metanoia
It is natural to prefer the comfort of an old, worn pair of loafers to the strangeness and stiffness of a new pair of shoes. It is natural to prefer the comfort of a well worn tradition than to move out of our comfort zones. It is natural to confuse traditionalism (a love for the status quo) with what is sacred or holy, and confuse comfort with virtue. And it is natural to resist change – even if it costs a life.
Perhaps, the life (and in some cases the very existence) of your congregation is worth learning to walk in strange new shoes. Perhaps the health of your church is worth doing what it takes to change. Perhaps the health of the eternal souls of people around you are worth venturing into unknown territory. Perhaps an amazing and vital relationship with the living God working through the Body of Christ is worth examining what, in your church, is worship of the status quo or what is truly sacred and holy.
Reflect on your personal reaction to change, what may be traditionalism and what is truly holy in your church, and what it would take for your congregation to care about the lives of the least, the last, and the lost around you.
Repent! Repent means to change direction or to turn around. Christian conversion or transformation occurs when a person receives Jesus as Lord and Savior. The Greek word for Repent is “Metanoia.”
Sadly, in many protestant churches – Methodism being no exception - we have lost much of the grace and power that accompany the acts of confession and repentance. There are few churches that still incorporate confession, repentance, and the acts of forgiveness into the worship experience. And, when polled, very few mainline Christians believe themselves to be sinners – they simply make mistakes. If we are to believe the Apostle Paul, though, “all [of us] have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). Acknowledging that, gives us the unfathomable joy of knowing the Grace of God and living into the freedom to learn, grow and deepen our faith.
Remember, Jesus said to repent because the Kingdom of God has drawn near. Jesus declares that God’s presence among humankind is Good News. Repentance offers people (and congregations) a way to come home to God. We can trust what Christ is proclaiming and live by faith.
Read Mark 2: 13-17.
Jesus calls Levi, the tax collector, as the fifth disciple. Levi as a Jew collects taxes for the Romans. Taxes were set by quotas, but tax collectors were allowed to collect money on top of the quota. Tax collectors were hated because they not only collaborated with the oppressor, they lived off the misery of their fellow countrymen and women.
Jesus calls Levi to be a disciple and then has dinner at his home. In the Jewish tradition, sharing a meal with someone was an act of forgiveness and reconciliation. Jesus was doing more than just enjoying Levi’s hospitality. Levi repents and turns over a new leaf. Jesus accepts his act of repentance. But once again the Pharisees are upset because he is eating with sinners. Levi, in spite of his reputation is invited to join the company of disciples.
All of the disciples had their issues. Jesus chose a ragtag group of dysfunctional disciples to conquer the world.
What kinds of people are invited to join your fellowship and what kinds of people are not invited to join your fellowship?
Day Four
… and believe in the Good News"
Too many Christians give lip-service to the Gospel, “talking the talk, but not walking the walk”. Even as they hear it, they rationalize in their minds:
“That’s for the end times or when I die and go to heaven.” “It’s true for someone who has a lot more faith than I do.” “No one is really expected to live like Jesus did – it’s unrealistic." “That’s for people who are more religious than I am.”
Belief, for many Christians, is an intellectual assent. It is a head thing – agreeing to a set of doctrines. It is not based on an experience within a relationship with Christ – a living and loving bond. However, a believer is one who trusts God to be there no matter what is going on in his or her life. Belief is the assurance that we are, indeed, in a life-saving relationship with Christ. “We walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). Belief requires faith. “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1)
Let’s look at the story of the paralytic who was lowered through the roof by his friends – Mark 2:1-12. Jesus goes home again, and again many come to be healed. In the midst of his healing and teaching, a hole is opened in the ceiling above his head, and a mat is lowered through the roof by four friends of the man who lies paralyzed before him. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven”. The Pharisees have a fit because, according to their Law, only God can forgive sin. After answering their challenge, he tells the man to get up and walk, take his mat and go home. He does just that and the people are amazed.
The Gospel is proclaimed simply by the fact that the friends believed that if they got the paralytic to Jesus, Jesus would heal him. They acted on their faith when they tore open a hole in the roof and lowered the paralytic to the feet of Jesus. Jesus healed the paralytic as a response to the faith of his friends. They believed the Good News.
But there is something else happening in this story. The scribes confronted Jesus because they did not believe he had the authority to forgive sins. If Jesus had simply healed the paralytic, there probably would have been no confrontation. But he did more – he demonstrated the powerful effect Grace has on people. Jesus demonstrated God’s availability to humankind. He knew that the paralytic was “frozen” with guilt or fear or stubborn denial. Jesus demonstrated that knowing sin is forgiven can “thaw” even the toughest case and there can be life and movement and growth again.
Now, translate that image to your congregation. Is your church “frozen” – paralyzed – unable to move either right or left or stand and walk? If not, praise the Lord. If so, your church is among many of churches that are stuck and unable to go anywhere.
Now ask yourself: Am I apart of the problem or the solution? Am I one of the friends with the faith to believe that God can heal the paralysis? Am I part of the congregation that is paralyzed? Am I one of the Pharisees that believe the status quo is the answer along with a strict allegiance to the law and to the way is has always been done?
In the role you have chosen, what do you believe you need to do to heal the church of its paralysis? What roofs need to be broken through? What sins need to be forgiven? What traditions need to be changed to bring healing to the church?
Day Five
Read Mark 3
Jesus’ Disciples and Jesus’ Family
Re-read Mark 3:13-17
Jesus chose those “whom he wanted, and they came to him.” Jesus declares his disciples as those who are sent (Apostles), “to proclaim the message.” They were given authority “to cast out demons.” Sounds a lot like what Jesus, himself, has been doing. Is that a coincidence?
Then there is Mark 3:31-33 – a truly challenging story. Jesus’ mother and brothers come to take him home because they perceive him to be making a public spectacle even losing his mind. His mother and brothers are standing outside the circle of people surrounding Jesus. They send a messenger in to call him out. He receives the message and responds.
Looking around, he says, “’Who are my mother and my brothers? Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my bother and sister and mother.’” Was Jesus rejecting his family? Probably not. He is, however, expanding his family to include those who receive and proclaim the Good News and live in the Kingdom of God.Mark 4:33-35
Being a disciple requires a commitment to other disciples. It requires a commitment to the least, the last, and the lost in the world. It requires a commitment to Kingdom living. Many times a church is referred to as “a family.”
What is required to be a real family as Jesus defined it with Jesus as the head? What might that commitment look like?
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