3. The Announcement of the King (Mark 1:14-15)
This sermon was preached on 17/1/2010
Mark has already provided his readers with details about the ambassador of the King (John the Baptist) and about the arrival of the King (the baptism of Jesus and his forty days in the desert). One question that many readers would be asking is, ‘What would the King have to say once he arrived?’ Mark provides the answer to this question in verses 14 and 15: ‘Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’
Readers may assume that the events described in verse 14 comes immediately after those mentioned in the previous verses. Yet when we look at details recorded in the other Gospels, we will see that several months have passed. Mark chooses to ignore what took place during those months, and these incidents are recorded in John 2–4. So if we want to know what Jesus was doing during that period, we can read these chapters.
The arrest of John
As we noticed previously, Mark’s descriptions of events are sometimes very brief, and we see an example of his method with regard to John’s ministry. Mark here does not give any details of how the arrest of John happened. We have to turn to Luke 3:19-20 for such information, and he tells us that Herod arrested John because he rebuked the king regarding his wife.
One obvious answer is that the contribution of each individual to the cause of Christ will eventually cease, no matter how important that person might have been. For the few weeks of his ministry John had declared God’s message to large crowds. His preaching had been very popular and many looked to him as a leader. Yet the Lord allowed his servant to be arrested because his public ministry was now over. The obvious lesson from this incident in John’s life is that God’s church does not depend on eminent men.
Another deduction that readers would have made from Mark’s comment is that they would have realised there is often a cost, sometimes a heavy one, in serving Jesus. It is generally acknowledged that the first recipients of Mark’s Gospel was the Christian church in the city of Rome. Within a few years of their reception of this Gospel, many of them would be put to death by Nero when he murdered many of the Christians in that city. I wonder did any ask themselves when they heard about what happened to John, ‘Will this happen to me?’ It has happened to many Christians down through the centuries and it is happening to many today. Leaders and others often pay a heavy price for following Jesus.
Yet we should also observe a third feature, which is the continuation of the message. In John’s case, he was followed by Jesus who preached about his own work and mission. While there are unique aspects to what Jesus did, nevertheless we can see that the message about his kingdom continued. This, too, is what has occurred in the past, as well as in the present, when the church is in trouble. The messengers may suffer, the message keeps on spreading.
The place
Jesus came to Galilee because he wanted to begin his public ministry there. Luke tells us that Jesus went to Nazareth and preached in his home synagogue. Because of the violent reception he received there, Jesus moved to Capernaum (Luke 4:16-31), and we can read about some incidents that occurred there in Mark 1.
Thinking about Jesus returning to Galilee enables us to consider the strong love he had for people. Of course, Jesus was led there by the Spirit, but he also went there with love for his listeners. His more public ministry did not prevent him from literally loving his neighbours in Galilee.
Another aspect to note concerning the choice of Galilee is that it is another reminder that Jesus does not assess the significance of a place by its earthly value. Galilee was not highly valued by worldly standards, yet the Saviour chose to go there and preach the gospel. This instance is a reminder of the wonderful fact that he has repeatedly done similar visits to out of the way places in order to bring spiritual blessings to those who live there.
We can also note that the journey of Jesus to Galilee highlights the great privilege that was given to the residents of that area. Usually when a politician begins his journey, he chooses a place where he will be appreciated because the inhabitants recognise the honour they have been given. Galilee received a great honour and we will see in future studies how they responded to this privilege.
The time
Mark tells his readers that the time was fulfilled. In what senses can this be said about Jesus and the commencement of the ministry? I would suggest two possibilities: Jesus came at the right time as far as God’s purpose is concerned and Jesus came at the right time as far as predicted prophecy was concerned. God had fixed the time each incident in the life of Jesus; all was under the control of the sovereign God. Whatever else would happen at that time, the most important feature of God‘s purpose was that Jesus was about to begin his preaching ministry. Connected to this was the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy which predicted that the King would come, shortly after the appearance and ministry of his messenger, John the Baptist. In whatever way we look at it, we can see that God is in control of time.
There is another aspect of the time that we should note – from a human point of view it must have seemed a very discouraging time for Jesus to begin his public ministry because his forerunner had been arrested. If his mission had not been divine, it would have seemed like a lost cause.
In passing we can apply both the ideas of place and time to ourselves. We are here at this stage in our lives. Perhaps we can think of many secondary reasons why we are here at this time. But you must admit that your presence here to listen to the gospel is more than a coincidence. God has arranged for you to hear what he has to say. This means that you have received a great privilege from God.
The kingdom
The message of Jesus as he came into Galilee was twofold: first, it contained information about a kingdom, and second, it detailed the way to enter into the kingdom.
The phrase ‘kingdom of God’ does not always mean the same thing. For example, the phrase can be used to mean God’s entire rule of everything. In this sense, the whole universe is God’s kingdom, but that is not the meaning here. Instead the kingdom of God refers to a realm over which God would rule by the Messiah. This kingdom had been prophesied many times in the Old Testament.
Jesus taught that the kingdom of God was at hand or near. This could mean near in time or near in presence, and probably both meanings are included. The words of Jesus suggest that the kingdom had not yet arrived in the sense that he had in mind. Instead its appearance was about to take place, which was probably connected to the public ministry of Jesus.
The kingdom that Jesus taught about is not a material kingdom in the sense that human kingdoms are. Instead the kingdom of God is a spiritual one. Further this kingdom is populated by individuals who come into it by repentance and faith, which means that it is composed of sinners. Since these sinners are outside the kingdom of God because of their sins, it means that the dominant theme of the kingdom is the mercy of its Ruler. In contrast, the powers of the opposing kingdom enslave their inhabitants and inflict distress and pain upon them.
What was about to appear in Galilee and elsewhere through the ministry of Jesus was a kingdom that would conquer and make progress through showing mercy to its opponents and pardoning them for their offences. He will also combat the cruel powers of darkness who keep sinners in bondage. We could read through the Gospel of Mark and observe Jesus displaying mercy and delivering sinners from various troubles caused by Satan.
Of course, the kingdom of God has changed several of its features since that time. Today we live in the period after Jesus has died and risen again from the dead, and he is no longer present physically. Yet when Jesus met with his disciples after his resurrection, the subject that he spoke about to them was the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3), indicating that the spread of the church throughout the world would be an expression of the kingdom of God. It is still the case that God’s mercy and power is displayed as the gospel is preached.
We are all familiar with the meaning of the word ‘gospel’ – ‘good news’. Jesus came to Galilee with a message of good news, the good news of God’s intention to have a kingdom composed of sinners, to whom Jesus gave a wonderful invitation to join this kingdom. The invitation told them what was required of them in order to enter the community of God.
The response
We are familiar with the specified response: repentance and faith. These two responses are simultaneous – repentance can be described as the negative side, although it is not a negative response, because it concerns the individual’s attitude to his sin. It includes sorrow for our sins and determination to forsake them. Since it involves sorrow, repentance is an emotional response as well as intellectual and voluntary one.
Faith concerns the individual’s attitude towards Jesus. Obviously when Jesus was preaching in Galilee, he was directing people to respond to himself. The same reality occurs now when the gospel is preached – the listeners are urged to believe in Jesus. But what does faith in Jesus involve? It certainly includes dependence on Jesus, reliance upon him for salvation. At the same time, the exercise of faith is not a clinical response, made in a detached manner. Instead such faith is warmed by love for Jesus, which includes gratitude for his work on the cross. Also, the exercise of faith is not an indefinite response, marked by vagueness of intention. Rather faith is marked by determination to serve Christ, an acknowledgement of his sovereignty. So faith is dependence on Jesus, delight in Jesus, and dedication to Jesus.
Readers may assume that the events described in verse 14 comes immediately after those mentioned in the previous verses. Yet when we look at details recorded in the other Gospels, we will see that several months have passed. Mark chooses to ignore what took place during those months, and these incidents are recorded in John 2–4. So if we want to know what Jesus was doing during that period, we can read these chapters.
The arrest of John
As we noticed previously, Mark’s descriptions of events are sometimes very brief, and we see an example of his method with regard to John’s ministry. Mark here does not give any details of how the arrest of John happened. We have to turn to Luke 3:19-20 for such information, and he tells us that Herod arrested John because he rebuked the king regarding his wife.
One obvious answer is that the contribution of each individual to the cause of Christ will eventually cease, no matter how important that person might have been. For the few weeks of his ministry John had declared God’s message to large crowds. His preaching had been very popular and many looked to him as a leader. Yet the Lord allowed his servant to be arrested because his public ministry was now over. The obvious lesson from this incident in John’s life is that God’s church does not depend on eminent men.
Another deduction that readers would have made from Mark’s comment is that they would have realised there is often a cost, sometimes a heavy one, in serving Jesus. It is generally acknowledged that the first recipients of Mark’s Gospel was the Christian church in the city of Rome. Within a few years of their reception of this Gospel, many of them would be put to death by Nero when he murdered many of the Christians in that city. I wonder did any ask themselves when they heard about what happened to John, ‘Will this happen to me?’ It has happened to many Christians down through the centuries and it is happening to many today. Leaders and others often pay a heavy price for following Jesus.
Yet we should also observe a third feature, which is the continuation of the message. In John’s case, he was followed by Jesus who preached about his own work and mission. While there are unique aspects to what Jesus did, nevertheless we can see that the message about his kingdom continued. This, too, is what has occurred in the past, as well as in the present, when the church is in trouble. The messengers may suffer, the message keeps on spreading.
The place
Jesus came to Galilee because he wanted to begin his public ministry there. Luke tells us that Jesus went to Nazareth and preached in his home synagogue. Because of the violent reception he received there, Jesus moved to Capernaum (Luke 4:16-31), and we can read about some incidents that occurred there in Mark 1.
Thinking about Jesus returning to Galilee enables us to consider the strong love he had for people. Of course, Jesus was led there by the Spirit, but he also went there with love for his listeners. His more public ministry did not prevent him from literally loving his neighbours in Galilee.
Another aspect to note concerning the choice of Galilee is that it is another reminder that Jesus does not assess the significance of a place by its earthly value. Galilee was not highly valued by worldly standards, yet the Saviour chose to go there and preach the gospel. This instance is a reminder of the wonderful fact that he has repeatedly done similar visits to out of the way places in order to bring spiritual blessings to those who live there.
We can also note that the journey of Jesus to Galilee highlights the great privilege that was given to the residents of that area. Usually when a politician begins his journey, he chooses a place where he will be appreciated because the inhabitants recognise the honour they have been given. Galilee received a great honour and we will see in future studies how they responded to this privilege.
The time
Mark tells his readers that the time was fulfilled. In what senses can this be said about Jesus and the commencement of the ministry? I would suggest two possibilities: Jesus came at the right time as far as God’s purpose is concerned and Jesus came at the right time as far as predicted prophecy was concerned. God had fixed the time each incident in the life of Jesus; all was under the control of the sovereign God. Whatever else would happen at that time, the most important feature of God‘s purpose was that Jesus was about to begin his preaching ministry. Connected to this was the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy which predicted that the King would come, shortly after the appearance and ministry of his messenger, John the Baptist. In whatever way we look at it, we can see that God is in control of time.
There is another aspect of the time that we should note – from a human point of view it must have seemed a very discouraging time for Jesus to begin his public ministry because his forerunner had been arrested. If his mission had not been divine, it would have seemed like a lost cause.
In passing we can apply both the ideas of place and time to ourselves. We are here at this stage in our lives. Perhaps we can think of many secondary reasons why we are here at this time. But you must admit that your presence here to listen to the gospel is more than a coincidence. God has arranged for you to hear what he has to say. This means that you have received a great privilege from God.
The kingdom
The message of Jesus as he came into Galilee was twofold: first, it contained information about a kingdom, and second, it detailed the way to enter into the kingdom.
The phrase ‘kingdom of God’ does not always mean the same thing. For example, the phrase can be used to mean God’s entire rule of everything. In this sense, the whole universe is God’s kingdom, but that is not the meaning here. Instead the kingdom of God refers to a realm over which God would rule by the Messiah. This kingdom had been prophesied many times in the Old Testament.
Jesus taught that the kingdom of God was at hand or near. This could mean near in time or near in presence, and probably both meanings are included. The words of Jesus suggest that the kingdom had not yet arrived in the sense that he had in mind. Instead its appearance was about to take place, which was probably connected to the public ministry of Jesus.
The kingdom that Jesus taught about is not a material kingdom in the sense that human kingdoms are. Instead the kingdom of God is a spiritual one. Further this kingdom is populated by individuals who come into it by repentance and faith, which means that it is composed of sinners. Since these sinners are outside the kingdom of God because of their sins, it means that the dominant theme of the kingdom is the mercy of its Ruler. In contrast, the powers of the opposing kingdom enslave their inhabitants and inflict distress and pain upon them.
What was about to appear in Galilee and elsewhere through the ministry of Jesus was a kingdom that would conquer and make progress through showing mercy to its opponents and pardoning them for their offences. He will also combat the cruel powers of darkness who keep sinners in bondage. We could read through the Gospel of Mark and observe Jesus displaying mercy and delivering sinners from various troubles caused by Satan.
Of course, the kingdom of God has changed several of its features since that time. Today we live in the period after Jesus has died and risen again from the dead, and he is no longer present physically. Yet when Jesus met with his disciples after his resurrection, the subject that he spoke about to them was the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3), indicating that the spread of the church throughout the world would be an expression of the kingdom of God. It is still the case that God’s mercy and power is displayed as the gospel is preached.
We are all familiar with the meaning of the word ‘gospel’ – ‘good news’. Jesus came to Galilee with a message of good news, the good news of God’s intention to have a kingdom composed of sinners, to whom Jesus gave a wonderful invitation to join this kingdom. The invitation told them what was required of them in order to enter the community of God.
The response
We are familiar with the specified response: repentance and faith. These two responses are simultaneous – repentance can be described as the negative side, although it is not a negative response, because it concerns the individual’s attitude to his sin. It includes sorrow for our sins and determination to forsake them. Since it involves sorrow, repentance is an emotional response as well as intellectual and voluntary one.
Faith concerns the individual’s attitude towards Jesus. Obviously when Jesus was preaching in Galilee, he was directing people to respond to himself. The same reality occurs now when the gospel is preached – the listeners are urged to believe in Jesus. But what does faith in Jesus involve? It certainly includes dependence on Jesus, reliance upon him for salvation. At the same time, the exercise of faith is not a clinical response, made in a detached manner. Instead such faith is warmed by love for Jesus, which includes gratitude for his work on the cross. Also, the exercise of faith is not an indefinite response, marked by vagueness of intention. Rather faith is marked by determination to serve Christ, an acknowledgement of his sovereignty. So faith is dependence on Jesus, delight in Jesus, and dedication to Jesus.
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