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[0:00] We're going to immediately turn to our verses for today, which you will find in Mark's Gospel. And you'll find that on page 836 of the Pew Bible.
[0:12] We began last week by beginning to consider these opening 15 verses of Mark's Gospel. And we will read the first 15 verses again today.
[0:25] So let us hear then the Word of God. 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.
[0:43] The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make his path straight. John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
[0:57] 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. Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist.
[1:13] And he ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, After me comes he who is mightier than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.
[1:25] I have baptized you with water. But he, he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
[1:40] And when Jesus came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opening and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven.
[1:51] You are my beloved Son. With you I am well pleased. The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan.
[2:03] And he was with the wild animals and the angels were ministering to him. Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God.
[2:14] And saying, The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel. Amen.
[2:26] And may God add his blessing to this, the reading of his word. A moment of prayer. Make the book live to us, O Lord.
[2:37] Show us thyself within thy word. Show us ourselves. And show us our Savior. And make the book live to us, for Jesus' sake.
[2:49] Amen. Well, we began by looking at these opening verses from Mark's Gospel last week. And we noted that these verses were all about an announcement that the King has come.
[3:02] And never has there been an announcement in this world that is so important to every human being in this world. This announcement demands a response from every human being.
[3:15] And the response that we have will have implications on our lives. And not just our lives while we are alive here on planet Earth. But will have implications for all eternity.
[3:27] We saw last week that firstly, Mark announces the King in verse 1. The beginning of the gospel. Or the beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
[3:38] We noted that this gospel, this good news, is all about a person. Jesus Christ, who is the good news. And this is because that in the person of Jesus Christ, God has taken the initiative.
[3:52] And broken into the human situation in the person of His Son. It's a staggering claim. But a claim that Mark was so convinced of.
[4:03] That he was prepared to put these words into writing. Write these words down and distribute them publicly. And in so doing, risking his own life. Mark was totally sold out in the truth of verse 1.
[4:17] That the good news of Jesus was so good and so important. That all people, including you and me, needed to know about it. And so therefore, he was prepared to risk his own life.
[4:30] So that we could. But then we moved on to verses 2 and 3. And noted that this appearing. This appearing of Jesus Christ didn't just come out of the blue.
[4:42] It wasn't unexpected. As we have in verses 2 to 3. The Old Testament announces the King. And so in these verses we learned. That the origins of the gospel.
[4:53] The origins of the good news of Jesus Christ. Must be traced back to God's first dealings with his people. That the whole Bible. Not just the New Testament. The whole Bible bears witness to Jesus Christ.
[5:08] And these two prophecies that were given. There in verse 2 and 3. Were given hundreds of years earlier. Which looked forward to a day when God would do something new. This time it would not just be another prophet.
[5:21] Another messenger of God that would come. No. This time it would be none other than the Lord God himself who is coming. Prepare the way of the Lord.
[5:33] God is coming in human form. In the person of Jesus Christ. God's final word to humanity. And we noted here that Mark's emphasis is to show that the gospel is not an emergency measure.
[5:48] It is not a desperate last minute attempt by God to retrieve something from a broken world. But a clear, decisive, well prepared plan of action.
[5:58] To deal with sin. And to destroy the works of the devil. And before the king comes. Well a messenger will be sent to prepare the way. A voice crying in the wilderness.
[6:11] Prepare the way of the Lord. And make his path straight. And so therefore John the Baptist came announcing the king. In verses 4 to 8. The rightful king.
[6:22] The only king. God himself was coming into the world. And this would need preparing for. And as always God sends a preacher. To prepare the way. His messenger.
[6:33] The voice crying in the wilderness. And John's message was heart hitting. John appeared baptizing in the wilderness. And proclaiming a baptism of repentance.
[6:44] For the forgiveness of sins. At the heart of John's message was this. You need to get right with God. You need to repent. And you need.
[6:55] And that means that you need a change of heart. A change of mind. A change of direction. You need to turn from your sin. You need to recognize that you're guilty before God.
[7:05] And you need to change. John preached to them that they were under God's judgment. And only by turning back to the Lord and his ways. Would they be ready.
[7:17] When the long promised Messiah came. And John also understood that his role was a preparatory role. That he was the forerunner. That he was the forerunner. The warm-up act for the main event.
[7:29] John got his role saying. I'm a warm-up act so to speak for the main event. His concern was to point away from himself. And to the coming Messiah. Why?
[7:40] Well because John knew the truth of verse 8. I have baptized you with water. But he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. John is saying. What I have done is symbolic.
[7:51] And is preparatory. But what he will do will be the reality. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. He won't just dip you under the water. And get you wet.
[8:02] He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit. In other words. He will immerse you. In the very presence of God. He will bring God himself into your life.
[8:14] I can do nothing like that. But the one who is coming. Coming after me. He can. And he will. And so we come to our verses for today.
[8:25] We've had Mark announcing the king. Verse 1. The Old Testament announcing the king. Verses 2 and 3. John the Baptist announcing the king. Verses 4 to 8. And now we move to verses 9 to 13.
[8:38] God the Father announces the king. God the Father announces the king. After all these announcements about King Jesus coming. You would maybe expect Jesus to enter the stage.
[8:52] Maybe amid a fireworks display. Or with a band playing. Or the Jewish equivalent. But no. Verse 9. He enters the stage amid the crowds.
[9:04] Amid the crowds that were going out to John. Just an ordinary looking guy among the crowd. As the prophet Isaiah writes.
[9:14] He had no form or majesty. That we should look at him. And no beauty. That we should desire him. And he came from Nazareth. He doesn't even come from the capital Jerusalem.
[9:27] He comes from Nazareth. Right out in the sticks in Galilee. And nothing town. That was seen as a dodgy area. He comes with the crowd. Takes his place in line.
[9:38] With the others. And then wades out into the river. To come face to face with John. To be baptized. After all these announcements about his coming.
[9:50] What sort of an entrance is this? But what Mark tells us in these verses. Is absolutely jam-packed with clues. To Jesus' identity.
[10:02] And to his mission. If the way Jesus arrives is unexpected. Where he arrives. Is even more so verse 9. He arrives to be baptized by John.
[10:15] John had been preaching. And telling people to turn away from their sins. And to be baptized. To show that they were serious. About getting right with God. But why should Jesus do that?
[10:26] Why does Jesus need a baptism of repentance? Well if you look at verse 9. And verse 5. And put them alongside each other.
[10:37] You will be able to see that Mark shows us. There is a difference. In the baptism of Jesus. And from everyone else. Verse 5. And all the country of Judea.
[10:48] And all Jerusalem were going out to John. And were being baptized by him. In the river Jordan. Confessing their sins. They were baptized. Confessing their sins.
[11:00] Confessing their sins. But this phrase is missing from verse 9. For Jesus had no sins to confess. He was the perfect man. And we have already had strong hints about this.
[11:12] Verse 1. Jesus the Christ. The Son of God. Verse 3. Prepare the way of the Lord. This is no ordinary man. This is God himself in the flesh.
[11:24] So why does Jesus get baptized? All those who were baptized. By John were acknowledging. That they had sinned against the Lord. And they deserved his judgment.
[11:37] But Jesus joins them. Not because he is the same as them. But because he wants to identify. With them. The sinless one.
[11:48] Is standing with sinners. As the prophet Isaiah writes. He was numbered. With the transgressors. All of this points to his identity.
[11:59] And his mission. He is the Lamb of God. Who has come to take away the sins of the world. He has come to. Deliberately. Place himself under the judgment.
[12:10] And the condemnation of God. On the behalf of sinners. So John baptizes him. And Jesus has barely come up. Out of the water. When there is this.
[12:21] Apocalyptic. Apocalyptic moment. The sky is torn open. The spirit descends. Like a dove in Jesus. And the voice of God. The father speaks from heaven.
[12:33] It's Genesis like. Isn't it? Like the creation story. Here the father. The son. And the holy spirit. Are together. To fulfill their unique roles. At the beginning. Not of the creation.
[12:45] But of the new creation. The voice comes from heaven. God the father speaks. To confirm. And affirm. The Lord Jesus Christ. And as God the father speaks.
[12:59] He quotes his own words. That he had spoken by the prophets. And again. These are full of great clues. As to the identity. And the mission of Jesus.
[13:10] Verse 11. And a voice came from heaven. You are my beloved son. With you. I am well pleased. Jesus is God's beloved son.
[13:21] The one whom God loves. Jesus is. The one with whom the father is well pleased. Two Old Testament passages are used here. You are my beloved son.
[13:33] Echoing the words of. Psalm 2 verse 7. Identifying Jesus. Identifying Jesus as the glorious king. And the second half. With you. I am well pleased.
[13:45] These words are lifted from Isaiah 42 verse 1. That portion of Isaiah contains the servant songs. The songs all about the suffering servant of God.
[13:56] The voice of God. The father from heaven. Bears witness to Jesus identity. He is the son of God. The king in God's kingdom. And he is much loved.
[14:07] And enjoys a unique relationship with the father. But he has also come to suffer. To suffer for the sins of the people. The servant who will be wounded.
[14:19] Crushed. Chastised for others. As the heart of the servant song puts it. In Isaiah 53. It is commonly thought.
[14:29] That the first eight chapters of Mark's gospel. Deal with Jesus identity. Deal with the question of. Who is Jesus? And after Peter's confession.
[14:40] In chapter 8 verse 29. You are the Christ. Christ. But after Peter gives that answer. The identity question is answered. Lesson 1 is over.
[14:51] And now begins lesson 2. Yes we have got who you are. But why did you come? Mark chapter 8 verse 31. And Jesus then began to teach them. That the son of man must suffer many things.
[15:02] And be rejected by the elders. And the chief priests. And the scribes. And be killed. And after three days. Rise again. And so we think. That it is here.
[15:13] In verse 31 of chapter 8. That we are beginning to be taught. That Jesus is the suffering servant of God. But you see friends. Christ and him crucified.
[15:24] Does not begin. In Mark chapter 8 verse 31. It begins in chapter 1 verse 11. The voice of the Father. The voice of the Father. Announces his glorious son.
[15:36] The King. Who will on the cross. Bear the judgment for sin. And in so doing. Will defeat. And undo the work of Satan. That's why we have.
[15:47] Verses 12 and 13. These verses are a foretaste. Of that great battle. And that great victory. Christ will win. In defeating Satan. As John writes in his first letter.
[16:00] The reason the Son of God appeared. Was to destroy the works of the devil. Jesus does here in private. What he will do publicly on the cross. The Apostle Peter says in Acts chapter 10 verse 38.
[16:14] God anointed Jesus of Nazareth. With the Holy Spirit. And with power. He went about doing good. And healing all who were oppressed by the devil. For God was with him.
[16:26] As the Lord Jesus Christ will say himself. In chapter 3 verse 27. No one can enter a strong man's house. And plunder his goods. Unless he first binds the strong man.
[16:39] Then indeed. He may plunder his house. The reason the Lord Jesus Christ. Was able to plunder Satan's house. Was because he had already bound Satan.
[16:52] In these verses here. Jesus did not succumb. Where Adam failed. Jesus resisted the temptation of Satan. Jesus succeeded.
[17:03] Where the first man. And every man since. Has failed. The man Jesus. Resisted the temptation of Satan. He was tested. And tempted to a far higher degree.
[17:15] Than any man could. And he was without sin. That's what the writer to the Hebrews. Reminds us of in chapter 4. Since then we have a great high priest.
[17:26] Who has passed through the heavens. Jesus the son of God. Let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest. Who is unable to sympathize.
[17:37] With our weaknesses. But one. But one. Who in every respect. Has been tempted as we are. Yet was without sin. Let us then with confidence.
[17:50] Draw near to the throne of grace. That we may receive mercy. And find grace to help. In time of need. The man Jesus. Resisted the temptation of Satan.
[18:02] He bound Satan up. And he was now ready. To begin his public ministry. And to rectify the disaster. Caused by Adam's fall. And so lastly.
[18:14] We have. The king announces the kingdom. Verses 14 and 15. The king announces the kingdom. Mark has now set the stage.
[18:25] For the ministry of Jesus. John prepared the way. The father has affirmed. The identity. And the mission. Of the long awaited Messiah. Jesus has faced.
[18:36] His inaugural conflict. With the kingdom of darkness. Verse 14. John has been arrested. And imprisoned. His message of. Repenting of your sins.
[18:47] Has. Has not gone down too well. With King Herod. Which Mark tells us about. In chapter 6. John may have been silenced. But it is now. That Jesus begins to speak.
[18:59] The king now takes center stage. He comes proclaiming the gospel. The time is fulfilled. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent. And believe in the gospel.
[19:11] All prophets like John the Baptist. Point away from themselves. And point people to God. But not so here with Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ calls.
[19:22] He commands us to repent. And believe the gospel. The good news. The good news that verse 1. Has already told us. Is all about him. So Jesus proclaims.
[19:35] The time is fulfilled. Well what time? Well the time that all the prophets spoke of. All the promises that God has made. The salvation plans and purposes.
[19:47] Of God. Are all now fulfilled. The kingdom of God is at hand. The kingdom of God is at hand. The kingdom of God is at hand. God's rule will be established.
[19:57] In the hearts and lives of men. And one day. One day his rule will be established. In all its fullness. As Revelation 21 says. He will wipe away all tears.
[20:09] There will be no more death. No more mourning. No more crying. No more pain. The kingdom of God is at hand. Well how is that so?
[20:20] Well it is so. Because Jesus. The king is here. The kingdom of God has been. Ushered in by Jesus Christ. It has been inaugurated.
[20:31] By his coming. It has continued. As his people. The church. Continued to preach the good news. And it will be consummated. When the king returns to reign.
[20:42] In all his fullness. So there can only be one response. And the king tells us. What that response should be.
[20:53] And there is nothing more important in our lives. Nothing more pressing. In our lives than this. We can't put this off. We have to make sure we do.
[21:04] What the king tells us. And that is. He commands us. Repent. And believe the gospel. That is the call of the kingdom. No matter who you are.
[21:18] No matter where you are from. No matter what your background is. That is God's command to you today. Repent. And believe the good news of his king.
[21:29] His son. The Lord Jesus Christ. So there it is friends. The greatest announcement. That this world will ever hear.
[21:41] The king has come. And he commands all of us. To repent. And believe. And not only does he command us to. On the cross.
[21:53] He has already. Done everything. That makes it possible. For us to repent. And now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
[22:06] And the love of God the Father. And the fellowship of the Holy Spirit the Comforter. Be with us all. And those whom we love. Both now and forevermore. more. Amen.