Sixteen Sermons on Mark's Gospel
Message One:
April 27, 2003
by Rev. Stephen C. Magee
This
morning we begin a series of sixteen messages based on Mark’s gospel. Early church tradition that seems to be
reliable tells us that this gospel can be well thought of as the story of the
Apostle Peter. It is full of eyewitness
accounts of the fast-paced public ministry of Jesus Christ. It appears that this particular gospel was
the message that Peter regularly preached when he told people the story of
Jesus Christ.
The
account bears Mark’s name because, according to a variety of second century
sources, Mark was Peter’s interpreter.
When Peter preached, Mark translated.
The actual written document was put into writing after Peter died, as
the story goes, and it was readily accepted by the church as a written account
of Peter’s message. We approach it this
morning with great reverence, because it is the Spirit-inspired Word of God,
along with all of the other books of the Bible.
An
interesting corroboration of all this is found in the New Testament itself, as the
outline of Peter’s preaching to Cornelius and his household is contained in
Acts 10:36-41. Peter’s message there
seems to be an outline of Mark’s gospel.
Naturally not every word is recorded in Acts. It is most likely that Peter gave a
substantial message that day, and that message was most like the message that
he gave on other occasions as well – a message that we have preserved for us in
this book.
The
account is fast-paced, and it has a purpose.
Note the repeated use of the word “immediately” as we proceed through
these chapters. But especially pay
attention to the purpose of the book.
That purpose can be well summarized by two questions: 1) Who is this man? (chapters 1-8),
and 2) Why has He come? (chapters 9-16). This will be our focus, in keeping with the
whole of this beautiful gospel.
I
have chosen to make my exposition of this book a speedier journey than is my
normal custom. I will preach on one
chapter per week. The chapter divisions
in the Bible are not Spirit-inspired, and they are very debatable. I use them as breaking points in my messages
for two reasons. 1) They are
historic. 2) They are memorable.
I
need your help if you are to get the most out of this series. I want to ask you to do three things. 1) Read the chapter before coming to
worship. Naturally we will read it
again, but you will get much more out of it if you read it before coming to
church. 2) Come on Sunday evening to our sermon
discussion. There are many things that
we will cover in the evening that we simply will not have time for in the
morning. 3) Read the sermon when it is printed. I will answer a number of questions in the
printed version of the sermon that I will only touch upon in my morning
sermons.
My
main focus in these first eight messages will be presenting the answer to our
first question: “Who is this man?”
The Testimony of Mark and Peter (v. 1-3)
In
the opening chapter this question is answered based on four strands of
testimony. The first comes from Mark
himself, and therefore, I believe, from the Apostle Peter. The message we are given is very
straightforward and refreshing. We are
told that this is the good news of Jesus Christ, “the Son of God.” The name Jesus means “Yahweh is salvation” or
“Yahweh saves.” “Christ” is His title as
the “Anointed,” or the “Messiah.” He is
“Son of God” because He is from God and approved by God, but much more than
this as the chapter shows. Mark quotes
from three Old Testament passages, most notably Isaiah 40:3 which reads:
The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the LORD;
Make straight in the desert
A highway for our God.”
By quoting this verse at the outset of the book, the testimony of the author is clear that Jesus Christ is the LORD, He is God. The way is being prepared for Jesus Christ, and Isaiah says that the one crying in the wilderness (John the Baptist) is preparing the way of the LORD, a highway for God.
The Testimony of John the Baptist (v. 4-8)
Now,
to back this up to those hearing the message, the words of John the Baptist
have their own testimony to give. What
did the one who prepared the way for Him say about this One who came after
Him? John said three things here: 1)
Jesus is mightier than I am. 2) Jesus is
worthier than I am. 3) Jesus will bring a baptism that is far
superior to mine. This is strong
testimony indeed from a very important biblical witness.
The Testimony of the Voice from Heaven (v. 9-13)
Still,
the testimony that follows is even more significant. In the next few verses we hear from God the
Father. The occasion is the baptism of
Jesus by John, where Jesus identifies Himself with sinners in submitting to a
baptism of repentance, though He is without sin. It is at this point that He sees a visual
symbol of the invisible Holy Spirit, a testimony to the truth that He is full
of the Spirit of God. The voice from
heaven pronounces, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I
am well pleased.”
It
shocks us to see Jesus immediately driven into the wilderness to be tempted by
Satan. It is not that the Father has
suddenly changed His mind and the Son of God is no longer well pleasing to
Him. It is instead that the pleasure
that the Father takes in the Son is consistent with the trials that He ordains
for Him as He begins His public life.
Let this be a comfort to you as you face trials from the hand of
God. He is still with you, and He loves
you.
The Testimony of the Earliest Events of His Public
Life (v. 14-45)
The
remainder of the chapter gives us important testimony from these early days of
our Lord’s ministry – testimony that amplifies the answer we have already
received concerning who this is - testimony that brings the answer to
us with fuller color and texture. Here
He moves out to preach the
In
His preaching the Lord announces the coming of the Kingdom that John was
preparing the people for (14-15, 21-22, 27-28, 38-39). He makes radical demands upon them, calling
them to repentance and faith. Do you
realize the seriousness of His words? The people who were listening did. They knew that there was something very
different about the way that He taught.
He taught with authority. This
was not coercion – but it was most definitely authority.
And
He demonstrated this authority in deeds.
In v. 16-20 we see His authority over the men He selected, as they drop
their nets and follow Him. In v.23-26 we
see His authority over unseen demonic powers.
In v. 29-34 we see His authority over sickness – first in the case of
Peter’s mother-in-law, and then over various diseases as many people experience
His power. In the final episode of the
chapter, after going away by Himself to pray, we see His authority over despair
in the healing of a man stricken with leprosy – a man who one could not even
touch and remain “clean”. Now by the
authority that Jesus Christ displays, this desperate man is cleansed (v.
40-45).
There
can be no mistake concerning who this man is.
All the testimony agrees:
He is the Son of God, and He has come
preaching the gospel of the
I
want to consider two points of application concerning His great authority and
compassion. But before I proceed, I feel
compelled to press this point – The gospel is the gospel of Jesus Christ and
His Kingdom. He is not to be ignored, or
to be shuffled to some secondary spot as we figure out the remaining details of
a fine religious life. This good news is
the news of Jesus Christ the Son of God.
The net that we cast when we fish for men is the net of Jesus Christ the
Son of God. The kingdom that we are
citizens of is the Kingdom of Jesus Christ the Son of God. It is not His news, His net, or His kingdom
unless He has the preeminence.
Now two
brief points of application – in light of the overwhelming evidence that Mark
has presented here that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Full Divine Authority
First
see that He comes to you today with full divine authority, and not as one voice
among many for you to consider and then to file away for future reference. If you have been saying “no” to the Lord
Jesus Christ, are you aware of the One you are treating with disrespect? I fear that I have at times sprinkled the
gospel of grace as gravy on your already delicious lives, rather than called
you to death in Christ that you might live with Him.
Listen
to this quote from Thomas Boston’s book, The
Art of Man Fishing:
…some fish that have not been taken fast hold enough by the net, struggle, and get out again. So some souls have their convictions, and may seem to be caught; but yet, alas! they stifle all their convictions, stay in the place of the breaking forth; their goodness is like the morning cloud, and as the early dew that soon passeth away. Wherefore, O my soul, if ever thou be taken up with exercised consciences, have a care that thou do not apply the cure before the wound be deep enough. Take all means to understand whether the soul be content to take Christ on his own terms or not. Alas! many this way, by having the wound scurfed over, are rather killed than cured.
This is the key thing, according to
Full Divine Compassion
Secondly,
the Son of God has come with full divine compassion. Some in this world seem to have authority,
but they do not shine forth compassion.
We try to submit to them, but we find it a challenge. But I want you to see this great divine
compassion displayed in Jesus Christ. It
is well displayed in the last episode of the chapter. The poor leprous man is desperate. He is doing a dangerous thing that breaks
established boundaries. He falls down
before the Son of God. He kneels before
Him. He knows that Jesus has the power –
the authority to heal Him – but is He willing?
Jesus looks on him with compassion; He stretches out the hand of the Son
of God towards this needy man, and He touches Him. He says to Him, “I am willing. Be healed.”
Do you hear those words to you today, regarding the state of your
soul? Here you have not only divine
authority; you also have all the fullness of divine compassion. It is true that you have no right to say “no”
to Jesus, but now we must honestly ask this question. Why would you ever want to say “no” to Him?
He came to give His life for you. He
extends his powerful hand of compassion toward you in your need. You have no good reason to say “no” to Him.
Conclusion:
To You Who Believe, He is Precious... (1 Peter
2:7)
Let
others be those who reject Him. To them
He is the stone that the builders rejected.
But to you who hear the call, who repent and believe, who swim into the
gospel net, who follow Him, to you He is precious, beyond measure.
Some Questions for Further Reflection:
1. What is the “gospel of Jesus
Christ?
See verse 1 and verses 14
and 15. The preaching of the “good news”
signals the beginning of a new era, the long-awaited reign of God by the
Spirit. In this opening chapter of
Mark’s gospel this reign is displayed as a reign of authority over evil and
misery, and a reign of the compassion of God and the victory of God through His
Son Jesus Christ.
2. Is the baptism of John
different from the baptism of Jesus?
Most
definitely. John’s baptism is a baptism of preparation, a
baptism of repentance (v.4). Jesus is
the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.
3. What is the baptism of the
Holy Spirit?
The baptism of the Holy
Spirit is the pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon the church by the ascended
Lord, as evidenced in Acts 2 and Acts 10.
It is a corporate church-wide happening as well as an individual reality,
incorporating all the saving operations of the Spirit upon the church.
4. Why does Mark tell so many
things so briefly when compared with Matthew and Luke (note v.12-13)?
Mark is a preached message
with concern for a point to be made in a given period of time. Much must be left out in the interest of time
and focus.
5. What does it mean to be
“fishers of men?”
The Old Testament context of
God fishing for men is one of judgment and discipline (Jeremiah 16:16, Ezekiel
29:4, 38:4, Amos 4:2, Habakkuk 1:14-17).
This is transformed in the New Testament into a clearer image of mercy,
because of the judgment that Christ faces for the elect who are caught in the
net. As in the Old Testament, some that
are caught in the net of the preaching of the Word are there for judgment. Others are saved for the kingdom. To the first group, the Word has the stench
of death, to the latter it is an aroma of life.
6. What is the net that
men-fishers fish with?
The net is Christ Himself
and His body (living letters), and especially the preaching of the good news of
the kingdom of God in a region accompanied by the demonstration of the
authority and mercy of God in the midst of a suffering world of sin and
misery. People get caught up into the
net of God’s authority and compassion and have a hard time wriggling away,
until they are progressively subdued by the work of His Spirit. (By the way, concerning this work of the
Spirit, which subdues, God often works through trials. Don’t be surprised that you face repeated
trials in the same area of weakness.
Hopefully God will keep at it until you give up. Don’t you do this same thing with the
children you love?)
7. What are we to make of the
reaction of the disciples to the call of Christ?
Just as demons and microorganisms
are subject to Christ, so are the hearts of men.
8. What is the significance of
the account here that the demons knew who Jesus was?
“Even the demons believe –
and tremble.” (James 2:1) You need more than the faith of demons to be
saved. You need the faith that is full
of the Holy Spirit, and surrenders to the will of God, rather than just
shouting out that Jesus is the Holy One of God.
Jesus does not need demons as part of His advance team.
9. Why does Jesus emphasize the
priority of preaching from the beginning of this casting of a gospel net?
For the same reason that
Paul emphasizes preaching, that the glory might be to God, as faith comes by
hearing, and hearing be the Word of God.
He is setting the pattern for the church (Romans 10).
10. How are we to think about
the physical healings and exorcisms that are so predominant in the public life
of Jesus Christ?
The Son of God was
here. At times it seems as if every sick
person was healed. When one blind man
requires two touches, we wonder why, and we know that some point is being
made. These overwhelming healings that
accompanied the public preaching of Jesus and His disciples were a testimony to
the giving of the New Covenant Word.
While God still does these things today, and while we expect a full
restoration of all things at the coming again of the Son of God, it is not our
expectation that all will be physically healed today. What we do “see” now is even more significant
and permanent, which is the trial and triumph of faith.
11. What is the significance of all these
specific healing stories to us in Mark 1?
First and foremost they are
a testimony to the Son of God, His message, His authority, and His
compassion. Second, they call us to
faith in the promise of the restoration of all things at the resurrection of
the dead. Finally, they are living
“parables” that speak powerfully to us of the healing of our souls through the
touch of Christ by His Word and Spirit today.
We relate to Peter’s mother-in-law who is touched and rises up to
serve. We know what it is to be right in
the middle of a worship assembly, like the man in the synagogue in
12. Why did Mark wait till after
Peter died to record Peter’s preaching?
He was busy, along with the rest of the church, with the preaching of
the Word, and the living of the church life of faith working itself out through
love – the church’s gospel net. His
account of the life of Jesus is action-packed.
May our lives be similarly occupied in the trials and triumph of faith.