the Gospel of Mark: On the Road With Jesus (6)

“The Kingdom Begins to Come”
Mark 1:21-34

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. The time has come, he said, the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news! (1:14-15).

1. the kingdom of God is near. 1st, what is the kingdom of God? The kingdom of God is the rule of God over all of life – God’s will being done on earth, in history, in our lives, our church, our families, our jobs, our community.

2. what does it mean that the kingdom is near? The kingdom of God starts to come in Jesus – but – does not fully arrive. For us today – the kingdom of God has come in Jesus – and continues to come – but will not fully arrive until the return of Christ. Everything that we experience of the kingdom of God now is but a shadow, a glimpse, a whiff of what is to come.

3. we live in the “already but not yet.” God’s kingdom has already started to come but it is not yet fully here. So, we live in a time of tension. God’s power is already unleashed but not yet fully operative. Sin, death, Satan have already been defeated but not yet fully destroyed.

4. it’s like going to Costco around lunch time. You get 1 bite of a chicken enchilada but not the whole enchilada. You receive 1 small swallow of peach nectar but not a big glass. You enjoy a tantalizing taste of chocolate cake but not a whole cake. So the kingdom.

5. as the kingdom of God begins to seep into our world, what “signs” do we find of its coming? Notice the sequence of events that follow the announcement:
* Jesus calls people to follow him (16-20)
* Jesus teaches with authority (21-22)
* Jesus is confronted by/confronts an evil spirit (23-28)
* People are amazed at Jesus (27)
* Jesus heals people (29-34)

6. these are “signs” of the in-breaking Kingdom of God. True of Jesus & his day – true for Jesus & our day.

Signs of the in-breaking kingdom of God
1st followers (16-20):
1. Jesus enlists the help of others. He calls for their participation. This is a sign of the kingdom – people called to become followers of Jesus. Jesus begins to create a company of the committed – a movement of people – a body of believers.

2. wherever you find Christ in our world you will find him forming a group of people in his name to worship, follow & serve him. His vision is to unite the people he has created under his Lordship.

2nd teaching (21-22):
1. Mark records fewer of Jesus’ teachings than the other gospel writers. But he emphasizes Jesus as a teacher. The words “teacher” or “teach” or “teaching” or “Rabbi” are applied to Jesus 39 times in 16 chapters. Teaching is big in Jesus’ kingdom ministry.

2. Jesus taught with authority. His teaching was much more than just conveying information. His teaching compelled (people) to decision (Bill Lane). They sensed that his authority came directly from God.

3. we need to ask ourselves a question here – when we sit under the teaching of Jesus, do we sense the God-directed authority to obey? A sure sign of the in-breaking kingdom of God – rule of God over our lives – is our quick response to obey the words of Jesus.

3rd evil (23-28):
1. as Jesus was teaching in the Jewish synagogue a man possessed by an evil spirit confronted him. Notice:
* the evil spirit knows who Jesus is – Jesus of Nazareth & the Holy One of God – this is amazing – this evil spirit confesses that he believes in the incarnation, 1 of the core elements of our Christian faith – Jesus is man & Jesus is God!
* this man appears to be possessed by multiple spirits but only 1 speaks up – us used 2xs in v. 24
* this evil spirit is under the authority of Jesus – Jesus cast the spirit/s out of this man

2. the question of evil is raised for us at the beginning of Jesus’ gospel story. We don’t have to live in this world for very long before we realize that something has gone terribly wrong with it.

3. New Years 1977 I was living in the Philippines & a Filipino friend of mine took me to the city of Marawi in the southern Philippines to show me where his father had been murdered by Muslims. George’s dad was a doctor. What got him murdered was his building of the 1st hospital in Marawi for the Muslim people. They killed him because he was a Christian & an outsider. As I stood with George & looked at his father’s half-built hospital, I was confronted with evil.

4. one day years ago my phone rang & I was asked to perform the funeral of a 6 month old baby who had been shot with her mother outside of Molalla by 2 teenage boys. That was my 2nd funeral. I was confronted with evil.

5. almost 3 years ago I stood in the crematorium of the Buchenwald concentration camp in Germany where Jews, gypsies, Jehovah Witnesses & homosexuals were disposed of during World War II. I saw pictures of dead emancipated prisoners piled high waiting to be thrown into the ovens. I was confronted with evil.

6. we are confronted with “lesser” forms of evil everyday – being lied to or telling a lie. Yelling at our spouse or being yelled at by our spouse. Cheating on a test at school or being taken advantage of by a friend. Having a racist comment directed at us or making one ourselves.

7. its hard to dismiss evil in our world. Sometimes this evil takes the shape of evil spirits, demons, who invade people’s lives and take control. Evil spirits seek to torment & destroy God’s precious people who are created in his image.

8. Jesus & his kingdom confront evil & evil spirits. All authority is found in Jesus. Even the demons must obey him. We have nothing to fear. King Jesus is our King.

9. this from C.S. Lewis in his introduction to The Screwtape Letters – there are two equal & opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.

10. back to Mark, some paradox – this evil spirit knows who Jesus is, confesses him to be both man & God. Yet, as we’ll see, Jesus’ disciples who follow him do not fully understand who he is despite his clear teaching & powerful deeds.

11. some of you have questions about Jesus. You are wrestling with who he really is & what authority he has over your life. Learn from this evil spirit. Follow him in confessing that Jesus of Nazareth is the Holy One of God!

4th amazement (22,27):
1. this is a reoccurring theme in Mark (11x). Jesus’ teaching & his actions produced amazement in people. They experienced something they had never experienced before. And what they experienced was coming face-to-face with the rule of God in Jesus of Nazareth.

2. I’ll say more on this as we go through Mark but for now – as we surrender our lives more & more to Jesus & as his kingdom comes in our lives & church, we will be amazed at what God does in our midst!

5th healing (29-34):
1. since our fall into sin in Genesis 3, we have struggled with sickness & disease. There was none before the fall, there will be none in heaven, but there is now. Healing Peter’s mother-in-law of her fever is the 1st of Jesus’ 35 miracles in Mark’s gospel.

2. she had a fever. I like that. Not cancer, not crippled, not blind, not dead, not demon-possessed. She just had a fever. And Jesus healed her. He cares about the small stuff of our lives as well as the big stuff.

3. they told Jesus about her. This is what we need to do. When we’re sick, when our health fails us, before we reach for the Advil or the phone to call our doctor, let’s take our stuff to Jesus. Let’s 1st ask him to heal us.

4. I’m afraid that in our medically-rich culture we are prone to shut Jesus out of our health issues. Instead of making him a last resort, I encourage you to make him your first resort.

What will you do with Jesus?
1. Jesus came to call a company of people to himself, to teach the truths of the kingdom, to deliver people from evil & to heal them of their sickness = resulting in amazement!

2. as we prepare ourselves for communion – what will you do with Jesus? Let him call you to follow him – receive his authoritative teaching – seek his deliverance from evil – ask for his healing touch upon your life.