10/05/2014
If you have ever messed up, made mistakes, or repeated your mishaps, then Mark is Gospel writer for you.
Mark understands what it is to mess up in life. To see this you will have to turn to Acts 12:25 and read through 13:13. Notice that Mark left. He quit! No one knows for sure why this young man quit, but he QUIT!!! The best that we can do is speculate. If you have ever come to a place in your life where things have gotten too difficult to handle, then maybe you can relate to this young gospel writer.
I know that there have been times in my life where I have come very close to quiting. At one time, I was so fed up with the pastorate that I almost left the ministry.
Regardless of the reason for Mark leaving, Paul refused to let him travel with him later. See Acts 15:36-40. In these verses, Paul and Barnabas are preparing for their second missionary trip. The Bible tells us that Barnabas, Mark's cousin, was desirous of taking the young man along with them. But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him. Paul reminded Barnabas that Mark "deserted them in Pamphylia."
This is a good place to stop and say that it's important to have a Barnabas in your life. When times get tough, it's Barnabas who will put his arm around your shoulder and encourage you. As a matter of fact, the name Barnabas means encourager. So, he takes his cousin, Mark with him, and they go on their own mission trip. And Paul takes Silas on a separate trip.
As Mark writes this Gospel, he writes it from the perspective of a quiter. He even points out how others have messed up in their lives, but he also reminds you and me of how much God loves us. He wants us to know that when we fail, God has not deserted us. He is still here, and He is ready to show us His grace and mercy. Mark points us to Jesus because He is the One who will make a difference in our lives.
Notice that in Mark 1:1, the writer is quick to point the reader to Jesus Christ. Continue reading Mark 1:2-3. These verses are introducing us to the forerunner of Christ. Mark uses a quote from Isaiah 40:3 that this one would be coming, and his job was to point people to Christ too.
We meet this man in verses 4-6. His name is John the Baptist, and he looks like he just stepped out of the pages of the Old Testament. He is different from the others of his day and time. He wears animal skin clothes and eats bugs and honey. His strange appearance has captured the attention of the people, but it's the message of the Gospel that keeps them. He preaches and baptizes them.
Mark records that all the country of Judea and the people of Jerusalem were coming to be baptized. To better see who is coming turn to Luke 3:3-14. These people are messed up. John the Baptist reminds them of Isaiah's message. As they hear the words, I wonder if they think to themselves, "I'm empty and need to be filled up; my problems have mounted up all around me and need to be torn down; I've been living a crooked life and it needs to be straightened up; the path that I have chosen is rough, and I want it to be smooth again." John calls these people snakes, and he does not mean it as a complement. They have been living only for themselves. These are selfish people; they are hated tax collectors, and soldiers. The thing is, they want to change. That's what repentance is all about.
John was not the Savior, and the water wasn't magic. He only came to point them to Christ. He was simply God's servant, and the people were coming to be baptized as a demonstration of repentance.
They asked,"what shall we do?" Look at Luke 3:12-14. Once they had made a conscious decision to change (repent), then they needed to show some evidence of a changed life. John says, "stop being selfish, if you have an extra coat then give it someone who needs one. If you have more food than you need, then share what you have with others. If you've been over charging individuals, then STOP IT! STOP ROBBING PEOPLE!!! And only charge them what is fair. He tells the soldiers not to take from people by force, not to falsely accuse individuals, and to be content with their wages.
You see these people were messed up, and John pointed them to the One who makes a difference in lives. He pointed them to Jesus Christ. This is exactly why Mark writes this Gospel. He knows that he messed up, and he knows that you and I mess up too. Mark wants to point us to Christ.
He reminds us of John the Baptist's words. "One is coming who is mightier than I am." John says, "I baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." He is the One who you are to be identified with in verse number 8.
Once you accept Christ as your Savior, the Holy Spirit takes up residence immediately. And according to Jesus in John 14-16, the Holy Spirit is our Helper. He guides us in truth. He teaches us all things and brings to our remembrance all that Jesus has said. He gives us peace. He bears witness of Jesus and convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment.
If you ask a Christian if he has ever messed up, made mistakes, or repeated his mishaps, then he would have to admit that he has messed up a lot, but that God has always been there for him. A Christian will admit, "I've been empty, but Jesus has filled me. My problems have overwhelmed me, but Christ gave me the strength that I needed. In the past, I lived a crooked life, but now I'm on the straight and narrow road that leads to life, thanks to Jesus Christ.
What about you?
