Peninsula Christian Center of Pacific Grove
Pastor Carl Friedel
January 10, 2010
Mark – The Gospel of Action
The Beginning of the Good News
Wrapping up a new year in 2009 during the holidays we looked at the Advent of Christ and its fulfillment in the birth of Jesus. I thought, “What could be a better way of starting the New Year and a new decade than by reviewing the rest of the story that changed everything. This morning we will pick up right after the birth of Jesus following the evangelistic writings of the Gospel of Mark – what people refer to as the Gospel of Action.
The gospel of Mark is widely believed to have been written by a man named John Mark. John Mark was not the most interesting of characters in the early church, but he sure did spend time with some of them. John Mark of course was the companion of Paul and of Barnabas on their missionary journeys– you will remember that he fell out of Paul’s good graces when he deserted them and even caused a rift between Paul and Barnabas as Barnabas desired to extend grace to John Mark. Of course we know that Mark and Paul must have patched things up later because Paul mentions him in good company later in his letters to the Colossians and then to Philemon, a member of the Colossian Church.
But John Mark was also known to be in the company of a man of action in his own right the Apostle Peter. In 1 Peter 5:13 Peter greets his fellow Jewish believers from Rome and refers to Mark as his son – which showed a great deal of affection had emerged between them – Mark was not his son by birth but and adopted spiritual son in the faith – Peter was Mark’s mentor. Most NT Biblical scholars place the writing of this gospel at or near the death of Peter, probably during the turbulent times of Nero’s rule in Rome between A.D. 55 and 65 – It is most commonly considered the first of the three synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) to be written by which the other two used as a reference. It was also penned from Rome the place where Mark is associated with Peter and the place where Peter was executed by crucifixion upside down around AD 64 in connection with the burning of Rome which Nero started and then in a cover-up blamed on the Christians. Many biblical scholars conclude that the words penned by Mark are in fact the teachings of Peter – the disciple who walked on water with Jesus, who drew a sword and cut off the ear of the soldiers who came to take Jesus in the night, who Jesus named as the rock upon which He would build His church, the same one who denied Christ three times before the rooster crowed the night Jesus was tried and the same one who jumped off of his boat and into the water to quickly meet the resurrected Jesus on the shore in order to receive forgiveness for his denials in the gesture of grilled fish cooked by Jesus for breakfast. This is the gospel from the teachings of Peter – the apostle and first-hand eyewitness of Jesus ministry.
Peter was a quick spoken – to the point – action-oriented guy. His personality often got him in trouble, but it was also his greatest asset. Here in the book of Mark we see the gospel from his perspective – Jesus the man of action. Where the other gospels focus a lot more on Jesus teachings this gospel focuses on what He did in His ministry.
In the Life Application Concise New Testament Commentary – it describes this gospel in its introduction in this way…
“Action—moving, doing, helping, getting going, making things happen. Some people think, some talk, but a few get involved, not content to observe from the sidelines. They get into the game—they get into life! This is the picture of Jesus that Mark presents in this Gospel.”—Life Application Concise New Testament Commentary
It is this view of Jesus as a man of action that the writer of Mark portrayed and it is this view that I want us to grapple with in the coming weeks as we go through this gospel together – Jesus was a man of action and He is calling us in this New Year to action.
Let’s begin in chapter one – you will notice that Mark wastes no time as he dives into the telling – there is not even any mention of his birth or childhood here. He starts with the event of Jesus calling in to His ministry…
Mark 1:1-11 (NLT) 1 Here begins the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.
No time is wasted here with greetings and pleasantries. You can sense the excitement and urgency with which Mark is writing these things. Immediately he states his purpose for writing – “Here begins the Good News”. The reason this is being written down is to present the beginning of the Good News. Often news is important to us for a day, a week or a month and then it is often forgotten – it is a solitary event that comes and passes. This Book is only the beginning of the Good News – Good News which is still being played out today. This is a Good News that has relevance to each of us now. I want to challenge you this morning to…
Allow your life to be a chapter of this Good News which is still being written.
You can do this by simply opening yourself up to God and praying something like this: God I trust You with the direction of my life. Forgive me of my sins and make me a new creature. Make my life a testimony of Your great and glorious truth, Your Good News, Amen.
Mark 1:1-11 (NLT) 1 Here begins the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. 2 In the book of the prophet Isaiah, God said, "Look, I am sending my messenger before you, and he will prepare your way. 3 He is a voice shouting in the wilderness: `Prepare a pathway for the Lord's coming! Make a straight road for him'! " 4 This messenger was John the Baptist. He lived in the wilderness and was preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had turned from their sins and turned to God to be forgiven. 5 People from Jerusalem and from all over Judea traveled out into the wilderness to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. 6 His clothes were woven from camel hair, and he wore a leather belt; his food was locusts and wild honey. 7 He announced: "Someone is coming soon who is far greater than I am—so much greater that I am not even worthy to be his slave.
Mark explains to his Roman audience that God had a plan long ago to send a herald – a prophet if you will to announce the coming of the Messiah – the Christ. Mark quotes the prophetic passages of Isaiah and Malachi here as proof of this plan.
The Romans, the originally intended recipients of this gospel, who heard/ read this message were not well versed in the scriptures of the Jews. They came from a different background and had little training and education in the law, but they did understand the picture of a king being announced. With much fanfare a messenger would arrive moments beforehand to announce that “The King is here!” In their culture dignitaries arrived with great expressions of Pomp and Circumstance – parading their own perceived glory for all to see.
We talked about the way that Jesus came in a stable laid in a manger and that his birth was heralded by angels to not the elect, but to shepherds in their field. Even in this passage in verse 9 it reminds us that Jesus came from Nazareth, which was a despised town, later bystanders would say of Jesus home that nothing good comes from Nazareth. Jesus came as a servant, but He is also the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and God planned these events long before – so that a prophet/ rabbi named John the Baptist would come and declare the arrival of the Messiah. 400 years had past since the days of the prophets. There are 400 years between Malichi and Matthew mark Luke and John. Israel had not heard from God for a long time, but John arrives on the scene and fulfilling what was foretold he points people toward the coming Christ and admonishes them to make themselves ready.
John in fact readied himself. He was a Rabbi with a greater following and greater power and anointing in his teachings than any of the other religious leaders of his day. It is no coincidence that we find John, not in the synagogues or the temple, dressed in religious garb, but that he separated himself from the rest and went out in the wilderness, dressed in camel hide, eating the “bugs and honey” (part of a nutritional breakfast) and laying his hands on people, not worried if they would somehow make him unclean like the other religious leaders did. And as he baptizes them he instructs them to repent. As John’s ministry takes off and people crowd around to hear his message – he could have fallen into the trap of all the teachers of his day and made a name for himself, but instead he fulfills his destiny as a mere announcer to the real deal that would be coming – the Messiah – saying…
Mark 1:1-11 (NLT) 7 …"Someone is coming soon who is far greater than I am—so much greater that I am not even worthy to be his slave. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!"
This morning have you made yourself ready to receive from Christ? He is here today. His Spirit is alive in this place and wanting to work in your life. Have you prepared your heart for Him to have His way?
We need to…
Anticipate the work that Jesus wants to do in your heart and life today and every day.
We need to do this. The Spirit of God is here and He is willing to work in our lives. He is ready – are we?
Back to the story – As John the Baptist – the Messiahs herald – busied himself preparing people for the coming Christ, one day an amazing event took place. Jesus himself showed up at the banks of the Jordan. He had arrived to take His place…
Mark 1:1-11 (NLT)9 One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and he was baptized by John in the Jordan River. 10 And when Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens split open and the Holy Spirit descending like a dove on him. 11 And a voice came from heaven saying, "You are my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased with you."
This passage absolutely amazes me. John had been saying that he could baptize with water but the one who is coming will baptize with the Holy Spirit – and here we see in this monumental event in Jesus life the Holy Spirit descending upon him like a dove as He ascends out of the baptism waters of the Jordan. And then God the Father speaks audibly - now remember 400 years had past with no word from God and no prophecies. John shows up on the scene in difficult times and the people are hungry to hear something from the Lord.
Many people today are living in desperate times. There stress levels are at an all-time high. We have this gospel of peace. Maybe they have been calling out. They feel as though they are in a wilderness and God, if there is a God, He isn’t speaking…
I challenge you to…
Avail yourself to be God’s witness and herald His good news to the hungry people in your life.
Your neighbors, your co-workers, your class-mates and students, the people that you meet in the marketplace and of course your family. Become like John the Baptist – a messenger who prepares the way for people to experience the salvation power and miracle of Jesus in their life.
Remember John was filled with the Holy Spirit as a baby in the womb…
Luke 1:39-45 (NLT) 39 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town 40 where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 At the sound of Mary's greeting, Elizabeth's child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, "You are blessed by God above all other women, and your child is blessed. 43 What an honor this is, that the mother of my Lord should visit me! 44 When you came in and greeted me, my baby jumped for joy the instant I heard your voice! 45 You are blessed, because you believed that the Lord would do what he said."
John did not operate in his own power, but in the power of the Holy Spirit the same Spirit that God offers to us.
You say how can I. I am nothing like John the Baptist…
Back to the story…
John is preaching this coming event. The people are eating up every word that John preaches. They love what he has to say. Some of them probably were ready to proclaim him the Messiah, even though he was pointing them in a different direction. Sometimes we are so enamored with the fanfare that we miss God in the subtleties of everyday life. We think God is in the events – a worship service, a prayer meeting or a conference – no doubt God can and does meet us there, but don’t miss Him in the opportunities of each day. Opportunities which he brings to serve someone’s needs, those moments when we catch a glimpse of his magnificence in the beauty of a blooming flower, a sun setting or in the twinkle of our children’s eyes. God shows up often, we just usually miss it.
But now on this day in this occasion there is nothing subtle about it. I find it hard to believe that any of them could have missed this. God says after 400 years of silence– “You are my beloved son and I am fully pleased with you.” Wow, we just had a visit from the Holy Trinity here in this passage - God the Father, God the Holy Spirit and God the Son – three in one.
In the Rabbinic tradition – if a man had proven his worth as a teacher and debater of the law – He could submit himself to a series of questioning in the hopes of being promoted in a sense to the status of a Rabbi – or Master Teacher. Among the Jews in Jesus day there really was no more coveted status than to be a Rabbi. It was like being called up to play in the Major Leagues in Baseball – only the cream of the crop make it. When a man had achieved this status and passed the tests going forward three rabbis would ceremonially lay hands upon the man and confer an anointing power upon them to carry the message of God in life-long ministry.
Jesus baptism represents not only the beginning of this story and the beginning of His three year ministry on earth, but the most amazing version of that Rabbinic ceremony as John the Baptist full of the Spirit of God– the messenger in the wilderness lays hands on Him and baptizes Him in water. As He ascends the Holy Spirit Himself also confers power upon Him, ascending upon Him as a dove and God the Father confirms who He is and what His status is - Jesus the Messiah the greatest prophet, rabbi of all – the Son of God.
Remember though that this is only the beginning of the Good News. Jesus life and His sacrifice is only the beginning of the Gospel.
Mark 1:1-11 (NLT) 7 …"Someone is coming soon who is far greater than I am—so much greater that I am not even worthy to be his slave. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!"
“He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” – the same spirit that ascended on Jesus with Power will be conferred upon us as believers and messengers of this Good News. The Rabbinic Tradition continues as God – the three persons of the Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – anoint or set apart you and I, our lives for this message.
Accept His anointing upon your life today to be His witness to the world around you.
Today we are going to have an anointing service. About a year ago we did this and many of you came forward to be anointed and prayed over for the anointing of God upon your life.
Not too long ago I had a special prayer time with one of my mentors. He led me in a time of dealing with some lies that I had allowed to manifest in my thinking. As a young man I grew up mostly without a father, although God has brought some great men into my life. I found myself always seeking approval and desiring to hear those words, ‘good job’. Guess what in the ministry sometimes those words can be few and far between and sometimes the opposite of those words can be crushing. Deep down I guess I had come to believe the lie that I was not much good for anything and that my life and ministry were destined to mediocrity and what would be labeled as second-best. I didn’t live my life with this conviction everyday and I certainly wouldn’t have shared that sentiment aloud or even in private, but deep down it was there dictating my life. This mentor encouraged me to share these crushing feelings with God, so in a moment of desperation and pain I let it all out with great weeping. Then my mentor told me to just listen to the voice of God. He prompted me saying, “What does God say to you, about this?” I listened and God immediately spoke to me saying, “You are My son, and I am proud of you.” Wow, it changed my thinking. It changed my perspective. It changed my life.
He adopts us as His own as it says in…
John 1:12 (NLT) 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
No matter what the world is telling you, no matter what your past says, no matter what you keep reciting in your mind, God loves you and He has a plan for you. Accept Him at His word today. Just as He spoke to me in that intimate moment of prayer, just as He proclaimed aloud about Jesus at His baptism in the waters of the Jordan – He is saying to you now, “You are My child – My son/My daughter – I’m proud of You.” Receive that in your hearts today – its the Good News.
As an act of faith in response to His calling on your life I want you to come and allow us to symbolically anoint you even as He has already done so in your life - to be His messenger.
Pastor Carl Friedel
January 10, 2010
Mark – The Gospel of Action
The Beginning of the Good News
Wrapping up a new year in 2009 during the holidays we looked at the Advent of Christ and its fulfillment in the birth of Jesus. I thought, “What could be a better way of starting the New Year and a new decade than by reviewing the rest of the story that changed everything. This morning we will pick up right after the birth of Jesus following the evangelistic writings of the Gospel of Mark – what people refer to as the Gospel of Action.
The gospel of Mark is widely believed to have been written by a man named John Mark. John Mark was not the most interesting of characters in the early church, but he sure did spend time with some of them. John Mark of course was the companion of Paul and of Barnabas on their missionary journeys– you will remember that he fell out of Paul’s good graces when he deserted them and even caused a rift between Paul and Barnabas as Barnabas desired to extend grace to John Mark. Of course we know that Mark and Paul must have patched things up later because Paul mentions him in good company later in his letters to the Colossians and then to Philemon, a member of the Colossian Church.
But John Mark was also known to be in the company of a man of action in his own right the Apostle Peter. In 1 Peter 5:13 Peter greets his fellow Jewish believers from Rome and refers to Mark as his son – which showed a great deal of affection had emerged between them – Mark was not his son by birth but and adopted spiritual son in the faith – Peter was Mark’s mentor. Most NT Biblical scholars place the writing of this gospel at or near the death of Peter, probably during the turbulent times of Nero’s rule in Rome between A.D. 55 and 65 – It is most commonly considered the first of the three synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) to be written by which the other two used as a reference. It was also penned from Rome the place where Mark is associated with Peter and the place where Peter was executed by crucifixion upside down around AD 64 in connection with the burning of Rome which Nero started and then in a cover-up blamed on the Christians. Many biblical scholars conclude that the words penned by Mark are in fact the teachings of Peter – the disciple who walked on water with Jesus, who drew a sword and cut off the ear of the soldiers who came to take Jesus in the night, who Jesus named as the rock upon which He would build His church, the same one who denied Christ three times before the rooster crowed the night Jesus was tried and the same one who jumped off of his boat and into the water to quickly meet the resurrected Jesus on the shore in order to receive forgiveness for his denials in the gesture of grilled fish cooked by Jesus for breakfast. This is the gospel from the teachings of Peter – the apostle and first-hand eyewitness of Jesus ministry.
Peter was a quick spoken – to the point – action-oriented guy. His personality often got him in trouble, but it was also his greatest asset. Here in the book of Mark we see the gospel from his perspective – Jesus the man of action. Where the other gospels focus a lot more on Jesus teachings this gospel focuses on what He did in His ministry.
In the Life Application Concise New Testament Commentary – it describes this gospel in its introduction in this way…
“Action—moving, doing, helping, getting going, making things happen. Some people think, some talk, but a few get involved, not content to observe from the sidelines. They get into the game—they get into life! This is the picture of Jesus that Mark presents in this Gospel.”—Life Application Concise New Testament Commentary
It is this view of Jesus as a man of action that the writer of Mark portrayed and it is this view that I want us to grapple with in the coming weeks as we go through this gospel together – Jesus was a man of action and He is calling us in this New Year to action.
Let’s begin in chapter one – you will notice that Mark wastes no time as he dives into the telling – there is not even any mention of his birth or childhood here. He starts with the event of Jesus calling in to His ministry…
Mark 1:1-11 (NLT) 1 Here begins the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.
No time is wasted here with greetings and pleasantries. You can sense the excitement and urgency with which Mark is writing these things. Immediately he states his purpose for writing – “Here begins the Good News”. The reason this is being written down is to present the beginning of the Good News. Often news is important to us for a day, a week or a month and then it is often forgotten – it is a solitary event that comes and passes. This Book is only the beginning of the Good News – Good News which is still being played out today. This is a Good News that has relevance to each of us now. I want to challenge you this morning to…
Allow your life to be a chapter of this Good News which is still being written.
You can do this by simply opening yourself up to God and praying something like this: God I trust You with the direction of my life. Forgive me of my sins and make me a new creature. Make my life a testimony of Your great and glorious truth, Your Good News, Amen.
Mark 1:1-11 (NLT) 1 Here begins the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. 2 In the book of the prophet Isaiah, God said, "Look, I am sending my messenger before you, and he will prepare your way. 3 He is a voice shouting in the wilderness: `Prepare a pathway for the Lord's coming! Make a straight road for him'! " 4 This messenger was John the Baptist. He lived in the wilderness and was preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had turned from their sins and turned to God to be forgiven. 5 People from Jerusalem and from all over Judea traveled out into the wilderness to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. 6 His clothes were woven from camel hair, and he wore a leather belt; his food was locusts and wild honey. 7 He announced: "Someone is coming soon who is far greater than I am—so much greater that I am not even worthy to be his slave.
Mark explains to his Roman audience that God had a plan long ago to send a herald – a prophet if you will to announce the coming of the Messiah – the Christ. Mark quotes the prophetic passages of Isaiah and Malachi here as proof of this plan.
The Romans, the originally intended recipients of this gospel, who heard/ read this message were not well versed in the scriptures of the Jews. They came from a different background and had little training and education in the law, but they did understand the picture of a king being announced. With much fanfare a messenger would arrive moments beforehand to announce that “The King is here!” In their culture dignitaries arrived with great expressions of Pomp and Circumstance – parading their own perceived glory for all to see.
We talked about the way that Jesus came in a stable laid in a manger and that his birth was heralded by angels to not the elect, but to shepherds in their field. Even in this passage in verse 9 it reminds us that Jesus came from Nazareth, which was a despised town, later bystanders would say of Jesus home that nothing good comes from Nazareth. Jesus came as a servant, but He is also the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and God planned these events long before – so that a prophet/ rabbi named John the Baptist would come and declare the arrival of the Messiah. 400 years had past since the days of the prophets. There are 400 years between Malichi and Matthew mark Luke and John. Israel had not heard from God for a long time, but John arrives on the scene and fulfilling what was foretold he points people toward the coming Christ and admonishes them to make themselves ready.
John in fact readied himself. He was a Rabbi with a greater following and greater power and anointing in his teachings than any of the other religious leaders of his day. It is no coincidence that we find John, not in the synagogues or the temple, dressed in religious garb, but that he separated himself from the rest and went out in the wilderness, dressed in camel hide, eating the “bugs and honey” (part of a nutritional breakfast) and laying his hands on people, not worried if they would somehow make him unclean like the other religious leaders did. And as he baptizes them he instructs them to repent. As John’s ministry takes off and people crowd around to hear his message – he could have fallen into the trap of all the teachers of his day and made a name for himself, but instead he fulfills his destiny as a mere announcer to the real deal that would be coming – the Messiah – saying…
Mark 1:1-11 (NLT) 7 …"Someone is coming soon who is far greater than I am—so much greater that I am not even worthy to be his slave. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!"
This morning have you made yourself ready to receive from Christ? He is here today. His Spirit is alive in this place and wanting to work in your life. Have you prepared your heart for Him to have His way?
We need to…
Anticipate the work that Jesus wants to do in your heart and life today and every day.
We need to do this. The Spirit of God is here and He is willing to work in our lives. He is ready – are we?
Back to the story – As John the Baptist – the Messiahs herald – busied himself preparing people for the coming Christ, one day an amazing event took place. Jesus himself showed up at the banks of the Jordan. He had arrived to take His place…
Mark 1:1-11 (NLT)9 One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and he was baptized by John in the Jordan River. 10 And when Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens split open and the Holy Spirit descending like a dove on him. 11 And a voice came from heaven saying, "You are my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased with you."
This passage absolutely amazes me. John had been saying that he could baptize with water but the one who is coming will baptize with the Holy Spirit – and here we see in this monumental event in Jesus life the Holy Spirit descending upon him like a dove as He ascends out of the baptism waters of the Jordan. And then God the Father speaks audibly - now remember 400 years had past with no word from God and no prophecies. John shows up on the scene in difficult times and the people are hungry to hear something from the Lord.
Many people today are living in desperate times. There stress levels are at an all-time high. We have this gospel of peace. Maybe they have been calling out. They feel as though they are in a wilderness and God, if there is a God, He isn’t speaking…
I challenge you to…
Avail yourself to be God’s witness and herald His good news to the hungry people in your life.
Your neighbors, your co-workers, your class-mates and students, the people that you meet in the marketplace and of course your family. Become like John the Baptist – a messenger who prepares the way for people to experience the salvation power and miracle of Jesus in their life.
Remember John was filled with the Holy Spirit as a baby in the womb…
Luke 1:39-45 (NLT) 39 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town 40 where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 At the sound of Mary's greeting, Elizabeth's child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, "You are blessed by God above all other women, and your child is blessed. 43 What an honor this is, that the mother of my Lord should visit me! 44 When you came in and greeted me, my baby jumped for joy the instant I heard your voice! 45 You are blessed, because you believed that the Lord would do what he said."
John did not operate in his own power, but in the power of the Holy Spirit the same Spirit that God offers to us.
You say how can I. I am nothing like John the Baptist…
Back to the story…
John is preaching this coming event. The people are eating up every word that John preaches. They love what he has to say. Some of them probably were ready to proclaim him the Messiah, even though he was pointing them in a different direction. Sometimes we are so enamored with the fanfare that we miss God in the subtleties of everyday life. We think God is in the events – a worship service, a prayer meeting or a conference – no doubt God can and does meet us there, but don’t miss Him in the opportunities of each day. Opportunities which he brings to serve someone’s needs, those moments when we catch a glimpse of his magnificence in the beauty of a blooming flower, a sun setting or in the twinkle of our children’s eyes. God shows up often, we just usually miss it.
But now on this day in this occasion there is nothing subtle about it. I find it hard to believe that any of them could have missed this. God says after 400 years of silence– “You are my beloved son and I am fully pleased with you.” Wow, we just had a visit from the Holy Trinity here in this passage - God the Father, God the Holy Spirit and God the Son – three in one.
In the Rabbinic tradition – if a man had proven his worth as a teacher and debater of the law – He could submit himself to a series of questioning in the hopes of being promoted in a sense to the status of a Rabbi – or Master Teacher. Among the Jews in Jesus day there really was no more coveted status than to be a Rabbi. It was like being called up to play in the Major Leagues in Baseball – only the cream of the crop make it. When a man had achieved this status and passed the tests going forward three rabbis would ceremonially lay hands upon the man and confer an anointing power upon them to carry the message of God in life-long ministry.
Jesus baptism represents not only the beginning of this story and the beginning of His three year ministry on earth, but the most amazing version of that Rabbinic ceremony as John the Baptist full of the Spirit of God– the messenger in the wilderness lays hands on Him and baptizes Him in water. As He ascends the Holy Spirit Himself also confers power upon Him, ascending upon Him as a dove and God the Father confirms who He is and what His status is - Jesus the Messiah the greatest prophet, rabbi of all – the Son of God.
Remember though that this is only the beginning of the Good News. Jesus life and His sacrifice is only the beginning of the Gospel.
Mark 1:1-11 (NLT) 7 …"Someone is coming soon who is far greater than I am—so much greater that I am not even worthy to be his slave. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!"
“He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” – the same spirit that ascended on Jesus with Power will be conferred upon us as believers and messengers of this Good News. The Rabbinic Tradition continues as God – the three persons of the Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – anoint or set apart you and I, our lives for this message.
Accept His anointing upon your life today to be His witness to the world around you.
Today we are going to have an anointing service. About a year ago we did this and many of you came forward to be anointed and prayed over for the anointing of God upon your life.
Not too long ago I had a special prayer time with one of my mentors. He led me in a time of dealing with some lies that I had allowed to manifest in my thinking. As a young man I grew up mostly without a father, although God has brought some great men into my life. I found myself always seeking approval and desiring to hear those words, ‘good job’. Guess what in the ministry sometimes those words can be few and far between and sometimes the opposite of those words can be crushing. Deep down I guess I had come to believe the lie that I was not much good for anything and that my life and ministry were destined to mediocrity and what would be labeled as second-best. I didn’t live my life with this conviction everyday and I certainly wouldn’t have shared that sentiment aloud or even in private, but deep down it was there dictating my life. This mentor encouraged me to share these crushing feelings with God, so in a moment of desperation and pain I let it all out with great weeping. Then my mentor told me to just listen to the voice of God. He prompted me saying, “What does God say to you, about this?” I listened and God immediately spoke to me saying, “You are My son, and I am proud of you.” Wow, it changed my thinking. It changed my perspective. It changed my life.
He adopts us as His own as it says in…
John 1:12 (NLT) 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
No matter what the world is telling you, no matter what your past says, no matter what you keep reciting in your mind, God loves you and He has a plan for you. Accept Him at His word today. Just as He spoke to me in that intimate moment of prayer, just as He proclaimed aloud about Jesus at His baptism in the waters of the Jordan – He is saying to you now, “You are My child – My son/My daughter – I’m proud of You.” Receive that in your hearts today – its the Good News.
As an act of faith in response to His calling on your life I want you to come and allow us to symbolically anoint you even as He has already done so in your life - to be His messenger.
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