The Beginning of the Gospel

  

In Jack London’s novel, The Sea Wolf, we meet a man who is completely materialistic, a hedonist and without morals.  He is Captain Wolf Larson; the captain of a sailing ship that hunts seals and takes them for their furs.  The crew lives in terror of the captain because as his name suggests, he is a beast.  He is intelligent, crafty and extremely strong.

He has read Darwin and believes that all life rose up out of a primordial soup.  He compares life to a yeast that grows and moves and struggles to survive.  Life to Wolf is cheap.  The law of supply and demand says that there is an abundant supply of life so it is of little value.  It one sailor dies there is another to take his place. According to Wolf, animals and men alike eat each other to survive.

The Sea Wolf is not a Christmas story.

Through the mouth of Wolf Larson, the author raises up many arguments against the existence of God. He strikes hard at hope, purpose and anything that could be called a reason for living.

Most of us do not live with a Wolf Larson that violently assaults our lives every day.  However, we do live in a world where hardship, struggles, sickness and injury are inescapable. These experiences can and do assault our hope and sometimes even our reason for living.

Today, we will see from the book of Mark that we have reason for hope, a reason for living and great purpose in life.  Today’s story is true, not made up like Wolf Larson.  It is the story of Christmas. 

Mark 1:1 says, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”[i] (ESV)

Mark says, “The beginning of the gospel.” “Gospel” means “good news.” Mark, who wrote in Greek, used the word “euangelion” which means “good news.”

Speaking of the ministry of Jesus, Matthew in his account quotes Isaiah saying, “The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined.”[ii] (Matthew 4:16, NLT)

The story of Christmas, the story of Jesus, is good news.

The whole world remains in the grip of darkness wherever this story is not known.  The shadow of death hangs over every place where this good news is lacking. The light that dispels the darkness is the “good news.”

The “good news” is about, concerning and belongs to Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God. To understand the nature of this connection, let’s unpack what and who we are talking about.

Jesus is His given name. 

It is the English name derived from changing the Greek alphabet letters into English letters.  Jesus was a Jew.  His name was given in Hebrew.  It is the same name as the hero of the conquest of Canaan, Joshua. Pronounced something like “yeshua,” the Greeks transliterated it as “iesous.” In Spanish it becomes “Jesus,” in Japanese “iesu” and in English “Jesus.” The meaning of the name is “God saves.”

Christ is not His name. 

He is Jesus the Christ.  Christ is again taken from the Greek.  The Hebrews, or Jews, call him the Messiah or “Mašíaḥ.” The Greeks translated this as “Xristos.”

The meaning of the word is “the anointed one.” For example, when God chose David to be king of Israel he sent the prophet Samuel to “anoint” David.  Oil was poured on David’s head symbolizing God’s choice of this one to be King. When we say, “Jesus Christ,” we are saying that Jesus is the one chosen by God to be both Savior and King.

Mark says, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”

Jesus Christ is made known to us a little more by the phrase, “the Son of God.”

He is the Son of God.

This makes an assumption.  The Bible assumes that God is.  The Bible claims for itself that it is God’s revelation of Himself to us. (2 Timothy 3:16) As God speaks to us, He assumes that He exists. 

When I speak to a person, I generally will try to get their attention first, but that is as far as I go in defending my existence. I assume that the other person knows I exist; although, this assumption has proven wrong at times.

God does not neglect the subject of His existence entirely.  He says, “They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them.” (Romans 1:19, NLT) God does try to get our attention, a star, angels singing to shepherds and that sort of stuff.

The questions Jack London raises through his portrayal of Wolf Larsen arise out of the darkness that comes from not knowing the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Purpose, meaning and hope come first from knowing the God who made us.

Before Jesus Christ, the world was in darkness.  Hebrews 1:3 says, “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” (ESV) It is Jesus who has made God known to us. This is a significant part of the meaning of him being called “the Son of God.”

Mark 1 is telling us about the beginning of Jesus making God known to us.  First, the way had to be prepared before Him.  Mark 1:2 says, “Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way.” (NLT)

I understand that in ancient days in some places, when a king traveled, he would send a messenger ahead to prepare the way. Even in the present day, before the president or pope visit a city there are many preparations that generally take place.  Many of the preparations are for security and safety. Preparations are made for transportation, accommodations, meals, communication and staff.

Nothing is left to chance.

Mark tells us that John the Baptist was the messenger sent ahead to prepare the way. God’s anointed one, His own Son was coming.

There were two elements to the preparation that John was sent to do.

First, he preached a baptism of repentance. Mark 1:4 says, “He was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.” (NLT)

Repentance is the translation of a Greek word “μετάνοια.” The historian Josephus defined the word as speaking of “the change of mind of those who have begun to abhor their errors and misdeeds.”[iii]

Repentance is important in preparing the way for Jesus Christ, because one must first realize that there is a God, and that He has been offended.

The strange thing about the human psyche is that although we might struggle with a guilty conscience, we still have trouble seeing ourselves as sinners, bad or evil.  Evil and bad people exist, but externally.  The evil is never me, myself or I.  There is evil in the world, but never in me.

In order to be prepared for the good news of Jesus Christ, it is necessary for me to recognize that the problem between God and me is me. I have to change my mind about the darkness in the world, and realize that I need a Savior because the darkness is in me.

After this repentance has taken place, we are ready for the second part of the preparation. John the Baptist proclaimed the Good News.

Mark 1:7-8 says:

⁷John announced: “Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals. ⁸I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!” (NLT)

We have already spoken of the greatness of Jesus. 

“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” (Hebrews 1:3, NLT) And, as we humble ourselves before Him in repentance we find that, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!”

This is a remarkable part of the good news about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is preparation, but it requires nothing on our part.  Once the repentance and calling of God is done, He takes over.

Jesus told us, “I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist.” (Matthew 11:11, NLT) According to Jesus, the greatest man who ever lived said of himself, “I’m not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals.” (Mark 1:7, NLT)

Jesus takes us just as we are and transforms us.  2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us that if any person is in Christ he is a new creature.  This happens as a result of this baptizing by the Holy Spirit to which John the Baptist points. We cannot add even one little bit.  If John the Baptist was not worthy to even untie the Son of God’s sandals, neither are we.

But here is the wonderful thing, when we are baptized with the Holy Spirit; we are made children of God.  We become heirs with Jesus.  He is the first born among many. Galatians 3:28 says, “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (NLT) 

We are all sons and daughters of God in Christ Jesus.

This baptizing by the Holy Spirit that Jesus does opens us to the light.  1 Corinthians 2:16 tells us that we have the mind of Christ. The whole world lies in darkness, without hope, without purpose, without a reason for living, but the Holy Spirit brings hope, purpose and a reason for living.  We have, through the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, the Son of God living within us.

When we face hardship, struggles, sickness and injury we can face them with hope because of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This is why believers the world over are now preparing their hearts and homes to celebrate the Advent of the Son of God into our world.

This is the ONE of whom the Apostle John said, “¹⁰He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. ¹¹He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. ¹²But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:10-12, NLT)

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[i] Scripture quotations marked ESV are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version) copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

[ii] Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.  All rights reserved.

[iii] http://biblehub.com/greek/3341.htm

God Hears

Ishmael was the son of Sarah’s slave, Hagar.

We meet Hagar in Genesis 16. After long years of not being able to have a baby, Sarah decides to try to have a child by proxy.  Apparently this was the practice of the day.  Hagar was Sarah’s choice for the proxy.

We do not know where Sarah got Hagar, nor how long she had her.  We do know that Abraham traveled to Egypt to avoid a drought a few years before this.  When he was in Egypt, he and Sarah lied about their relationship saying that Sarah was his sister. As a result of the lie, Pharaoh took Sarah to be his wife. God intervened and stopped Pharaoh.  Because of Sarah, Pharaoh gave Abraham many gifts including male and female servants. My guess would be that Hagar was one of these servants. We do know that Hagar was Egyptian.

When Abraham was 85 years old Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham in order to produce a child.  Genesis 16:4 tells us, “When Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to treat her mistress, Sarai, with contempt.”[i] (NLT) Hagar felt that Sarah was beneath consideration, worthless, or deserving scorn. Sarah could not get pregnant so this was, according to the logic of the day, obvious evidence that Sarah was cursed. All this is implied in the Hebrew word translated “contempt.”

Sarah was not about to put up with this; so, she humbled Hagar.  She treated Hagar so harshly that Hagar finally ran away.

On the way to Egypt we find Hagar sitting by a spring of water.

 

⁷The angel of the LORD found Hagar beside a spring of water in the wilderness, along the road to Shur. ⁸The angel said to her, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?”

“I’m running away from my mistress, Sarai,” she replied.

⁹The angel of the LORD said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority.” ¹⁰Then he added, “I will give you more descendants than you can count.”

¹¹And the angel also said, “You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means ‘God hears’), for the LORD has heard your cry of distress. ¹²This son of yours will be a wild man, as untamed as a wild donkey! He will raise his fist against everyone, and everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live in open hostility against all his relatives.” (NLT)

Hagar cried out to the Lord in distress and he heard her.

Hagar was in distress. The cry of distress expressed the misery of Hagar's circumstances. Life treated Hagar bad.  She was a slave. She was used to produce a male heir for her mistress. Slavery and polygamy represent two huge issues of social injustice.

God’s answer to Hagar’s distress is: “Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority.”

We jump ahead 16 years and find Hagar still living in her mistress’s household.  Her son Ishmael was Abraham’s only son until just 3 years ago. We join the family as they celebrate Abraham’s son Isaac.  On the day Isaac was weaned, Abraham threw a big party. “But Sarah saw Ishmael—the son of Abraham and her Egyptian servant Hagar—making fun of her son, Isaac.” (Genesis 21:9, NLT)

The Hebrew word used for “making fun” is an intensive form of the word “Isaac,” which means “laugh.” Galatians 4:29 gives more information on this when it says that Ishmael “persecuted” Isaac. Isaac was 3. Ishmael was 16. This apparently was no laughing matter.

What was life like in Hagar’s tent? We do not know, but could Ishmael’s attitude have been influenced by Hagar’s? Hagar treated Sarah with contempt. 16 years later Ishmael treated Isaac with contempt.

Hagar again ends up in the wilderness a second time. This time she is not heading to Egypt, she is wandering aimlessly. She has been kicked out along with her young son. Ishmael wears out before his mother.  It seems he is close to death; so, his mother lays him down and goes off a distance because she cannot bear to watch him die.

I will go ahead and ask a question that I do not like. How much of Hagar’s suffering did she bring upon herself? I do not like the question because slavery is wrong and polygamy is wrong.  Suffering and abuse are inherent in these two systems. I do not want to imply that the victim of an evil system is somehow responsible for the evils of that system.

However, I was convicted by the realization that Hagar thought she was better than Sarah because she could have a baby and Sarah could not. Having been wronged by slavery and polygamy, the revenge for Hagar was sweet.  Whenever she walked in front of Sarah her protruding belly would remind Sarah that Hagar was blessed where Sarah was cursed. The Bible tells us that she despised Sarah because of this.

Compare Hagar’s response to the New Testament.  Jesus taught us: “I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” (Matthew 5:44, NLT)

The Bible does not endorse slavery, but it does recognize it as a fact.  In the same way the Bible does not endorse divorce, but it does recognize it as a fact.  Jesus taught us that divorce was not God’s intention, but allowed only because of the hardness of men’s heart.

The passage is Matthew 19:3-8:

³Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for just any reason?”

⁴“Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’ ⁵And he said, ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ ⁶Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.”

⁷“Then why did Moses say in the law that a man could give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away?” they asked.

⁸Jesus replied, “Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended. (NLT)

Slavery is treated the same way.  Slavery exists because of the hardness of men’s hearts. The Bible provides concessions to our hard hearts, but it was not what God originally intended. When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Colossians he said: “Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord.” (Colossians 3:22, NLT)  

The book of Philemon is a letter written by Paul as he was sending the slave Onesimus back to his owner, Philemon. The law protected the slave owner’s rights. It was a legal institution in that day.

I enjoy reading Fredrick Douglas’s writings.  His wrote two autobiographies, the first being written before the civil war was titled, “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave.” One of the things that Douglas points out is that anytime there is absolute power given to one human being over another abuses are bound to happen.

I would go as far as to say that when we think we are better than another, abuse is going to happen. The gospel says, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” and “Consider others as more important than yourself.” Abuses of position happen in government, business, Churches and families. Whenever one person lords it over another and forgets the Lord’s command to love your neighbor as yourself, abuses are likely to happen.

What though are we to do when we suffer unjustly? 1 Peter 3:13-17 addresses this issue when it talks to us about our attitude:

¹³Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? ¹⁴But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. ¹⁵Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. ¹⁶But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.  ¹⁷Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong! (NLT)

Hagar was not suffering for doing good.  She also was not fighting against slavery and oppression. In her attitude she showed that she thought she was better than Sarah.  This attitude set her against Sarah and Sarah against her. She was suffering in part because of a bad attitude.

Later on Ishmael adopted the same sort of attitude.  Even before he was born God said of Ishmael: “¹²This son of yours will be a wild man, as untamed as a wild donkey! He will raise his fist against everyone, and everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live in open hostility against all his relatives.” (Genesis 16:12, NLT)

Ishmael raised his fist against everyone and as a result everyone was also against him.  He lived out the results of the attitude he adopted.  His descendants learned the attitude and became a nation living in open hostility with its neighbors.

There is a theme that runs through this story that is important for us as believers.

When Hagar had given up and sat down to wait for the end, God heard the boy crying, and spoke from heaven to encourage her. There was a spring of water nearby.  God opened her eyes so that she could see it.

Previously, when Hagar had run away, God heard her cry of distress and answered her.  He spoke to her directly and promised to make Ishmael into a great nation.

The important point in all of this is the name God gives Ishmael. The name means God hears.

I believe that Ishmael and Hagar ended up living in the desert isolated from their relatives because they did not get this message.  God hears.  The two times they called on the Lord He answered, directly.

The attitude they displayed showed they were focused on things other than God. Hagar and then Ishmael tried to fight their way out without calling on the Lord.  When they did call on Him, He answered. The first time it was, “Go back and submit.”  The second time God gave water and saved their lives.

1 Peter 4:19 says, “So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.” (NLT)

The two keys in this passage are to keep doing what is right and to trust our lives to God.  If we believe God hears us when we call, we can do this without hesitation.

Onesimus did. Converted under Paul’s ministry, he went submissively back to Philemon, trusting God for the outcome.  He was doing what was right in the sight of men because this was what the law required. He was doing right in the sight of God because he was entrusting himself to God. Philemon later set Onesimus free and, according to tradition, Onesimus became the bishop of the church at Colossae.

I want to make something clear.  I am not saying we should not stand up for what is right.  We are to defend and protect those who are weaker than we are.  Caring for the orphan and widow is given in the book of James as representing true religion. Paul, himself, appealed to what at the time was the Supreme Court when his case was not getting a proper hearing. Paul, however, did not pretend to be better than those that imprisoned him.  He did not curse or treat them as any less than himself.  He prayed for them, told them about Christ and ultimately many lives were saved.

If you are being abused by a family member, you can in all humility put up boundaries and even seek protection from the law. More importantly you can call on the name of the Lord and receive strength and courage to do what is necessary to protect yourself.

Our attitude shapes everything we do. It is one of the most important things about us.  Our attitude needs to be informed by the message: God hears. God knows.  God cares.

The best way to inform our attitude was demonstrated by Paul when he was wrongly beaten and imprisoned.  He worshiped. He sang praises. He did this not because of how he felt, but in spite of how he felt. We can have attitudes based on the weather, the stock market, our neighbor’s cat, the flat tire or the latest drama in our lives. Or we can have attitudes based on the fact that God hears us when we call.  God cares.

The only two times that Hagar and Ishmael are recorded as calling on the Lord, He answered. How often do we really humble ourselves and call on the Lord? How often do we let our bad attitude speak before we call on the Lord?

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[i] Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.  All rights reserved.