Mark 1:1-9

[snapstur]

@Shield> let's get started with our study

@Shield> I should like to call your attention to the Gospel of Mark

@Shield> if you have a Bible, go ahead and open it up to Mark 1

@Shield> There is much that can be said by way of introduction about the second gospel

@Shield> namely, that it is technically probably the first gospel, although in the canon it is placed behind Matthew

@Shield> while some NT scholar theorize it came from Matthew and Luke, still more accept the likelihood that Luke and Matthew find common source material from Mark

@Shield> thereby making Mark, most likely, the first of the NT gospels actually to be written

@Shield> I will belay an extensive ****ysis of these issues as that falls outside the purview of what we would like to accomplish together in the coming weeks

@Shield> suffice it to say that Mark is singular for a number of reason, not least its likely role as the originator of the gospel genre of literature

@Shield> it is also unique, as we shall momentarily witness, because of its unique stylistic features.

@Shield> But don't take my word for it

@Shield> let's investigate it together for ourselves

@Shield> I trust you are still watching your screens

@Shield> Neither this, nor any of the studies I personally conduct are scripted

@Shield> I intend to use you folks as my co-investigators

@Shield> We are going to look at the text inductively

@Shield> in the weeks to come I will ask you to read ahead in the text

@Shield> and to come prepared with some observations

@Shield> tonight I will illustrate what I mean very briefly

@Shield> Mark 1:1 The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

@Shield> What does the text say?

@Shield> raise your hand if you want to give it a go like this o/

Angel4God> o/

Bethel> o/

GentleDove> 0/

@Shield sits back, drinking his water as the investigators peruse the ancient text

@Shield> yes Angel4God?

@Shield> yes Bethel?

Angel4God> it says the beginning of the gospel is about Jesus

Bethel> In the beginning, of the gospel of Jesus Christ

@Shield> ok

@Shield> go ahead GentleDove

GentleDove> The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ (KJV)

@Shield> ok great

@Shield> so it says what it says

@Shield> lets go deeper for a moment

@Shield> what are some key words?

@Shield> or phrases

@Shield> anyone?

Deacon> o/

@Shield> yes Deacon?

Deacon> beginning---gospel—Jesus

Deacon> Gospel

@Shield> ok good

@Shield> lets go still deeper

@Shield> why is "beginning" key?

Angel4God> The beginning of the Gospel is about Jesus. He written about in the prophet Isaiah

@Shield> uh huh, and we will get to that shortly to be sure

Angel4God> Mark 1:2

@Shield> I realize this method may feel awkward

@Shield> my point is to coach us into examine the text

eags> by noting it is the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ , it removes the possibility of any other gospel happenings beforehand

@Shield> when I see the word beginning

@Shield> ok

@Shield> that is an interesting observation eags, thank you

@Shield> looking at it from a literary standpoint

@Shield> it reminds me of Genesis 1:1

@Shield> to some degree

@Shield> although John 1:1 would have more in common with its OT predecessor
@Shield> but it is notable

@Shield> also, it clearly delineates Jesus Christ as the beginning point for the gospel

@Shield> yet, Angel4God is correct to look to verse two in terms of the rootedness in the prophetic tradition of Isaiah

@Shield> and not only Isaiah but also Malachi as we shall see shortly

@Shield> what does "gospel" mean?

Deacon> good news

GentleDove> good news

@Shield> yes

@Shield> what does Jesus mean?

GentleDove> Messiah

@Shield> well that would be Christ

Tigre_Branco> savior

@Shield> correct

@Shield> so we have Jesus (savior) Christ (Messiah/anointed one)

@Shield> so then,

@Shield> this is the beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, Savior and Messiah

@Shield> and in many, but not all, manuscripts, Son of God

@Shield> so already...

@Shield> in one sentence

@Shield> we are richly delving into theological territory, yes?

GentleDove> yes

@Shield> the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ

@Shield> so lets move on just a bit

@Shield> Mark 1:2 It is written in Isaiah the prophet: "I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way"—

@Shield> Mark 1:3 "a voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'"

@Shield> Interestingly, the first quote actually is from Malachi 3:1

@Shield> Malachi 3:1 "See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the LORD Almighty.

@Shield> reading on in Malachi...

@Shield> lachi 3:2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap.

@Shield> Malachi 3:3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness,

@Shield> and later...

@Shield> Malachi 4:5 "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.

@Shield> Malachi 4:6 He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse."

@Shield> and then the prophet appears...

@Shield> Mark 1:2 It is written in Isaiah the prophet: "I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way"—

@Shield> Mark 1:3 "a voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'"

@Shield> Isaiah himself wrote...

@Shield> I:3 A voice cries out: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

@Shield> that is actually chapter 40

@Shield> Isaiah 40:4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.

@Shield> Isaiah 40:5 Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

@Shield> so in the prophetic tradition, there was foretold a prophet like Elijah, who would come into a place of focus

@Shield> Mark 1:4 And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

@Shield> Mark 1:5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

@Shield> Mark 1:6 John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.

@Shield> let's observe Mark 1:4-6

@Shield> what are the key words or phrases?

@Shield> anyone?

Bethel> o/

@Shield> yes Bethel?

Angel4God> o/

Bethel> preaching a baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins

@Shield> yes indeed

Angel4God> Baptizing in the desert

@Shield> good observation Angel4God

@Shield> others?

Deacon> confessing sins

GentleDove> ALL BAPTIZED IN RIVER Jordan CONFESSING SINS

eags> 0/ question

@Shield> good Deacon and GentleDove

@Shield> yes eags?

eags> significance of the statement John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.

@Shield> :)

eags> why is that mentioned

eags> in such detail

@Shield> glad you asked

@Shield> this is what I am talking about folks

@Shield> observation

@Shield> and asking why

@Shield> because it is key to understanding the text

@Shield> remember....

@Shield> Isaiah and Malachi

@Shield> and the fact that the writer of this gospel referenced them directly

@Shield> and the fact that Malachi specifically references a prophet as of Elijah rising up

@Shield> and then observe the characteristics of John

Angel4God> and John's message was, After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie

@Shield> Angel4God, correct, we are going to get there in just a moment:)

@Shield> at the moment we are observing the point which eags raises

@Shield> John's odd apparel

@Shield> and eating habits

@Shield> quite reminiscent of prophets such as Elijah

@Shield> does that help eags?

Angel4God> :)

eags> very much so :>)

eags> ty

@Shield> Mark 1:7 And this was his message: "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.

@Shield> and now for Angel4God's observation

@Shield> lets look at this text

@Shield> specifically verse 7

@Shield> what are the key phrases and words?

GentleDove> one mightier

@Shield> yes

@Shield> others?

carol> worthy

GentleDove> not worthy to unloose his shoes

@Shield> uh huh

@Shield> others?

Corky> more powerful

eags> after me

@Shield> yes to both...

@Shield> others?

@Shield> what if I were to tell you that none of those sets the verse in its proper frame on their own?

Corky> "one"

@Shield> uh huh

eags> meaning?

@Shield> well let's consider a phrase which we have so far avoided

@Shield> a phrase I believe is central to understanding the text thus far

@Shield> And this was his message:

@Shield> remember,

@Shield> he came as a prophet

@Shield> he preached repentance and baptism in water

@Shield> but

@Shield> "And this was his message: "

Angel4God> he was prophesied by Isaiah

@Shield> "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.

@Shield> Mark 1:8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

@Shield> John's mission was________

@Shield> fill in the blank

@Shield> what does a forerunner do?

@Shield> what does a prophet do, according to Isaiah and Malachi?

Deacon> foretells

JoyoftheLord> prepare the way of the Lord

eags> points to something

carol> Preach

@Shield> JoyoftheLord and eags bingo

GentleDove> to prepare the way off the Lord

@Shield> yes carol, and preach what?

GentleDove> baptism of repentance

@Shield> yes and also....?

carol> word

eags> forgiveness of sins

GentleDove> for remission of sins

@Shield> you are all correct but look again at verses 7 and 8

@Shield> and this was his message

@Shield> what was the message?

Deacon> baptism of the HS

@Shield> well that is true in part

GentleDove> John baptized with water Jesus baptized with the Holy Spirit

@Shield> "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.

@Shield> I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

@Shield> of whom was he speaking?

JoyoftheLord> the coming of the Lord

JoyoftheLord> Jesus

GentleDove> Jesus

dodi> Jesus

@Shield> and how do you know?

Angel4God> Jesus

@Shield> how do we know it was Jesus?

Deacon> Because of his position as being greater

@Shield> I am not trying to be mean

dodi> only Jesus can give HS

@Shield> I am just trying to get us to let the text speak for itself

@Shield> so lets do that now as I let you off the hook and we draw to a close

GentleDove> Prepare the way of the Lord make his paths straight

Angel4God> He tells about Himself in Malachi and Isaiah

@Shield> Mark 1:9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

@Shield> THAT is how we know

@Shield> and

@Shield> verse one

@Shield> Mark 1:1 The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

@Shield> so then

@Shield> in verse 1 and verse 9, we see reference to Jesus Christ

@Shield> Savior and Messiah

@Shield> Son of God

@Shield> and John's mission was to announce him

@Shield> that, above ALL else, was his mission

Angel4God> o/

@Shield> technically, even though John appears in the NT writings...

@Shield> he was an OT prophet

@Shield> yes Angel4God?

eags> now that is an interesting observation

Angel4God> may I add a small note?

@Shield> yes

Angel4God> John was Jesus' cousin

@Shield> correct

@Shield> anything else?

@Shield> Okay

@Shield> lets draw to a close

@Shield> what you have just experienced is a taste of inductive study

@Shield> we have barely scratched the surface

Angel4God> Praise the Lord

@Shield> in the weeks ahead we will forge ahead but not at the expense of appropriate depth and application

@Shield> as we draw to a close let me encourage you with this thought

@Shield> the way of the Lord which John prophesied, is the way of the Lord to which we have been called

@Shield> we have been called to a baptism of repentance

@Shield> and the baptism of the Holy Spirit

@Shield> literally meaning....

@Shield> immersion as a sign of our obedience in following Christ

@Shield> in repentance and a change of heart

@Shield> trusting him by faith

@Shield> and immersion by virtue of God filling us with his Holy Spirit as we surrender our lives to Jesus Christ

@Shield> perhaps tonight you feel distant from God

@Shield> religion has become something other than the sense of immediate relationship which we sense in John's relationship to Christ

@Shield> it has become a list of do's and don'ts

@Shield> a list of duties and hidden secrets out of shame

@Shield> broken relationships

@Shield> disappointment

@Shield> if what I am describing relates at all to what you are experiencing, I invite you to private chat either me if you are a male, or Angel4God if you are female

@Shield> we would love to pray with you and trust God to work in and through your life

@Shield> know this

@Shield> God loves you

@Shield> Jesus Christ, our Savior and Messiah, is alive and well and interested in your life

@Shield> whether you are a seasoned believer or you do not have a relationship with God

@Shield> God wants to work in your heart tonight and in the days to come

@Shield> indeed this is the good news about Jesus Christ, the Son of God