John's Work
Mark begins his description of the life of Christ and the early church with a summary of John's work in Mark 1:1-11. John is described as a messenger of Jesus Christ, and Mark describes his operation as having a simple form.
John went around crying out for people to prepare the way of the Lord and make his paths straight. Imagine if we would go around crying out such things today! Some things we should keep in mind about how he worked:
- He was sent with a job (Mark 1:2-3).
- He kept his life and his message simple (Mark 1:3,6).
- He ministered away from the hustle and bustle of communities (Mark 1:3-4).
- He still managed to get people's attention and they came to him (Mark 1:5).
- He knew who his boss was (Mark 1:7-8).
- He wasn't afraid to point out sin, which would eventually do him in.
- Anyone who listened and was receptive had to make a choice that would set them apart from their world and then commit to a life of repentance.
It had been around 400 years since there were active prophets in Israel. Malachi was the most recent prophet who was recorded. The people were dry, and under Roman occupation. They were looking for both the Messiah and to feel the general presence of the Lord again. And here came John, ministering in a fashion that got their attention.
He certainly wouldn't win any awards for how glitzy his sanctuary was or any compliments on how he dressed. I imagine the camel's hair coat and skin girdle was functional, but not fancy. He went around eating from the land - locusts and wild honey. I'm not advocating for utter simplicity. I like air conditioning in the summer to a point and certainly heat in the winter for where I live. I wouldn't look good in a skin girdle. I suspect most wouldn't. But I guarantee that he stood out from the religious order of the day.
Striking a balance today might look like keeping the church simple, not paying for extravagant furnishings and extras, and devoting the money saved to spreading God's word to the world. People attend churches for lots of reasons, and they pick and choose which ones to try out for lots of reasons also. But I'd rather be in a church where the Holy Spirit was moving, people were being healed, miracles were being performed, and God was giving messages directly to the people than in the most spectacular sanctuary or temple there was. If it comes down to praying for money for a new carpet or for praying for your congregation to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit, pick the second option. After all, God already knows about the carpet and He'll figure something out. Put His work first.
I'll readily grant that what would draw me to a church is not the same as others. Some are drawn to fancy trappings in the mistaken belief that they must indicate God's blessing on what goes on inside. Sometimes that is true. But realize that in Jesus day, the fancy trappings He was dealing with were associated with the Jewish faith. Later, as the gospel spread outside Israel, the fancy trappings were frequently dedicated to foreign gods. Seek where you may find Him, and don't be fooled by what your eyes see and desire.
John's ministry was simple. But his character and message got people's attention and kept it. If you wanted to follow his path, he required baptism in water and for you to change your life. As I understand it, baptism in water in that time set you apart from your Jewish faith. It would come to be a separation so strong that you might lose your family or business for being baptized. Baptism doesn't mean as much today. But maybe it should.
At the end of this section, Jesus showed up. John had been saying that there was another coming to whom he was completely unworthy to minister. He said that literally he was not worthy to take off Jesus shoes. That's some powerful humility. How your pastor feels about that might be a good clue about where he is with God. Is he humble? Does he or she realize just how great God is? To feel like you weren't even worthy to bend down in the dust to take off a shoe, a job of the servants of the day, is pretty humble. We need more of us who know just how much above us God is. Even Jesus, being sinless when on earth, was much more worthy than John, and John new it. More importantly, he wasn't afraid to say it out loud. He wasn't trying to bring any glory to himself.
When Christ arrives, he is baptized by John. Mark records in Mark 1:9-11 that when Christ came up out of the water (full immersion), the heavens opened and the Spirit descended like a dove over Christ and a voice came from heaven declaring that this was the son of God. God was pleased in Christ. He'd made it to His time of ministry, 30 years or thereabouts, and hadn't made the Father mad by sinning. Oh to be like Him.
Would that we all emulated John's character, service, and zeal in witnessing to the world about Christ. After all, Christ is coming again, just like He was coming the first time in John's day. He is to be lifted up, and not ourselves.
Jesus' Temptation
Immediately after His baptism, Mark records in Mark 1:12-13 that the Spirit of God sent Christ into the wilderness for a forty day period. During this time, He was tempted by Satan. When it was done, and He was victorious, angels ministered to Him. We think that any temptation we face is bad. Imagine if Satan himself was doing the work and it went on for forty days straight. Maybe some of us have been under occasional attack all our lives, and are getting up there in years. A situation like that is still different than forty days straight of solitude and Satan's attacks. That kind of attack requires the fullness of the Spirit to withstand, and usually the solitude with God and prayer that Jesus was doing at the same time.
Jesus' Early Ministry
Jesus continued John's message to the people after John was imprisoned (Mark 1:14). The time is here and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe what I'm telling you (Mark 1:15). Mark 1:16-20 details the calling of Simon, Andrew, James, and John to be part of His ministry. I'll bet every church leader out there wishes he was that close to God and had a following so sure he was different than normal, that he could tell someone that he wanted them to give up their job and be an associate pastor, and they'd do it.
The Holy Spirit was with Jesus, so He knew who to call on in the first place. And the Holy Spirit had to have been dealing with the hearts of those four, or they were just really sick of their current jobs, to say, "Why not?" and follow Christ. He was obviously known in the area. I'm sure the word had spread about His baptism and what happened. But it still took a lot of courage to give up their jobs and follow Christ. It still does today. And it's still worth it.
When they went into Capernaum, Jesus went on the sabbath day to the synagogue and taught (Mark 1:20-22). He astonished everyone who was present because He taught with authority. He wasn't like the teachers they were used to listening to. I've taught Sunday School most all my life. I've written many web pages. I'll be interested to know when I get to heaven and get a grade, how I've done. I hope I don't sound like the scribes. I hope it sounds like I know what I'm talking about. But I've never studied under a scribe, so I don't know how I'd compare.
The thing that I do know is that if you've read the Bible a few times and are filled with the Holy Spirit, He can do great things through you. You, yourself, may not be much. Most of the disciples weren't worth much either in and of themselves. But look at the difference in Peter, for example, after Acts 2. He was physically the same man. He still knew all he had known before. But the Holy Spirit had given him power to be a witness. Some people do have a more natural gift of teaching. But don't doubt what the Holy Spirit can do if you let Him.
There was a man with an unclean spirit in the synagogue (Mark 1:23-28). When the spirit was aware Christ was there, the spirit caused the man to cry out, acknowledging who Jesus was and wanting to know its fate. Jesus commanded it to be quiet and exit the man, and of course, the spirit did so after a bit of a struggle in the man. It wasn't recorded what the spirit said when it left, but it was loud and got the people's attention. The people couldn't understand that a person could have authority over Satanic forces. They'd never experienced anything like that before. Christ's fame spread.
Mark 1:29-32 records more of His early work. Simon's wife's mother was sick, and Jesus healed her. When her fever immediately left, she got up and ministered to them. Before anyone takes offense at the woman immediately working, think of how you'd feel if you were really sick with a high fever and someone came in and healed you right off. I'll bet you'd be up doing everything you could do to make that person feel welcome in your home as well. At least I would.
The whole city brought everyone who was sick or were suffering with devil possession to Jesus, and Jesus healed many and cast out many devils (Mark 1:33-34). It isn't clear whether everyone who came was healed. I'm pretty sure, given Jesus track record, that everyone who came and asked for healing were healed. The same with freedom from demon possession. But I suspect that human nature might have caused some who were brought to refuse to go forward, just like today. Thus it records many instead of all. All devils were commanded to be silent so as not to identify Him and cause problems in His early ministry.
As was His nature, in Mark 1:35 when it was morning, Jesus went to a place where He could be alone to pray. Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit, but still needed time to pray and seek direction for the day - where He should go, what He should do, what He should say, who He should say it to, and many other daily directional questions that He wanted to quietly seek God's direction on. It's a good way to start the day. If it's too chaotic where you are in the morning, find someplace quiet. Or pray in the middle of the night, if you'll remember the answers when you wake up. This in no way implies that the Holy Spirit wasn't directing Him as needed as the day progressed. Just that He started with a time of conversation with God for general directions for the future.
Mark 1:36-38 records that the disciples and others followed Him, and when they reached Him He declared that it was time to move on to other towns. Mark 1:39 indicates that the preaching and control over unclean spirits continued throughout Galilee.
The final portion of Mark 1:40-45 recounts the story of the leper who came and indicated that he had faith that Christ could heal him, if Christ would. Christ healed him, and then ordered him to show himself to the priest with the proper offering as a testimony to them before doing anything else. But the man didn't listen and told everyone he knew, and Jesus wasn't able to openly enter the city any more but had to stay outside the city in more desert places, but still the people flocked to Him.
Can you imagine a preacher or evangelist or missionary today trying to get someone who was healed to not spread the news? That would take some real discernment and strength of character. Times haven't changed much. Even though Christ knew what would happen, and He sought temporary escape in the desert, the people followed. Would that we had that problem today.