Introduction. But their sins and hardheartedness had brought down punishment from God over and over again.

Transcription

1 Introduction For centuries, the Jewish people had taken it for granted that they were the chosen race of God, chosen by God to enjoy a special relationship and special privileges. But their sins and hardheartedness had brought down punishment from God over and over again. But after every Egypt there was a promised land; after every Babylon there was a rebuilding of Jerusalem. Yet for 500 years before the coming of Jesus, there was an unending stream of foreigners anxious to control Palestine and subject the Jewish nation to poverty, slavery and sacrilege.

2 2 The Babylonians, the Greeks, the Syrians, the Egyptians, and the Romans each in turn claimed control of Palestine, and each in turn was hated more by the proud and stubborn Jews. Out of this oppression and despair grew a strong and burning hope a hope that God would send a deliverer, someone who would expel the foreign armies with their foreign gods and foreign ideas, a savior who would reestablish the sole reign of God over Jerusalem and her people, a Messiah who would lead the people to glorious victory over the pagan armies and set up an eternal kingdom on the Mount of Zion. Did you know Jewish historians record no less than 64 people who have come claiming to be the Messiah?

3 3 Though the Jews were looking for the Messiah, they were looking for a certain kind of messiah, one who fit their notions about what a Messiah should be. They thought of the Messiah as a military leader and political ruler. To see the Messiah as a suffering servant, as a lamb that must be slain to cleanse the sins of the people, as one who was despised and from whom men hid their faces that kind of Messiah was no part of Jewish thinking. That s why Mark had to set the record straight. I. He Would Establish the Identity of Jesus. A. Jesus is the Messiah, according to Mark 1. Jesus is portrayed as a powerful, beneficent presence in Mark. a. His healing ministry shows he s from God.

4 4 b. He has authority over demons! c. His teachings blow everyone away! d. After listening to Him, they say He teaches with authority, not like the Scribes and Pharisees! 2. It isn t as if He doesn t have witnesses. a. The Demons know who He is (Mk 1:34)! They call him the holy one of God! b. So do the Disciples! c. Peter confesses Jesus saying You are the Christ (Mk 8:29). d. Jesus Himself claims divinity. e. When asked by the high priest, Are you the Christ? (Mk 14:61b). f. Jesus says, I am (Mark 14:62).

5 5 g. As I mentioned last week B. The prologue of Mark establishes the identity of Jesus. 1. It begins by saying, 1 The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. (Mark 1:1, NIV) a. Right here Mark determines the purpose of his Gospel. b. He writes four very important words: 1. gospel: the good news about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. 2. Jesus: the Gr. form of the Heb. name Joshua, which means the Lord is salvation. 3. Christ: the Gr. form of Messiah, which means the anointed one. 4. Son of God: an affirmation of Jesus deity it stresses his unique relationship to the Father. c. Look at what Mark does:

6 6 1. He doesn t emphasize John (like Luke). 2. Nor does he detail the temptation (like Matthew). d. His purpose is to introduce Jesus as the Christ. 2. He lets us know from the outset Jesus is the Messiah. a. We don t have to wait until the 8 th chapter to get; we get it in chap. 1, v So the next thing Mark does is us show us John the Baptist (1:2-8). a. This is powerful because it shows the cosmic earthly battle taking place around Jesus arrival. b. The Isaiah quote, 2 I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way - 3 a voice of one calling in the desert,

7 7 Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. signals the onset of of God s eternal plan of redemption in Jesus being fulfilled. c. There is not doubt about it the Messiah has come! (1) His message is unique. (2) And He comes with the power of the Holy Spirit (3) The spirit descends upon Him like a dove. (4) A voice speaks from heaven, You are my Son; with you I am well pleased. (5) The Satan tempts Him (2:12-13). 4. Does everyone see these amazing events?

8 8 a. Jesus comes claiming to be the Messiah. b. He does speak or act like other religious men. c. The Holy Spirit testifies as to his identity. d. The Father speaks from heaven! e. The initial heavenly battle is played out again, this time on earth between the Son of God incarnate and Satan. Transition: All of the happens and we say wow! This world is filled with conflict and suspense. It s a world of reversals and strange ironies. A world of riddles and hidden meanings.

9 9 Perhaps the greatest of them is this great paradox after Mark goes to all this effort to identify Jesus as the Christ, Jesus spends the next 10 chapters of this gospel trying to conceal his identity. II. The Reluctant Messiah A. He tries to keep healings a secret. 1. Examples of this in Mark: a. In 1:40-45, He heals a leper but tells him, 44 See that you don t tell this to anyone. (Mark 1:44, NIV) b. In 5:37-43, He raises Jairus daughter, 3 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this (Mark 5:43, NIV) c. In 7:31-37, He heals the deaf and dumb man. d. In 8:22-26, He heals the blind man of Bethsaida.

10 10 e. And every single time He tells them to keep their mouths shut. 2. The only time Jesus asked someone to tell about their healing was when he was in gentile territory (5:19). B. Jesus even forbids the demons to disclose his identity. 1. Examples of this in Mark: a. In 1:23-25, He told the demon in the Synagogue in Capernaum to be quiet. b. In 1:32-34, when in Peter s house in Capernaum, he wouldn t let the demons speak. c. In 3:11-12, when by the Sea of Galilee He gave the demons strict orders not to tell who he was. 2. Here s the point. a. It s not that Jesus doesn t want the Devil s agents witnessing to him. b. Rather, Jesus does not want his identity to be revealed (note esp. 1:34 and 3:12).

11 11 C. And Jesus forbids his own disciples to make known his identity. 1. At Peter s confession (8:27-30) 2. And the Transfiguration (9:2-10) 3. Jesus commands them not to tell anyone! D. Secrecy is a big deal in Mark: 1. Jesus taught in parables (4:11-12). 2. Tried to keep his whereabouts secret. a. He stayed away from towns in lonely places (1:45). Transition: Why would Jesus be such a Reluctant Messiah? Was it 1. Because he did not believe himself to be the Messiah? 2. Because he was modest and did not like people talking about him?

12 12 3. Because he wanted to avoid controversy and prolong his life? 4. Because his followers were confused about the character of the Messiah? He was an undercover Christ because people didn t understand. II. The Undercover Christ. A. It s a problem of definition. 1. Jesus is not reluctant and secretive because of fear or modesty or any lack of confidence in himself. 2. Jesus is secretive because Messiah means different things to Him than to his disciples and the other characters of this gospel. B. The mission of Jesus is other worldly.

13 13 1. I have come to preach the kingdom (Mark 1:38) 2. I have come to call sinners (Mark 2:17) 3. I have come to serve and give my life (Mark 10:45) C. The upside-down Messiah 1. The cross defines the Messiah in Mark. 2. Jesus does not stress his messianic identity because it cannot be understood without a comprehension of the cross. 3. The real secret of Mark is not that Jesus is the Messiah, Conclusion but that to be the Messiah means to lay down the life, to be a disciple means to do the same, and to be in the kingdom of God means to serve rather than being served, to lose rather than win, to die rather than kill.

14 14 1. Can we let Jesus define himself in Mark? a. Will we put aside our preconceptions of Christ and Savior long enough to let Jesus - through Mark describe what kind of Messiah and Savior he is? b. Mark intends to define a Jesus who is very different from common expectations - an upside-down Messiah. 2. Can we let Jesus define us in this gospel? a. Will we open ourselves to new understandings of what discipleship is about? b. Mark intends to define discipleship in a way very different from common expectations. Invitation