The Submissive Servant

 

COLERAINE INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SUNDAY 19 JANUARY 2025 pm – MR REUBEN LYONS

MARK 1 VERSES 1 TO 15 – JESUS THE SUBMISSIVE SERVANT

Last week as entered into the study in the book of Mark we seen Jesus being the coming king.  Tonight we witnessed Jesus has arrived.  He is submitted to God for his plan on earth, the wonderful act of redemption, his journey to the cross has come.  Now Jesus is the submissive servant.  Jesus’ public ministry has begun, it has commenced.  Very little information is given of his life up to now unlike the other gospels.  Jesus’ life would be under the microscope of everyone he came into contact with.  Public scrutiny was going to be a focal point of his life moving forward.  This is not a low burning book that we should stay with it for a while before it draws you in.  Rather it is a fast paced book.  There are 3 crucial events that take place when Jesus arrives on the scene.  The 3 events are the baptism of Jesus, the temptation of Jesus and the early ministry of Jesus.

Verses 9 to 11 show the baptism of Jesus.  What we are now seeing is the switch in perspective.  John the Baptist was preparing the way for the servant king.  It was not John’s gospel but Jesus’ gospel (verse 1).  John’s work of preparation was now nearing completion.  We followed the messenger now we are following the message, Jesus himself.  Where did he come from to reach this moment of inauguration into his earthly ministry?  Jesus and his family came from Nazareth, a small town in the northern regions of Israel.  A secluded place in the day, of little importance to the capital of Jerusalem.  Did not play a big part in the politics of those days.  Why would Jesus be in Nazareth?  This place for the Son of God to spend his youth?  People who came from Nazareth were was also looked down on.  There was disdain hatred for the people who lived and worked there.  The impression was you were working with Gentiles not Jews and from Israel.  Upon arrival he had no fame, no celebrity status, no one knew he really was.  They didn’t know he was the promised Messiah, the servant king who would go to the cross, die for their sins.  The mass of people would soon follow but initially he was a nobody from nowhere.  Now he had arrived he was baptised by John.  This was unlike the baptism carried out up to now. Others came to be baptised after repenting and confessing sins.  Jesus didn’t have to do that because he was the pure and perfect Son of God.  In these waters of baptism we see he was keeping to his mission statement, following the Father’s plan for redemption.  He was identifying with those he came into the world to save.  He was identifying with them in this act of submission.  He came to stand where sinners should stand.  In return he gave to them the gift of redeeming grace and a relationship with God the Father.  Even though his ministry is just begun it is already an anointed ministry by God – verse 10.  Jesus came up, the heavens tore opened, and the Spirit descended like a dove.  This heavenly act was done to say God was approving his son in his obedience to following the plan and now beginning of his ministry.  Identity is at the forefront of these events.  God the Father is identifying before everyone that this was no ordinary baptism.  This is my son, the only son of God.  This theme of being recognised as the Son of God is mentioned time and time again in Mark.  This son of God came to the world to die for our sins. The only other time the heavens were tor open up in scripture was when the curtain was torn in 2 as Jesus hung on the cross.  At the end of the gospels we have the crucifixion but at the beginning the baptism.  Identity in both occasions. In this anointing at baptism the Holy Spirit came in gentleness, purity, equipping his son for earthly ministry that would follow him . John Piper said “When Jesus was baptized along with all the repenting people who wanted to be on God's side, it was as though the commander-in-chief had come to the front lines, fastened his bayonet, strapped on his helmet, and jumped into the trench along with the rest of us. And when he did that, his Father in heaven, who had sent him for this very combat, signified with the appearance of a dove that the Holy Spirit would be with him in the battles to come.”  Jesus had obeyed the plan of the Father and God was now saying you are ready, you know now what to do.  He was approved by God.  In verse 11 we see his approval by God and it was one of love.  No prophet or messenger ever heard words like this.  Abraham was known as the friend of God, Moses the servant of God, Aaron as the chosen one and David the man after God’s own heart.  None was ever called the servant king.  God’s only son Jesus could be given that title.  This display of love should be recognised by us.  We have the righteousness of God imputed to our account.  We have been approved by God.  He is approving the work in our hearts.  We are now identified now with Jesus and with God the Father.  Has he identified you as belonging to his Father.  If so praise God, rejoice in God being your Saviour.

The temptation of Jesus – verses 12 and 13.  In other stories following the great opening act where something amazing happens, the story will slow down, give the writer a break but that doesn’t happen here with Mark’s gospel.  It goes at a quick place, the hero didn’t have time to rest.  Immediately he is in the wilderness.  No time to be basking in the glory of his heavenly Father.  He had a task to perform and immediately he went out to do it. Jesus didn’t say “let me take a few years to realise where people are and how I can speak to them.”  He was ready to follow and do exactly what he had been sent to earth to do. Jesus acted “immediately.” The Holy Spirit drove him out, took him to the wilderness. God’s plan had now begun.  This was no accidental encounter with the enemy.  No set out by God, a divine appointment. Unexpected takes place in this gospel.  The baptism didn’t mean he had time to meet with friends and families.  He had to go into the wilderness, battling against Satan. He was now cast into the wilderness.  Be encouraged by this event. When you receive a call from God to go and serve him. Not into full time ministry but maybe into leadership, in children’s work, amongst family, in community – when that happens there will be trials to face, battles, times of testing.  One moment on the mountain top celebrating what God has given you.  The next moment you will be down in the wilderness following the Lord.  Take heart, follow the example of Jesus.  He didn’t shrink back. He went out and fought in the trenches. Remember Jesus knows what we are going through and wants to help us through it.  He wants to help direct and see us grow through the harsh moments we will go through.  Hebrews 4 verse 15 “for we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”  Jesus knows what you face, what is on your heart, the battle you are facing, the trial in your family life. He wants you to bring it to him to minister and help you along the way.  In verse 13 we see the duration of this time of testing. It was 40 days. Day after day spent in the wilderness, no vacation destination to enjoy. The conditions surrounding Jesus were full of tiredness, weakness, great physical pain. The enemy was bombarding him.  It symbolises or speaks of the 40 years the Israelites spent in the wilderness in the Old Testament.  They failed when tested, Jesus was however successful, victorious. We can be victorious in times of testing. We should be looking to the example of our Saviour knowing he can help in time of testing.  We may go through hard seasons for many weeks, months or years.  Take heart God is faithful.  He never forgets his own. Across these days Satan would have offered every temptation known to man. Jesus endured it all.  He remained faithful to his Father.  In the wilderness the Son of God went through all we could endure with the temptation that comes to our lives and he overcome by the power of the Spirit.  Jesus was doing battle with Satan on some divine invasion of enemy territory. He has gone behind enemy lines to gain the victory. Shows us we are not to question or doubt him but to admit this is the Son of God.  He is who I need to know and where true life is found.  Satan knew the suffering and death of Jesus meant his doom and destruction.  It meant no new life, no salvation for us.  This was battle of immense importance. Satan was going to strike and deter his ministry.  It was before his ministry started in our him temptation.  We can overcome through the Holy Spirit just as Jesus did. If you don’t have Christ defeat is all that is ahead for you.  If you have Christ you can know peace, security and victory because of Jesus and what he has done for you.

The early ministry of Jesus – verses 14 and 15.  John the Baptist is now in prison.  The succession of the ministry has now happened.  John had been sentenced to prison and had been constrained by earthy means.  But the earthly ministry of sharing the good news was only beginning for Jesus.  It was the only thing for Jesus.  It had to be all about Jesus.  John was the forerunner who prepared the way. His ministry would not last for ever and pale in comparison to the ministry Jesus would now work out.  John did not fail by being in prison to answer God’s call on his life.  He had fulfilled his purpose as the last of the Old Testament prophets and the commencement of Jesus ministry had now begun. As Jesus began his working ministry he came into Galilee faithfully preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.  An announcement that was generations in the making was now being made.  Everyone needed to hear this message. God in the Old Testament had promised to send the Messiah to save his people from their sins, from bondage and the enemy.  Then establishing his kingdom on earth. Many in great anticipation assumed it would be an immediate kingdom, it would boast a great material wealth, a military and political power but not Jesus the military king, the earthly king, but the servant king.  Didn’t come to fulfil the hopes and aspirations of fallen man to fulfil.  He came fo fulfil God’s plan of redeeming love. There were many who missed the mark of what gospel is all about just like today.  May say the gospel Jesus loves you.  Yes that is true but it so much more than that.  Jesus came and was faithful to the message.  Jesus came and was submissive to God’s plan. The gospel is not just Jesus loves you but the gospel is repentance and believing in gospel. We need to remember that we too are called to be faithful in sharing the good news of the cross. Often it is hard, we will face rebuke, there will be mockery, hardness against our lives and abuse. Message has not changed. But Jesus is the only hope for humanity. Sole means of salvation, the only route to be accepted by God. If you don’t identify with Christ you will be in a lost eternity.  Your hearts will be heavy for those who do not identify with God who don’t believe anything to do with God’s truth. Important we share that important message of repentance. Jesus came to preach a message of repentance and forgiveness of sin. Our call has not changed.

Verse 15 - the appeal in Jesus’ preaching.  The wait is now finally over. The promised Messiah, the one they had been seeking had finally come.  God had been faithful and kept his promise in the Old Testament and Jesus had come and now was with them. The Messiah had come. In his arrival and opening words of teaching he shares a urgent message.  We still need to teach that message today. Jesus came to redeem and save.  There was no time to waste.  The time to look to Jesus in saving faith was now.  Those looking on were witnessing a message of repentance and faith. The challenge to them was to repent of their sins and believe in the gospel.  They too like us needed to repent and turn to the Saviour, to look to him and believing that he was the Christ, the promised Son of God.  Salvation is only found in Christ, that message needed to be embraced.  It was not found in any other, any ploy or tactic this world could bring forth. The message of repentance is one our world finds controversial, unappealing, hard, traditional, legalistic. But it is the most important message to be received, to answer and most important message to submit to.  Repentance and faith is not some spur of the moment decision that lasts for a few moments and makes little to no difference in your life.  Repentance of your sins and placing your faith and trust in Christ as your submissive servant is a radical transformation of your life orientation. That you would look back to a time when you didn’t know Jesus and your life was different.  You didn’t know your bible, didn’t that God loves you and you needed to repent. Now your life is all the better because you identify with him. A king has arrived on your scene of life that rightfully demanded that you obey and follow him. You still follow him to this day. This is the unchanging and uncompromising message of the kingdom of God.  We must believe Jesus died in our place, atoned for our sins, was buried and rose again in triumphant life. This is the way of salvation. It will never change. The truth of the gospel is all of Jesus and no-one else. Do you believe that Jesus died in your place?  Do you believe he paid the price for your sins? That he died and was buried and rose the third day? This is the way of salvation.  Rejoice in that truth. These 3 events offer so much hope and comfort. That Jesus took on the form of human flesh, lived a perfect and sinless life, overcoming every temptation imaginable, offering himself as a sacrifice, dying in our place to purchase our redemption.  He rose again in resurrection life so that we may be justified, securing eternal life for those who believe. He is the source of our strength, our joy and our hope. If you know him as Saviour rejoice in that wonderful provision.  But if you know those who are not saved we need to bring this message of repentance, believing fully in the message of the gospel.  It still needs to be shared. Repentance, believing in the gospel by faith – they can still be saved today if they believe it.