WATCHWORD:
1 This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God It began 2 just as the prophet Isaiah had written:“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way. 3 He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’” 4 This messenger was John the Baptist. 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. 5 All of Judea, including all the people of Jerusalem, went out to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.6 His clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food, he ate locusts and wild honey.7 John 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.8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!” Mark 1:1-8
4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. Galatians 4:4-5
Meditation:
Mark His Words
We know quite a bit about the Mark, but mostly bits and pieces as he grew to become what we know as the apostle. We know that Mark’s mother opened her home for gatherings of early Christians. We may know him as the impulsive, un-named young man in the garden of Gethsemane who, out of fear, runs away naked, after a guard had held him by his tunic. The next we learn of Mark, we find him a protégé of Barnabus, who convinces Paul to allow him to go on the first Mission Journey, only to find that the young man was not prepared for missionary work, and returned home three months later.
In researching for my book, A Life for Barabbas, it seemed clear that even though Mark was part of that first journey for only three months, it had a transformational impact on him. His commitment to Christ was firm, and he, Luke and Matthew took on the challenge of confirming the apostle’s witness of Jesus’ ministry, and communicating with the churches. Many believe that Mark’s letter was the first of the four Gospels written.
There are some who believe that the Apostle Peter is the main source of Mark’s gospel, because Peter speaks very affectionately of Mark, referring to him as ‘my son’. That doesn’t take away from the power of Mark’s Gospel. It contains vivid details of life and Christ’s ministry. In a sense, we see with Peter’s eyes and catch almost the very look and gesture of Jesus as he moved among men in his work of healing bodies and saving souls.
My friend, Paul Borg, has shared with me this unique perspective on the Gospel of Mark:
Walking Boldly Backwards into the Future
By Pastor Paul Borg, Cornerstone Lutheran
Here is a powerful picture that has transformed my life and faith. What do you think? In America, we say: “The past is behind you and the future is before you. Move boldly forward into the future.” Biblical leaders would disagree. “No No! The past is before you and the future is behind you, move boldly backwards into the future.”
Wow!! Why the difference? Biblical people would say that you can see the past clearly before you; how faithful the Lord has been—fulfilling all his promises for over 4000 years. Remember the Covenant, Exodus, the desert, promised land, Kings, prophets, Jesus’s birth, His life, His death, His resurrection, and the whole of the new testament. They are all clearly before us. This is one of the great reasons we have these sacred Scriptures. And Mark’s text, reveals all of this, which includes both eternity and the present.
Likewise, our personal past is before us. Jesus has always been there and faithful. We also can move boldly backwards into the future.
Thank you, faithful Lord, Creator of the Universe, for gracing us with such clarity, such promises kept, and such peace. Amen.
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I understand Paul’s point. As we move into our future, there, before us are the promises made, even from ancient time, and kept. Promises that allow us to be confident in what we believe, and to trust, and rest on those promises as we face tomorrow. Thank you, Jesus.
Closing Prayer:
Father God, we thank You and praise You today for the miracle of Your Son’s birth. Thank You for bringing great JOY to the whole world! Thank You for giving us the assurance that because You came to us in the form of a human, we who believe in Jesus can know with absolute certainty that we’ll spend eternity with You. We thank You, Lord, for the many reasons we have been given a merry Christmas. And we rejoice for each blessing. New life. New love. A home. A job. New opportunities. Second chances. And more. We know, Lord, that You bring the sun and the moon and set the stars in motion. You tell the ocean where to stop and the snow when to start. And we thank You for the mighty gift of Your creation. Finally, Lord, we ask You to grant us peace. Peace in our homes, peace in our churches, and peace in our hearts, when the world all around us spins out-of-control. Help us to stay focused on You, this Advent season and always. Thank You for loving the whole world enough to send the greatest gift, Your Son, so that we might truly have a very merry Christmas. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
