Mark's biography of Jesus is written about 65 AD.
It's about 35 years after the death of Jesus.
And Mark writes really vividly the stories and the sayings of Jesus
and there are people who are still alive who had witnessed those events.
And they were events which were so significant to those who witnessed them
that they told the story over and over and over again.
It's the first and it's the earliest account of Jesus.
Really unusually a number of the New Testament letters are written
before the Gospels are written down.
A Gospel.
It's a declaration about who Jesus was and what he came to do
and Mark is so important and so accurate
that Luke and Matthew will later write their own biographies
biographies based on large parts of Mark.
Matthew and Luke use lots of Mark in them.
I was surprised as I prepared for today
because I saw that this is an Italian Gospel.
It's written to an audience like us,
people in the Western world, people from the Western world,
people not from the Jewish world.
Mark tells the story about a Jewish man called Jesus
but he uses Roman words and expressions and ideas.
He talks about legions of demons,
about the army as the praetorium,
the commander as a centurion.
He uses Roman money and expressions
when he talks about a denarius
and two small copper lepta,
two Roman tiny coins that the widows put into the treasury.
And even when he talks about the trial of Jesus,
he tells the events in an Italian way,
in terms of four watches of the night
instead of the Jewish way with three watches.
And I think if he was here telling us the story this morning,
he would be painting the picture
with terms that we understand.
He'd be telling the same story
but he'd talk about dollars and cents
and army and SAS and parliament
and lieutenant colonels to tell the story about Jesus
in ways and means with which we could readily identify.
So you ask this question, who is Mark?
Colossians chapter 4 tells us that he's Barnabas' cousin.
Acts chapter 15 tells us
that he is the source of a sharp disagreement
between Paul and Barnabas.
He'd been part of Paul and Barnabas' team
on the first missionary journey
and it seems like he got cold feet along the way
and he came home.
And they're getting ready to go out on their next journey
and Paul feels let down by him
and says, I don't want him to go with me.
So Paul and Barnabas divide over Mark.
And later on in 2 Timothy chapter 4
when Paul says, get Mark and bring him with you
because he is helpful to me in my ministry,
it clearly shows that they'd been reconciled.
Perhaps even more significant is Mark's connection to Peter
and you get a glimpse of that in 1 Peter chapter 5 verse 13.
Peter writes,
It's strange language but there's this clear connection
between Peter and Mark.
When you hear Babylon in the Bible
you have to think evil empire.
Peter is using hidden language.
He's writing from the capital of the world.
The capital of the world at this time is Rome.
So when he says,
She who is in Babylon
it's a way of saying the church who is in Rome
sends greetings
and so does Mark
who's here as well.
1 Peter
is probably,
this letter is probably written
just before Peter's death
and history tells us
that he was crucified
in a similar way to the Apostle Paul
upside down in a Roman circus
by Emperor Nero.
Mark has been
a companion.
So you see out of Acts
and you see out of the New Testament letters
that Mark has been
both a companion
of the Apostle Paul
and a companion
of the Apostle Peter.
And he's also been
on ministry assignment
with Barnabas,
his cousin,
as well.
And so he's heard
the gospel preached
by these men.
He's heard them
tell first hand
about their experiences
with the Lord Jesus Christ.
They were eyewitnesses.
They heard what Jesus said.
They saw what Jesus did.
And Mark has probably seen
both of them die.
And so he writes down
this gospel.
Key witnesses are dead.
And what he does,
he commits their preaching
and teaching to writing.
He writes down the message
which has been seeing
men and women
and boys and girls
from different ethnicities
and nations
coming to know
and believe in Christ
all over the world.
So it's multicultural,
it's multi-generational preaching
which has brought
many people to faith.
and Mark is a preacher
who just wants to grab
people's imaginations
and hearts
with the importance
of this message
about Jesus.
And so he begins.
The beginning
of the gospel
about Jesus Christ,
the Son of God.
And we are so familiar
that we just do not see
the glory of what he's saying.
He makes a stunning declaration
from the centre
of the evil empire
where the so-called
God-King Nero
has his home.
Mark announces
the beginning
of the ministry
of Jesus the King
who is the actual
Son of God,
the one and only
Son of God.
Calling it gospel
is loaded as well.
Gospels are common enough
word outside the Bible.
It means glad tidings
but there is only
one known place
outside the Bible
where it is written
in the singular
where it says
glad tidings
and it is used
to declare
one really big bit
of good news.
Archaeologists
found a calendar
inscription
from about 9 BC
referring to the birth
of Emperor Augustus.
He was the king
when Jesus was born.
And the description
describes
the birthday
of Augustus
the king
the God
as
the birthday
of the God
was for the world
the beginning
of tidings
of joy
on his account.
That's a politician
in Rome.
Emperors in Rome
were worshipped
as deities
North Korean
type dictators
their birth
was seen to be
an event
of world shaping
significance.
And so
with a very
understated
beginning
Mark shouts
the beginning
of the gospel
about Jesus
Christ
the son
of God
he's saying
this is a history
shaping moment.
The king
from heaven
the son
of God
is Jesus
Mark announces
a joyous
moment
when the son
of God
steps onto
the stage
of world
history
as king.
It's a
momentous
moment
and this
news has
power
it has
already
transformed
the existence
of many
people
he's been
watching
what's
been
happening
in Peter
and Paul's
preaching.
The gospel
will finish
with a similar
declaration
an Italian
centurion
attending
Jesus'
crucifixion
will cry
out
surely
this man
was the
son of
God
in Mark
15
39.
Mark
moves
and it would be
really helpful
if you got
your gospels
open
Mark
chapter 1
Mark
moves
very quickly
to tell us
about three
different voices
that testify
to Jesus
first comes
from the
past
from the
Old Testament
verse 2
it is written
in Isaiah
the prophet
I will send
my messenger
ahead of you
who will
prepare your
way
a voice
of one
calling in
the desert
prepare the
way for the
Lord
make straight
paths
for him
it's been
seven or
eight hundred
years since
God has
shown his
way
shown himself
by way
of miracle
or voice
there hasn't
been much
for a long
time
the events
have been
few and
far between
maybe some
of the miracles
with Daniel
the sun's
shadow going
backwards
for Hezekiah
some of the
really big
miracles in
the time of
Elijah and
Elijah
God defeating
the prophets
of Baal
or tucking
Elijah away
in a rock
crevice
while he
passed by
but it
really had
seemed as
though God
hadn't shown
his face
or moved
his arm
in a very
long time
and Mark
quotes
Isaiah
prophesying
about a
future day
when God
would appear
again
he uses
the personal
name of God
to declare
a future
day when
Yahweh the
Lord would
show his
face again
God is
going to
come in
person
so when
Mark
describes
the second
voice of
John the
Baptist
he is
the one
that Isaiah
said would
come immediately
before the
appearance of
the Lord
and so in
verse 4
and so John
came baptising
in the desert
region and
preaching a
baptism of
repentance for
the forgiveness
of sins
and the whole
Judean
countryside and
all the people
of Jerusalem
went out to
him confessing
their sins
they were
baptised by
him in the
Jordan River
and you get
this picture
of people
coming from
all over
the place
to hear
and to
respond to
John's
preaching
they're
coming 40
or 50
kilometres
on foot
to get
ready for
God's
coming
they're
cleaning up
their
ad
they're
cleaning up
their
act
can you
imagine
the risen
Jesus
coming in
the flesh
later today
coming to
the AGM
that would
be interesting
really
interesting
and
looking into
your eyes
and you
won't be
looking back
in his
eyes
saying
aren't
they
beautiful
brown
eyes
aren't
they
beautiful
blue
eyes
or
whatever
we'll
be like
everybody
else
in the
Bible
who will
be on
our
knees
overwhelmed
by his
goodness
and purity
and deeply
aware
of how
broken
and sinful
we are
but when
they get
to John
these people
they're
confessing
their sins
they're
receiving
baptism
they're
being washed
outwardly
outward
indicators
of
inner
cleansing
a change
of heart
and when
they come
John
preaches
a powerful
message
which points
them to
a much
greater
one
he doesn't
just let
them stop
with him
he's pointing
beyond himself
to someone
far greater
verse 7
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
I baptise
you with
water
but he
will baptise
you with
the Holy
Spirit
coming after
me is
someone so
great that
I am not
worthy
even to
do up
his
shoelaces
and he
will bring
a washing
not with
water
he will
baptise
you
he will
wash
you with
the Holy
Spirit
of God
he will
empower
you
with
the
power
of
God
himself
so
Isaiah
declares
the coming
of God
John
the Baptist
declares
the coming
of God
and then
while Jesus
is being
baptised
heaven is
torn open
and the
third voice
comes from
God
the Father
himself
in heaven
you are
my son
whom I
love
with you
I am
well
pleased
God
appears
in all
his
persons
at the
baptism
of
Jesus
the
son
is
present
in
the
flesh
the
spirit
descends
on him
in
power
and the
father
in the
most
extraordinary
way
speaks
and declares
him to
be
his
son
deeply
loved
and
delighted
in
the
father
and the
son
are
united
in
the
father's
love
the
son
is
not
abandoned
to
this
world
he
comes
with
the
full
power
and
the
love
of
God
himself
and
that
spirit
enabled
power
is
about
to be
demonstrated
in
the
most
extraordinary
ways
in
the
life
and
ministry
of
Jesus
in
the
story
that
Luke
Mark
will
now
tell
and
so
very
soberly
the
stage
is
set
and
a
story
is
about
to
be
told
where
people
who
receive
the
son
receive
the
love
of
his
father
and
those
who
reject
the
son
reject
the
love
of
God
his
father
you
cannot
ever
say
that
you
believe
in
God
and
not
believe
in
Jesus
they
are
absolutely
inseparable
and
so
Mark
begins
to
preach
about
Jesus
because
he
knows
that
if
you
come
to
know
and
understand
and
receive
Jesus
then
he
will
bring
you
safely
to
his
God
and
father
who
is
the
almighty
God
of
the
universe
do
you
want
to
know
God
know
Jesus
when
you
read
the
opening
of
Mark's
gospel
it
moves
really
quickly
it
covers
significant
geographical
distance
in the
first
13
verses
within
the
first
13
verses
people
have
travelled
many
kilometres
to where
the
action
is
Jesus
himself
travels
about
100
kilometres
south
from
Nazareth
in
Galilee
and in
a few
more
verses
he'll
be
back
there
again
I
don't
think
he
used
astral
travel
I
think
he
walked
and
it
would
have
been
a
journey
that
took
many
days
but
Mark's
not
interested
in the
details
of the
journey
he's
into
events
so
verse
12
at
once
the
spirit
sent
him
out
into
the
desert
and
he
was
in
the
desert
for
40
days
being
tempted
by
Satan
and
he
was
with
the
wild
animals
and
angels
attended
him
Matthew
takes
the
preaching
ministry
in
Galilee
verse
15
Jesus
announces
his
ministry
begins
his
ministry
the
time
has
come
the
kingdom
of
God
is
near
repent
and
believe
the
good
news
it's
begun
I've
always
been
troubled
by the
next
bit
charismatic
preacher
walks
along
the
shore
of
the
lake
it's
the
workplace
of
fishermen
and
the
way
Mark
tells
it
Jesus
says
follow
me
and
they
do
and
I've
heard
messages
on
this
passage
in
the
past
and
people
say
hear
the
call
of
Jesus
and
respond
which
is
a
true
thing
to
say
but
it
never
sits
quite
as
easily
as
that
on
such
a
brief
description
we've
got
children
and
we've
got
grandchildren
we
live
in
a
world
of
charlatans
and
where
child
protection
matters
and
it
doesn't
seem
right
to be
teaching
people
to
respond
to
the
most
powerful
persuasive
voice
that
comes
along
and
we
see
here
that
disciples
left
businesses
and
they
left
families
to
follow
Jesus
but
remember
Mark's
being
brief
very
brief
he's
rapidly
summarising
the
call
the
response
John
will
later
write
and
fill
in
some
of
the
details
that
Mark
doesn't
give
here
some
of
these
disciples
were
already
disciples
of
John
the
Baptist
Andrew
would
be
the
one
who
brings
his
brother
Peter
to
hear
Jesus
Mark's
not
doing
detail
he's
painting
this
very
rapid
picture
and
so
for the
rest
of
chapter
one
he
will
do
what
he
does
for
the
next
half
of
the
gospel
I
guess
will
unfold
for
us
over
the
next
few
weeks
he
will
paint
a
picture
of
the
power
of
the
son
of
God
in
action
he
will
confront
evil
spirits
and
they
will
obey
him
he
will
show
himself
to
be
a
absolutely
good
he
overturns
the
effects
of
sin
and
darkness
and
disease
and
people
will
come
from
all
over
to
see
and
to
hear
him
the
son
of
God
is
powerful
and
the
son
of
God
is
very
good
when
Mark
writes
down
his
glad
tidings
about
Jesus
he
does
something
incredibly
strategic
he
changes
the
model
of
ministry
that
he
had
lived
under
he
had
experienced
two
teams
of
two
great
eyewitnesses
of the
Lord
Jesus
he
lived
under
the
preaching
of
Paul
and
under
the
preaching
of
Peter
he
associated
with
people
like
Barnabas
and
what
he
does
now
is
he
commits
their
preaching
to
writing
preaching
from
within
30
years
of
Jesus
on
the
cross
is
in
our
hands
and
still
proclaiming
the
wonderful
son
of
God
when
we
pick up
Mark's
gospel
or when
we give
it to
someone
else
these
words
preach
and
proclaim
Christ
these
words
in the
Holy
Spirit's
hands
have
power to
change
and transform
people's
lives
these
words
in
God's
hands
bring
about
faith
in
the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
in
one
sense
we
are
all
preachers
and
I
know
when
I
say
that
it
might
sound
a bit
intimidating
so
a better
word
might be
tell us
about
Jesus
we
are
all
people
who
can
tell
about
Jesus
in
our
own
way
and
in
our
own
place
I
want
to
leave
you
this
morning
with
a
double
challenge
and
it's
one
I'm
taking
up
myself
and
I've
already
begun
the
first
is
we've
got
numbers
of
copies
of
these
in
the
foyer
this
morning
and
the
welcomers
will
have
them
at
the
door
as
we
go
out
to
morning
tea
written
in
easy
modern
English
the
Italian
gospel
in
a
contemporary
way
and
what
I
want
you
to
do
if
you
will
is
take
one
and
read
it
this
week
and
not
just
read
it
little
bits
of
time
like
we
do
sometimes
but
read
the
whole
thing
in
one
sitting
one
sitting
and
that
might
sound
like
a
lot
but
you
can
actually
read
it
in
the
time
it
takes
to
watch
one
episode
of
Modern
Family
or
whatever
it
is
you
enjoy
I
don't
watch
it
I
read
it in
just
over
that
sort
of
time
this
week
myself
so
I've
done
it
and
as
you
read
it
treat
it
like
an
exercise
book
not
a
holy
book
just
an
exercise
book
with
a
pen
in
hand
and
put
question
marks
over
things
that
you
don't
understand
or
that
you
wonder
about
or
other
things
that
you
notice
and
go
wow
I
hadn't
noticed
that
before
and
then
take
those
questions
to
your
Christian
friend
somebody
else
that
you
can
share
it
with
and
tell
them
and
ask
them
tell
them
about
what
you've
been
reading
and
ask
them
what
you've
got
questions
about
and
if
that
fails
to
satisfy
bring
your
questions
to
me
or
one
of
the
ministry
team
but
not
as
first
resort
as
second
resort
and
do
me
a
favour
send
me
an
email
ring
me
give
me
a
text
send
me
a
text
whatever
it
is
you
won't
get
me
on
Facebook
to
tell
me
you've
done
it
because
I
think
it
would
be
an
enormous
encouragement
for
many
of
us
to
take
up
a
challenge
like
that
it's
a
fantastic
way
for
us
all
to
launch
into
the
Mark
series
which
is
going
to
be
preached
for
about
the
next
10
weeks
until
we
get
to
the
end
of
Easter
second
challenge
is
more
difficult
but
it's
doable
it's
to
pray
and
it's
to
invite
someone
you know
who
isn't
a
believer
to
do
what
I've
just
asked
you
to
do
take
one
of
these
read
it
note
your
questions
and
will
you
sit
down
and
talk
with
me
about
your
questions
I've
got
a
friend
that
I'm
praying
for
about
asking
to
do
that
together
tell
you a
secret
that
is
one
of
my
favourite
ways
of
doing
evangelism
I guess
I get
a
door
into
relationship
with
people
sometimes
by
virtue
of
my
position
but
one
of
my
favourite
ways
of
introducing
people
to
Jesus
is
to
challenge
them
to
read
Mark's
Gospel
because
if
they
take
up
that
challenge
they
will
sit
under
the
very
first
preaching
of
the
apostles
as
they
proclaim
Christ
and
over
the
years
I've
prepared
many
families
for
baptism
in
different
places
for the
baptism
of their
children
normally
and
they're
often
people
who
haven't
been
to
church
for a
while
they
come
because
they
have
a
general
belief
in
God
baptism
happened
for
them
and
they
think
that
baptism
is
something
they
ought
to
do
for
their
kids
perhaps
they
come
from
a
Roman
Catholic
background
or
they've
got
Roman
Catholic
in-laws
or people
like that
in their
family
and they
think
somehow
or other
baptism
is going
to be
this
magic
rite
which
will
protect
our
children
from
all
danger
into the
future
but
when I
meet
with
people
like that
I
often
ask
them
if
they've
read
the
Bible
recently
and
the
usual
answer
is
not
since
a
child
and
that's
okay
just
honest
and
I
give
them
one
of
these
and
I
say
take
it
away
read
a few
chapters
with
a
pen
in
your
hand
and
treat
it
like
a
textbook
question
marks
against
anything
you
don't
understand
exclamation
marks
against
things
you
think
well
and
next
week
when we
come
together
we'll
talk
about
your
questions
and
it
has
been
my
joy
on
many
occasions
to
meet
with
people
a
week
later
and
find
that
they
have
read
not
just
a
few
chapters
I
just
say
read
a
few
chapters
I'll
go
back
next
week
and
they'll
have
read
the
whole
thing
and
they'll
have
a
number
of
very
good
questions
sometimes
there's
little
response
other
times
there's
been
an
amazing
response
I
met
a
woman
and
her
husband
the
second
time
two
of
us
turned
up
on
the
night
and
she
had
read
the
lot
and
she
was
waiting
for
us
because
she
wanted
to
commit
her
life
to
Christ
she
had
questions
but
God's
spirit
had
been
doing
an
extraordinary
work
in
her
heart
in
the
time
between
our
two
visits
Mark
is
a
preacher
he's
Jesus
he
tells
us
that
the
Old
Testament
told
us
that
Jesus
was
coming
he
tells
us
that
John
the
Baptist
said
that
Jesus
was
coming
he
tells
us
that
God
the
Father
announced
the
arrival
of
his
son
he
tells
us
that
Jesus
himself
has
said
that
the
kingdom
of
God
has
come
he
tells
us
that
Jesus
is
the
son
of
God
from
heaven
not
a
fake
one
a
real
one
and
those
who
heard
what
he
said
and
saw
what
he
did
not
stop
talking
about
him
and
what
they
had
seen
sisters
and
brothers
may
God
give
you
great
joy
as
you
sit
under
this
wonderful
preaching
about
God's
deeply
loved
son
and
may
he
give
us
joy
as
we
tell
people
what
others
faithfully
have
told
us
amen