The Gospel of Action

Posted 4/27/15 by Donald Barnhouse
Theme: Identified With Man
 
SCRIPTURE
Mark 1:4-13
 
John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

LESSON

The Gospel of Mark is the gospel of action, and it is action of  a unique of kind. More than any gospel writer, Mark moves rapidly through the events of Jesus’ life. It takes him only twenty short verses in chapter one to describe the ministry of John the Baptist, Jesus’ baptism, His temptation in the wilderness, and the call of the disciples. The truth is presented succinctly, but it is packed with tremendous spiritual blessing. We are being introduced to the God who, in the words of Philippians 2, “did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (w. 6–7). It is as the sovereign servant, the God–man, that Jesus is coming to win the battle over sin. Mark’s emphasis is on action, and we can sense his excitement as he takes us quickly from one event to the next.
 
The first event of Jesus’ life that Mark describes is found in verses 9–11: “In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when He came up out of the water, immediately He saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, ‘Thou art My beloved Son; with Thee I am well pleased.”’

STUDY QUESTIONS

  • Why is Mark the Gospel of action? What is a good example of Mark being the Gospel of action?
  • Why was Jesus Baptized?
  • What does it mean that the Father is “well-pleased” with Christ? Why is it important to notice this?
 

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