An Announcement about our Wilderness. SCRIPTURE Mark 1: 1-18 (NIV) NT page

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1 An Announcement about our Wilderness SCRIPTURE Mark 1: 1-18 (NIV) NT page 1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way 3 a voice of one calling in the wilderness, Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. 4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. 9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased. 12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, 13 and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him. 14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 The time has come, he said. The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news! 16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 Come, follow me, Jesus said, and I will send you out to fish for people. 18 At once they left their nets and followed him. Subject Question: In telling the story of Jesus, what four stages does the Evangelist Mark teach us about God s plan for our lives as a disciples of Jesus Christ in every generation? Compliment answer: The Old Story Heard, the New Story Explained, the New Story Embraced, and the Old Story Shared. Big Idea: In telling the story of Jesus, the four stages the Evangelist Mark teaches us about God s plan for our lives as a disciples of Jesus Christ in every generation are: The Old Story Heard, the New Story Explained, the New Story Embraced, and the Old Story Shared.

2 Homiletical Idea: Read the Directions Purpose: I want the congregation to see the Big picture God has and explains for each of our lives as we enter this Christmas season. Introduction: God s intent on calling people to Himself has always been seen as a journey from wilderness to home; from want to plenty, from lost to found. So it is with Mark as He now explains the coming of Jesus to a wandering, wondering world in need to connect with a God who truly has the very best intentions towards them. The Gospel of Mark is one of two accounts of Jesus Life that does not begin with a genealogy. Rather, Mark picks us Jesus story at the point of Jesus own wilderness experience and here is where the life of Jesus in and through that harsh experience provides a paradigm and hope for everyone of God s redeemed, wilderness people. A. The Old Story Heard (Vs. 1-8) 1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way 3 a voice of one calling in the wilderness, Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. 4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. B. The Story of Jesus begins with a long ago prophetic voice of one calling in the wilderness make straight of better prepare the way for the One coming. John the Baptist is a typical prototype of a wilderness person: wild and woolly, speaking a message of right and wrong, conscious of the fact that things were not right and God must be upset with how people treat one another. C. (Contra) So too with everyone who does not know Christ in their lives yet. O they may different clothes and have a better diet, but they are still intent on living and speaking with conviction what they believe is right and wrong.

3 As for God, they too have an innate sense that if there is a God, and down deep they know that there is, He could hardly be overly pleased with how people are still treating one another. D. In the Advent season there will be many who once again here the old, old story of Jesus and His love, of Jesus and His coming, of Jesus and His life. Many will come, some however will maybe hear for the first time with the ears of their hearts as God speaks to them about their own life; a wilderness experience, so many toys and not a minute of peace; so many accomplishments but still no real life purpose. And what about this Jesus fellow whom they have heard about from so many for so long. And what they don t realize is that it s God who is calling them, beckoning them to come, wooing them to give Jesus a try and they will and they do. A. The New Story Explained (Vs. 9_13) 9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased. 12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, 13 and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him. B. It s amazing when most person hear the old story and consider coming to Christ, it s the unknown element of, what will I have to give up, or what will I have to do.that pushes them back out into their wilderness living. But the void, the emptiness, the fears just won t leave. And God waits. And God woos, and the person comes enough times to church, or is around enough Christians to hear of Jesus not only being in a cradle but also going to a cross. C. (Contra) And the Holy Spirit begins to have his way and the person begins to see Christmas in a new light. Something has changed and even though they know that Jesus example and calling includes a life not devoid of trouble, but being different; being pushed to the outskirts of society, the wilderness of humanity, and yet, it s OK. Somehow finding Jesus or better yet, bring found by Jesus is more valuable than they even dreamed. That being a Christian is not something they ever intended, but would never give up. D. The real question this Christmas season for you and I is who is the Lord going to put on our heart to invite to church, to talk to them about this

4 Christmas Child that became a man and is still in the business of changing people lives for the better. Who is that coworker that needs to come to hear the old, old story again? Who is that child that needs to come home, they have been in the wilderness too long? Who is that friend that who needs a second chance in life? They have seen the results, they have had the story of Christ explained, in you. And their souls are literally begging to experience it and to have what you have. JTB are all around. A. The New Story Embraced (Vs ) 14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 The time has come, he said. The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news! B. The time has come.repent.believe the Good News. A new chapter in a life beings here. The page has been turned and a person whom Good has drawn comes to Christ and is filled with the Holy Spirit and is ready and aware of the need to fight the good fight with the flesh, the world and the enemy. Why didn t I do this sooner? It doesn t matte! What matters is in God s time and with God s working your time did come to know Christ. C. (Contra) Repentance is not something dreaded but something desired. Not something that is a burden, but simply becoming the Kind of person you had always wished you could be. SO many folks want to be better and yet even at their best they really don t feel they have lived up to God s standards. The funny thing about Christianity is that we put no confidence in being anything other than a fellow sinner who has been redeemed and saved by the grace-filled, nail-pieced hand of a God who did what we could not do or be by ourselves. D. Our church prayer during this Advent season should be for God to send someone into our lives that needs the best Christmas present they could ever receive in Christ giving of Himself for them and to them. The magic of the season is we get to be the ones who deliver the package with our words, our lives, our invitation, and our love. A. The Old Story Shared (Vs ) As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 Come, follow me, Jesus said, and I will send you out to fish for people. 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.

5 B. Follow me, Start Fishing, at one they left their nets, left their comfort zones, left their old way of living and followed him as he led them out of the wilderness and into a new life that would be exciting and scary and different and worthwhile: the life they had always wanted, always desired, always dreamed of a life not just being more religious, but being remade and shaped. Not just turning over a new leaf, but turning over complete control. And little by little becoming more and more like Jesus. C. (Contra) In Marks Gospel account we see the dual nature of His explaining not only the beginning of Jesus life as God s servant, but our own lives as they also unfold as disciples and servants as well. The parallels are amazing: wilderness people being led to a better life as The Old Story is Heard, the New Life is Explained, the New Life is Embraced and the Old Story in now shared by those whom God has graciously called to be His Kingdom People. There is within the heart of every Christian a deep desire share what they have experienced Jesus said I ll make you fisher of men. What was He saying? It s simply that He will help us to be His voice, His arms if we will be out about His business of loving and being concerned about people. Who do you know needs to see themselves as God s chosen, the one whom Christ would die for, the one whom Christ will be a lifetime companion to. The one who Christ is coming for. The one whom might be ready to begin this new life this Christmas season in this place in these pews. D. The real question is, who is God Calling today?