A way to live a mission in your church:
Help your church’s members to work at overcoming whatever is hard hearted or unfair in the world around it.
Based on Mark 1:4-11
A way to live a mission in your church based on Mark 1:4-11, a reading from the Revised Common Lectionary for the First Sunday after the Epiphany, 1/7/18.
[Mark makes many significant statements about Jesus as he begins to write his gospel or good news of Jesus.] John comes baptizing (immersing in water) people meaning they repent of their wrongdoing and receive forgiveness. Many from Judea are baptized by him. John dresses and eats in the manner of prophets in in Israel’s past. He makes clear that he is only the forerunner of the long-expected Messiah whose baptism by fire has the painful prospect of judgement (sins will be seen for the evil they are).
As Jesus is baptized by John, Jesus hears a voice from heaven that refers / uses two words from the past prophets: Jesus is the promised Messiah (“my Son”) to deliver the Jews from domination by others; and Jesus is also “the servant of God who delivers the people through his suffering and humiliation” (Isaiah 52:13, 53:12).
The Spirit drives Jesus into the wilderness, the dwelling place of evil where Satan lives. Satan tempts Jesus to follow his ways but Jesus refuses. [Jesus will continue to struggle with Satan to the end.] Jesus is cared for by angels just as was Elijah, the eighth century BC prophet in I Kings 19. John is arrested and his ministry as forerunner ends. Now Jesus can begin his work. He comes into Galilee proclaiming the good news that God power (kingdom) us now breaking into human life as never before; and is doing it is Jesus.
A theme: God comes in power to take on the forces of evil.
