Sharing good news . . .

 

 

READ Mark 1-4

Last Sunday’s message at our church outlined essentials in sharing the Gospel with others. Monday night’s small group study used a different passage that returned our discussion to the same topic. It has been on my mind all week. Reading these chapters in Mark gives me even more to think about concerning this important task.

In some ways, Christians have a similar role to John the Baptist:

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’ ” (Mark 1:1–3)

John was that messenger, not the first to point to the coming Messiah, and certainly not the last to tell others about Jesus. Like John, it isn’t long before a new Christian starts sharing how they have been redeemed from a meaningless life, a wilderness compared to what is now experienced in the kingdom of God. We also realize that we must go back to that place when we share, not to live there again but to reach those who are still lost in that spiritual darkness that was once our life too. Our message begins the same way as John’s message:

John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Mark 1:4)

People need to know that their sins can be forgiven. We must realize and admit our sin and be willing to turn from it in repentance. This is the only way into the kingdom of God, the only way into His family. We cannot go in through church attendance, doing good deeds, or being the nicest person possible. The sin issue must be faced, confessed, turned away from, and our hearts turned to the God who forgives.

And (John) 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. (Mark 1:7)

John was a humble man. Christians who tell others about this new life in Christ can be perceived as proud of ourselves. How important to always remember who Jesus is and who we are without Him. No Christian can claim righteousness apart from Him. Pride has no place in His kingdom, only worship and glory to our Savior.

And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:11)

Those who face sin in honest contrition are given this awesome realization of who Jesus is — God the Son, the only One who totally pleases God. In Him, we become the Father’ children as He trades His righteousness for our sin: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

After John obeyed Jesus and baptized Him (as our example), Jesus faced great tests . . .

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. (Mark 1:12–13)

This is also what happens to new Christians. We are tested to prove that our new faith is genuine and that it is from God as a gift that will remain even during those tests. It is at this point that John’s ministry ceased and the work of Christ continued. The message was the same . . .

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:14–15)

And it remains the same from that point on — because in the kingdom of God, Christians are tested and sometimes fail. We do not lose our place for that is established by Christ, but when we sin, we still need to repent and believe that wonderful truth that Jesus died for that sin, rose again, and gave us new life in Himself.

Mark said this was the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is, yet this gospel never ends. Others, like John, will guide us to Him in our joys and sorrows, encourage us to turn from sin, and to trust Jesus to finish what He started in our hearts.

For me, this is partly about how to share Christ and partly a joyful time to worship the One who made this good news possible!