we turn uh tonight to mark's gospel matthew mark second book of the new testament and this is the second sermon as we have started our series through the gospel of mark we're looking together tonight at verses 9 through 20 of mark chapter 1 9 through 20 beginning at verse 9 this is mark chapter one this is the word of the lord 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 40 days being tempted by satan and he was there with wild animals and the angels were ministering to him 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 passing alongside the sea of galilee he saw simon and andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea for they were fishermen and Jesus said to them follow me and I will make you become fishers of men and immediately they left their nets and followed him and going on a little farther he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother who were in their boat mending the nets and immediately he called them and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him may the lord bless tonight the hearing of his word i believe one of the most perplexing realities right now for christians is to understand how all of this chaos that is happening all around us indicates that god's kingdom is really present with us where is his kingdom think of it we've seen awful things in recent months in the news with Planned Parenthood and we've seen terrible things that are happening and then just last week all of the kings and the kingdoms of the earth are just set in motion they are all raging they're all in turmoil nothing but turbulence seems to dominate the world scene today and here we sing at Christmas every year that the coming of Jesus brings peace. Peace to the nations. I don't see that. As our society has crumbled both morally, politically, and even further economically, we see all these things happening. This has really opened up a heavy discussion about the kingdom of God. Where is this kingdom? How do we understand that? It's much easier to have optimistic views of God's kingdom and His rule and His power in the midst of economic prosperity and in a free society where Christianity is accepted as the religious norm. Ushering in a kingdom, the kingdom takes on an entirely different meaning in our days, doesn't it? It really has been a challenge to understand this. Take away the freedom, take away the outward prosperity. Christian institutions now are faced with losing their funding. A pile of parachurch ministries are just simply going away and will continue on mass levels to go away and begin to disintegrate. What becomes of Christianity now when it's legislated against? What becomes of Christianity when its views are characterized as hate crimes? hate views. Houston, we have a problem. That creates a lot of confusion for people who have associated the kingdom of God with all of this American prosperity and in general, all the freedom as Christians that we have had. We don't know what to do now. We're really confused now. This rapid development and this escalation of evil that is happening all around us has thrown in a lot of kingdom confusion and that's why the discussions are so hot at the moment. And thus, all the fights on how to relate the kingdom of God to this present evil age continue. If you understand that dilemma, you understand something of what the first century Christians were going through. We're looking more and more like the first century in many ways. mark's gospel as the church fathers and history understood it was given to christians in rome who were facing terrible persecution under nero they were facing great problems under this leader they were worshiping underground how in the world do we relate that to a savior who we say is king over all seated over all enthroned over all the one to whom every knee will bow and every tongue will confess jesus is lord how do we relate that with this reigning over a kingdom that looks like this are you kidding i said that's that's easy when things are well it's a mess when they're not and that's why mark helps us it has as its background the exodus it has as its background Israel being delivered out of bondage, traveling in the wilderness, facing nothing but opposition. We're going to see the Amalekites come after them soon. And all of this was pressing these Christians to understand what the kingdom of God is all about, who the king is, and what his kingdom looks like. What were they longing for? Well, it was the evidence that God's victory in his king and his kingdom is really present. It's really come. And in understanding that, how then that would give them and us perspective going forward to the promised land. How would that help us? What do we need to understand about this? And with that, with those sort of questions, voila, here comes Mark's gospel. Tonight we have presented to us God's eternal son. The king. And in the very presentation of him, it's given to explain, this is the intention, I believe, of this first section of Mark, to explain what his arrival on the scene of history means and how it evidences that the kingdom has come and is present in an entirely different way than we typically look for it. So we see this tonight looking at the arrival of the king, God's son, the presence of his kingdom, and the calling of his servants. This was designed to comfort these persecuted Christians that the Lord was with them in his kingdom, and it should greatly encourage them with their struggle of the certain victory that is theirs, and whatever lies ahead of them, he will preserve them to the end. If we put the scenes together that are before us tonight, we start out again in the wilderness. This is where we left off last time, where we have this great prophet that has appeared now on the scene of history. John the Baptist, the Elijah to come, is here. He has arrived, and multitudes have come out. And so we have in verse 1 the grand statement that the gospel, the time of gospel refreshing, the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we see now in fulfillment. the time of gospel refreshing in the person of John the Baptist. Imagine this. They're all being baptized with a call to repentance. The one who is coming, John presents. He says openly that there's one coming whom I am not even worthy. The greatest of the prophets Jesus talked about, I am not even worthy to get down and unloose the sandal strap. That's what slaves did in those days. He is coming. He is coming. And when he comes, he's going to baptize you with the Holy Spirit. What a glorious statement. We know from the other Gospels at this moment, John looks up and there he is. Imagine the moment. All of history has looked for this man. All of history has culminated right now, right here at this moment, the pivotal moment, the great moment, the center of all of history, He appears. All John can say is, and it's not in this Gospel, but it is in John's Gospel and elsewhere, behold the Lamb of God. Here He is. Let me present Him. Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Can you imagine gazing? We beheld His glory. The glory of the only begotten Son of God full of grace and truth. Why is this such an important moment in history? Because Mark's gospel, at least from Mark's standpoint, has rooted this from the beginning in Isaiah's promise, in this promise of the servant, the warrior servant who would come of this glorious day. Mark has rooted it right there. He has taken it and he is operating from all those promises in Isaiah. I want you to listen to Isaiah 40. And you know this, but just listen to this for a moment. Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and cry to her that her, here it is, think of kingdom, warfare, her warfare is ended. That her iniquity is pardoned. That she's received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. A voice cries, in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low. The uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all the flesh shall see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. Who did Isaiah say would come? God himself. And he would end the warfare. John is presenting him. We open up verse 9 and we read that 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, there's that word, you probably caught that a lot as I was reading that, 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. John is saying, Mark is capturing this strong language of Isaiah 40, Behold your God. The imagery of God's gospel program, how beautiful are the feet of those who bring the gospel of peace. Give them glad tidings. Remember all that said in Isaiah 40. Give them my gospel. Tell them their warfare is over. Tell them I've pardoned their iniquity. Tell them I'm coming. Tell them don't be afraid. Tell them behold your God. Here I am, says John. Here He is, says John. I will rule them. I have a reward I'm bringing with me. When the Lord God comes, tell them He will feed them. He will be their shepherd. Tell them that the Lord will take them into His arms. Tell them when He comes, He'll carry them in His bosom. Tell them He will gently lead those who are with young. Mark just emphasized who arrived. The Father says, this is my beloved Son in whom I'm well pleased. Here He is. As He's being baptized, the Spirit falls on Him like a dove and a voice comes from heaven. You are Him. God's answer to the world. Imagine the first century Christians under Nero being persecuted. Nero unleashing beasts on them as they are clothed in animals' fur. They're being hung on lampposts. Do you see the misery? They're so confused. They're so perplexed. They don't understand why things are happening. And do you ever feel that way? Of course we feel that way. We go through those very things. Why is this happening? Why are things like this? It almost comes to a point where it feels unbearable anymore turning on the news. I don't think myself as a Christian anymore can bear what's coming next. And in the midst of that, Mark's Gospel opens up and says, Here He is. He's come. You're King. He's here. And all of those worries should drop right now. All faith and affections and desires should be right on Him in Mark's Gospel. You're glued hearing this for the first time. Think of what's set out of the gates in the first scene. He was baptized. This section is so beautiful because we know that John had a really hard time with this. We know that John said, I need to be baptized by you, but instead Jesus had baptized me that I might fulfill all righteousness. Mark emphasizes that the time has come. The baptism, this is so beautiful. I was reading a few commentators on this, but notice here what one writer said. In the baptism, the Lord steps down. He enters humbly and receives the baptism. He acknowledges, Lord, I will receive all the humiliation that is necessary to fulfill my work on behalf of my people. I will take any humiliation necessary in order to save My people from their sins. The baptism of Jesus shows His acceptance of the role. Our Heidelberg says this, that He was anointed, ordained by God the Father and anointed with the Holy Spirit to be our chief prophet and teacher who has fully revealed to us the secret counsel and will of God concerning our redemption. Our only High Priest who by the one sacrifice of His body has redeemed us and who continually intercedes for us before the Father and our eternal King who governs us by His Word and Spirit and who defends us and preserves us in the redemption that He obtained for us. What a beautiful statement. Mark wants these confused Christians to understand this. Notice the speed of this again. The Son of God arrived. immediately the Spirit cast him out in the wilderness. Cast him out there. And there he was in the wilderness 40 days, tempted by Satan, and was with wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him. Notice how fast a coverage this is? We know the larger story, right? I mean, he went out there. All the temptations that Israel faced in the wilderness are there put down in Matthew's gospel and Luke's gospel, and we could study that in some detail. Notice here, he's hungry, he's starving. Beasts are attacking him, beasts are with him. They are now honoring him. That's what Isaiah prophesied. How does Mark want you to read this? Just like this. Mark tells you the story as fast as he can to have the effect, and it should go like this. Immediately he was driven out in the spirit, by the spirit into the wilderness. Forty days Satan tempted him. He was with wild beasts. Angels ministered to him. you don't tell a story like that do you what was it saying immediately he went immediately he conquered immediately he won all the tests that israel had underwent in the wilderness all the failures that we've been studying all the failures in your own life all the failures that you get up with and struggle with is god going to be against me is god going to turn on me all of it is put together in rapid fire mode so that you feel the effect of victory and that he is marching to that victory as fast as he can immediately as he can so that you would know it is done for you he went into the wilderness for you he was baptized for you he was put under the law for you every um writer i come across is so taken just listen to the language of joy and excitement this is mcshane ah believers you are attempted people you are always poor and needy and god intends it to be so to give you constant errands to go to Jesus. Some may say, it's not good to be a believer, but ah, see to whom we go. You feel the confidence in that statement? I love this one. Do you see? Christ has passed the test. He's earned the reward. Heaven has been secured by his perfect obedience to God's law. And he did not do this all for himself as if he needed to earn heaven for himself. He did all this for his people, even for you, O believer. On your behalf, he actively obeyed. Thereby saving you and placing you beyond the possibility of ever becoming unrighteous again. Your status is secured eternally. What great hope! So when you comprehend the full obedience of Jesus Christ, both active and passive, you understand why Dr. Machen could say, that's who I just quoted, on his deathbed, in his own words, how gloriously complete is the salvation wrought for us by Christ. Christ paid the penalty. He merited the reward. Those are the two great things that he has done for us. No hope without it. Complete hope with it. He put himself under the curse. He put himself under our tests. And he won, says Mark. Rapid fire, he won. This is your king. This is who Isaiah was talking about. Now after Mark presents the victory, The angels ministered to him. We all know this is victory. He beat the devil in the wilderness. He begins to answer the major question of the first century. And for you, where's the glory of his kingdom then? I don't see it. I don't see any glory of that kingdom. This was perplexing for them. And this is perplexing for us. That's why we're having all these kingdom debates. And in this introduction, he explains it. How has the kingdom come? How has the kingdom arrived? This should greatly help you with understanding the nature of the coming of the kingdom. Yes, the kingdom is His rule over everything. No one denies that. But I want you to see where that power of that kingdom is shown to us. How has the kingdom come? In verse 14, we read that John was put in prison. This doesn't sound like much of a great kingdom, does it? John's put in prison. Jesus comes to Galilee doing what? Preaching the gospel of God, the kingdom. You'll notice that emphasis there right after. Now, after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God and saying, the time is fulfilled the kingdom of god is at hand repent and believe in the gospel that's the emphasis it's here the time is fulfilled the kingdom's at hand repent and believe isaiah said that when the king shows up when the lord god shows up he's going to be up on the mountain oh zion good news is going to be announced lift up your voice oh jerusalem herald of good news lift it up fear not say to the cities of judah behold your god where is the kingdom oh it's such an important question where is the kingdom he chose a word here when he says the time is fulfilled he chose a word that doesn't mean time as in a clock tick tick tick tick so it's not the word he chose he chose a word that is such a definite point of time that is so utterly significant that it drives everything else that follows it defines every other moment after that he just said right here in mark's gospel the moment of the kingdom of god the great moment of history has come how how do we know in him yes but what is he doing that demonstrates that kingdom has come what is the marker that the kingdom has come let me go about it this way what did the jews look for in the kingdom what were they confused about him over well he fit nothing of what they anticipated what did they anticipate if you if you need help with that you could look at later john 6 where he's feeding the multitudes they're thinking whoa he's doing the stuff moses did out in the wilderness he's feeding the multitudes and they came and they tried to grab him by force and make him king to rule and recover israel and he wanted nothing to do with it he departed to the mountain alone he wanted nothing to do with their view of the kingdom agenda. It's kind of our struggle now. What do we want recovered in the U.S.? Prosperity, economic prosperity, restoration, give us back the land, give us a model king, give us somebody who we all like, who will rule us, who will break oppression, who enemies will submit to. How many political agendas use Jesus for that? How many agendas use Jesus to advance their view of his kingdom for them. We want a Jesus that fits our agenda. Anything that threatens our good old life. That was the Jewish problem. It's not any different. What was the marker that the kingdom had come? What was the marker that the kingdom had come? First thing, the gospel of Mark says, what's he doing? Preaching the gospel. Preaching the gospel. With that, the kingdom has come. That's what Isaiah 40 said. Jesus was out doing miracles. Sure, we're going to look at that. Demonstrates his power. But Mark wants readers to see where the essence of the kingdom is. Where is the kingdom seen in the gospel preached? Look over at verse 38 in this very chapter. And 38 is such a helpful verse. for he said to them everyone's looking for you come on everyone's looking for you verse 38 and he said to them let us go on to the next towns that I may preach there also for that's why I came out that's the reason I came that's pretty significant you can go on to chapter 2 in verse 2 and many who were gathered together so that there was no room not even at the door and he was preaching the word to them he's preaching the gospel of the kingdom to them So here are all these struggling Christians in Rome and they don't understand where is the power, where's the outward glory, what are they confused about? They're confused about the kingdom of God. It's not that glorious. It doesn't feel that powerful. What you're doing tonight doesn't seem, it's definitely not respected by anyone in our nation who's in the political realm. And Mark just said, the kingdom is evidenced right here. Think about it. When we see it believed, when we see people's lives changed, when we see broken, sad, miserable people changed with loads of burdens and loads of sins in their lives, finding freedom, turning away from themselves and coming to Christ and being set free, is that a little thing? To be saved from eternal damnation? To be saved from the fires of hell? Oh, we're all wrong about the kingdom and priorities. The kingdom's right in front of you. Look around. See how much that would mean? It would be awful if they thought Rome was God's kingdom. What confusion would that bring to them? And it helps us to stay focused on what is most important, that Jesus would constantly be tested about the power of His own kingdom. He was constantly facing this. The Pharisees were challenging Him about the power of His own kingdom. Pharisees came to Him one day and they asked Him, when is the kingdom of God coming? It's right there in front of Him. But they asked, when is it coming? There's nothing outward. And Jesus said that. The kingdom of God does not come with observation. See here or see there. nor will they say, see here or there. In other words, I know you guys are looking for outward pomp. I know you're looking for outward glory. You're not going to see the kingdom with any pope running around in the United States. I'll tell you that. It's not in the outward transformation of things. I know you want the restoration of Israel now. Luke 17.21, the kingdom of God. is within you. What an amazing statement. This is what Jesus was explaining to Nicodemus. Nicodemus, you need to be born again. I need to put life in your heart. But entering the kingdom is not something that you say, see here or see there. It's not like, it's like the wind. It blows and you hear the sound of it, but does not know where it is or where it's going. That's my kingdom. You don't know it until you see it enter somebody's life. How so? Jesus went on to Nicodemus and say something that I think has been greatly misunderstood. We speak what we know and we testify what we have seen. What does that mean? We speak what we know and we testify what we have seen. It's as if Jesus was saying, Open your eyes, you guys, and look around at my life-transforming power of what it's doing to people and shattering their darkness. Look at the woman at the well. Look what I did. Look at the woman who had five husbands and I broke it. John said that he came to baptize with the Spirit. He's giving life. Let me show you evidence of my kingdom. That's why Mark's running so rapidly here. Let me show you its power from the beginning. Now, hopefully this will close tonight and you'll see this. You see this illustrated for you in the calling of the disciples. This is really wonderful. Look at verse 16. Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net into the sea. For they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men. And immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on, little father, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed them. Immediately, immediately. Verse 20, he calls them, Simon and Andrew, James and John. notice the power here the power is all over this passage the kingdom has come in power when the king calls you and you come you have rapid fire mode again follow me follow me you don't have anything else said mark wants you to feel that follow me now if your dad you're zebedee and you've got a lucrative fishing business and some guy comes walking up and says follow me and they bolt never come back to the fishing business again you understood something about the power of this man this is powerful in fact josephus records that when the romans invaded palestine in 80 68 they confiscated 250 fishing boats out of the sea of galilee it's about this time why because fishing was a lucrative business the fishing industry was booming uh we like to say these are just kind of poor blue collar old fishermen they're tough guys no no no they were starting to hit it big he comes and says follow me and boom they're gone they are gone i've never had anyone stood out in the corner and said follow the escondido come over of the Escondido, nobody does that, right? Nobody just comes. The Lord has to do that. Immediately they left their nets and followed. And here's the point. The nature of the kingdom is different. It's not in the business and government and economics of this world. It's a different kind of fishing business. I will make you, and we sing this, boys and girls, fishers of men that's where my kingdom is immediately he called immediately they followed and that should have everyone should read said wow the kingdom's come kingdom's come look at its power over people's lives look at its power over your life look at what the lord was building a church building with the lives of real people stones living stones to be built up the spiritual edifice not a man-made temple with hands a spiritual edifice now if you're a first century christian looking at the glory of rome it's hatred for you it's power it's splendor look at the glory of rome Rome was the light of the world. All these awful things are happening. Mark just said, you want to see the kingdom? You're evidence of its presence. You're His body. His kingdom is reigning in your hearts. Put it all together tonight and we'll close with this. Let me tell you the story as fast as I possibly can so you get it. He went in the wilderness. Beasts were attacking him, he overcame, he overcame Satan himself, he won, he fulfilled all righteousness, and his kingdom is present every time you hear the gospel preached and people turn and come to him. There's his kingdom. His kingdom is a fishing business, not of this world. If his kingdom were of this world, we would fight. We don't belong here. It's a heavenly spiritual kingdom reigning in the hearts of his people now, ultimately leading to that glorious day when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord over all. If you want to see it tonight, you want to see this kingdom, you want to be encouraged in the midst of all the chaos happening out there, Look at him still building his church in 2015. It's remarkable. Have you responded by believing? When you're discouraged, I want you to look around in this messed up world. I want you to look at the young people every time a profession of faith happens. Somebody who's turned to Christ and said, I believe the kingdom has just been shown to you in power. The next time you're discouraged, I want you to look up at your neighbors who are in Christ and to realize he has a whole bunch of living stones that he's building up. I want you, next time you're discouraged, to long for Sunday, to long for the Sabbath. Because there the kingdom is put on display when the gospel is preached. It is for this reason he came forth. That you might know the truth and that the truth would set you free. That's where the kingdom of God will be shown in power until He comes back and takes us to be in glory with Him forever and ever. I hope that helps us tonight to understand a little bit more His glorious kingdom and His body, the church. Let's pray together. Heavenly Father, thank You for Your kingdom. And we understand that the kingdom does not come in eating and in drinking, it's even said, but in righteousness. That's where we see the kingdom. where the ministry of righteousness is being ministered faithfully and people are coming to You and bowing the knee and confessing. It seems weak at the moment. It seems powerless. But we understand that on that day there will be a glory revealed where we get to behold the face of Jesus Christ. And we'll see how much was really accomplished in fullness by this great power. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for coming as our King. Thank You for fulfilling all righteousness. And thank You for building Your kingdom with subjects, willing servants in the day of Your power. And may we not be discouraged in all that's happening, but pray that Your kingdom would continue to be built up and that You continue to gather in. We pray all these things in Jesus' name. Amen. Thank you.