Loving God, you call us to repentance and faith as we remember both the birth and the ministry of Jesus.  Continue to come among us by the power of your Holy Spirit, leading us into your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

           After the shepherds and the angels of Christmas Eve and the rich tapestry of colours that we see during the Christmas season, today’s gospel is a bit of a shock.  There could hardly be more of a contrast between the celebration of Jesus’ birth and the barrenness of the Judean wilderness.  Some of you might also feel as though John the Baptist just keeps coming back – again and again and again.  

Yet, this is how Mark chooses to begin his gospel – his good news – about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  And really, at this time of year when many people might be focusing on new beginnings, what better time is there to reflect on “the beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ” (Mk. 1:1)?  And so, what can we learn today about the beginning of the good news?

         If we take our cue from Mark, we might say that the beginning of the good news is in repentance and forgiveness.  The people who came to John the Baptist at the River Jordan were rich and poor, respectable people and outcasts, and all of them seemed to be hungry for confession and forgiveness.  It is not just confession that John preaches, however, but repentance.  Repentance might include confession, but it really means turning yourself right around and heading in a new direction.

         John was trying to get the people to turn away from their sins and toward God and one another.  And as they did this, he was baptizing them and announcing God’s forgiveness of their sins.  When our conscience is troubled and we are aware of our sinfulness, it is indeed good news when we are able to repent and receive God’s forgiveness.  This is one thing that has not changed.  It is just as true today as it was in the first century.  The beginning of the good news is in repentance and forgiveness.

         The beginning of the good news is also in the wilderness.  Throughout the Scriptures, we hear many stories of God’s people being strengthened and challenged in their faith in the wilderness.  For John the Baptist, it seems that being in the wilderness allowed him to focus on his mission and to live a life of voluntary poverty.  Jesus, too, goes out into the wilderness after his baptism in order to wrestle with temptation and clarify his identity and his calling.  It is a lot easier to rely on God, it would seem, when all other supports have been taken away.

         For us, too, while we may not find ourselves literally in the wilderness, there may be times in our lives when we feel as though all supports have been taken away.  These times are definitely a challenge to our faith, and people tend to either lose their faith or come out of those wilderness times with a faith that is much stronger than it was before.  And so, the beginning of the good news is often in the wilderness.

         The beginning of the good news is also in the coming of the Holy Spirit.  When John speaks about the coming Messiah, he says, “I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mk. 1:8).  We see that first baptism with the Holy Spirit at Jesus’ own baptism, something that doesn’t seem to happen again until after Jesus’ death and resurrection.  Then, especially throughout the Acts of the Apostles, we see what a difference that baptism with the Holy Spirit makes.

         People are given the words and the ability to share the good news about Jesus.  The healing power of Jesus is passed on through the Holy Spirit.  People like Stephen are able to approach death with the same love and forgiveness that Jesus exhibited on the cross.  And all along, the Holy Spirit continues to touch people’s hearts, leading them into faith in Jesus Christ.  That same Spirit is poured out on God’s people today, empowering us for all that God has called us to do, and giving us gifts like faith, hope and love.  The beginning of the good news continues to be in the coming of the Holy Spirit.

         And finally, the beginning of the good news is in the message that Jesus proclaims as he begins his ministry in Galilee.  The same repentance is in his message as John had proclaimed, but Jesus begins to proclaim the kingdom of God.  It is good news that “the kingdom of God has come near,” or perhaps, “the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mk. 1:15).  In Jesus, the Son of God, all that the reign of God entails has also been revealed – the love that God has for all people; the healing power of God; the inclusion of outcasts and foreigners; the lifting up of the lowly; and the importance of justice and mercy.

         It is just as we pray in the Lord’s Prayer: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.”  This kingdom of God is revealed through Jesus, even as he begins to call those first disciples into community and learning, and ultimately into ministry.  All of these things, according to Mark, are part of the beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ.

         The gospel of Mark would have originally been read aloud, possibly even all at one time, in order to share the story of Jesus with a group of people.  Some have suggested that these people might have already known the stories surrounding the birth of Jesus, and thus Mark gets right to the point (Spill the Beans, issue 17).  Ultimately, however, the beginning of the good news is in the birth of Jesus, for it is in the Incarnation – in the Word made flesh – that God comes to dwell among us in Jesus.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life (Jn. 3:16).

Thanks be to God!  Amen.

Christmas 1 (NL 2)                          Mark 1:1-20

December 29, 2019

St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church

Pastor Lynne Hutchison

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