Pastor Craig - March 2021

 This is how Mark opens up his Gospel. In this one statement, we know what is going to unfold. The chapters within will tell the story of how God sent his Son into the world. In other words, this is the “purpose statement”. It is the reason that he is writing this book. There may be some surprises, but ultimately this is all about the Good News.

 A few weeks ago, a group of us got together and on a Wednesday night we took turns reading the whole Gospel of Mark. Most were online, but some of us were in the church so we could make sure all the technical stuff worked. As I followed along it occurred to me that Mark in place of putting Jesus’s name all the time just put the word “He”. If you look at the Gospel it is if “He” is Mark’s favorite word. I don’t think you can go for a few sentences before “He” shows up. I will confess to you a habit I have gotten into perhaps you have noticed it. When I have read aloud from the Bible during the worship service and I come across a pronoun like He or She, I will often substitute it with the name of the person being talked about. I do this so that everyone is reminded about who these verses are about. Mark does not have such a hang ups.

 The Gospel of Mark is only about ONE man. For Mark his “He” can only be Jesus. It is the reason that Mark put all of this together. One does not have to be reminded about who this book is about. Simply put, this is the story of the ministry of Jesus the Son of God.

 There is one more element to the opening of the gospel. Mark declares that this is the “beginning” of the good news. There is a lot that will be happening in the gospel such as teachings, healings, and disciple problems. But for Mark everything leads to the Cross. He cannot wait to get there. The Cross for Mark is the most important message of the Good News of God. We are entering into the Lenten Season of the church. Where we get to focus on the Cross and Jesus’ sacrifice for our sake. It is in that Cross, that we find our forgiveness and our hope in everlasting life. It is fitting that we get to hear Mark this year as he takes us to and through the Cross of our Lord.

 The other element that I don’t want you to miss is that this is the “beginning” of the good news of Jesus Christ. Mark begins us on the journey through the ministry and to Jesus’ death on the cross and the empty tomb. Mark does not say, at the end of the gospel, “Here ends the reading of the gospel.” I believe that that is intentional. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is ongoing. As children of God, we are part of the story. We are participants in the good news that Jesus began. It is exciting to know that we are part of God’s plan.  

 As we journey through this season of Lent, may we always know the God that gives us the hope that we have in Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Our Lord.

In Christ,

Pastor Craig