Mark 1:1-3 What Jesus?
Introduction
My weekly preaching and public teaching ministry now span over 15 years. Over that amount of time, one of the major themes of my ministry has been to correct misunderstandings of the identity of our Lord Jesus Christ. American Christianity, including the Bible belt, has often created a Jesus of their own. This is a Jesus who is the Genie wished upon to win the Friday night football game; a Santa Claus called on when something is wanted; a Batman for whom the signal is sent up if one is in trouble; or the Hippie friend who accepts everyone just as they are. There are many more variations of the Jesus of America’s creation, but they all have one thing in common: they all are violations of the first three commandments of the Decalogue because they are not the true Lord Jesus.
What Jesus do you know? What God do you worship? There are many who think they know who Jesus is, but they have never truly known him. There are many that think they know what Christianity is, what the Gospel message proclaims, but they’ve never genuinely heard. Just this week, I talked with a very intelligent, spiritual, and educated man. He grew up Roman Catholic, and all of his family still is, but he rejected the tradition. I asked if he actually looked into the claims of Christianity or if he merely rejected the Catholic tradition. His response was the latter. He has thrown the baby out with the bathwater. He has rejected Christianity without even really knowing what Christianity claims.
Here is my point this morning: I want you to know the true Lord Jesus—the Christ revealed in the pages of Holy Scripture. He is Creator and Sustainer. He is Savior, and he is Lord. He offers the words of eternal life.
READ Scripture- [Mark 1:1-3] This is the Word of God
Connective
Let us “prepare the way of the Lord and make His paths straight.”
I realize that the world is a bit of a mess, to put it mildly. As Bible-believing, upright, moral, traditional Christian people, we are feeling bombarded and overwhelmed. I want to acknowledge those feelings as correct and significant. You are right. Church services are not nearly as full as they used to be. Divorce rates are high. Children are rebellious. Addictions to alcohol, drugs, pornography, social media, and more run rampant in our society. Schools are failing. Homosexuality and transgenderism are everywhere. Mental illness and suicide rates are skyrocketing. There is moral anarchy. There is no leadership in families, churches, communities, or the government. Everyone is doing what is right in his own eyes.
You and I see all this decay of society, and even the church (to speak broadly), and we feel helpless. We feel beatdown. We think all is lost. We turn negative and eventually cynical. We get to the point that we cannot see any good or any hope. We stop fighting.
Let me tell you something: That is not Christian. That betrays all that we know about our God as revealed in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
The True Lord Jesus
Let me remind you that the true Lord Jesus is the one who restores health to the sick and wholeness to the disabled (Mark 1-2).
The one I know takes two fish and five loaves and feeds thousands upon thousands (Mark 6:38-44).
I worship the one who brings life out of death (Mark 5:41).
That is why we are told that a little faith can move great mountains. It is not us but Christ in us (Mark 11:22-24).
Conclusion
That is why we are told to not worry (Matt 6:34).
*So, women, love your husbands and respect their leadership.
*Men, love your wives as Christ has loved the church, sacrificially.
*Parents, raise your children in the training and admonition of the Lord.
*Children, obey your parents for this is good and right.
*Work hard on the job, provide for your family and be generous to others.
*Be a good neighbor, one that can be relied upon.
*Be a good church member, attending worship and other gatherings on a regular basis; serving, loving, forgiving your fellow members; giving what you can to financially support the local church; reaching out to the lost.
*Love your enemies and pray for them.
*Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.
*Be full of faith, prayerfully, and joyful. Pursue holiness without which you cannot see God. Read your Bible, study it, memorize it, and live it.
*Fight back the darkness. Receive the light of Christ. Put to death negativity in your mind and life. Pursue the joy of the Lord. Be hopeful and trustful and positive.
*You know the Lord. Don’t forget who he is.