Jesus gives us an excellent ministry plan to follow.
Consider what Mark had to say in the first chapter of his gospel. Unlike
Matthew and Luke, he did not begin with Jesus’ genealogy, His birth, or His
childhood. Mark began his testimony with the beginning of Jesus’ official
ministry on earth. He said this with the first verse, “The beginning of the
gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” [NASB] Mark showed Jesus realized what
was most important for people.
To support what he testified as an eyewitness, Mark included
Isaiah’s prophecy about the one who would go before Jesus’ ministry and what
that messenger would say. He said, “As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
‘Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way; Make
ready the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.’” (Mark 1:2-3 [NASB]) Next,
Mark explained who this prophesied messenger of God was, John the Baptist,
Jesus’ cousin. His other supporting testimony about the validity of Jesus as
the Son of God came from the life of this cousin, John in verses four through
eight. Next, we learn John, baptized his cousin, Jesus, the One about whom he
told his followers.
From this point, Mark began his eyewitness testimony of
Jesus’ ministry on earth. First, he noted John baptized Jesus and “Immediately coming
up out of the water, He (Jesus) saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit (Holy
Spirit) like a dove descending upon Him; and a voice came out of the heavens:
‘You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.’” (Mark 1:10-11 [NASB])
Notice Mark often used adverbs and action words to enliven and make poignant
his testimony. As soon as John baptized Jesus, “immediately” He saw the heavens
open and heard the voice of the Lord. Next Mark said, “Immediately the Spirit
impelled Him to go out into the wilderness.” Jesus’ status as the Son of God
impressed the hearers. He next showed His status and power as the Son of God in
the wilderness while withstanding temptations for 40 days. Through those days,
Jesus knew what ministry was most important for humanity.
Did Jesus go home and rest after being in the wilderness
once God proclaimed Him as His Son? Did He take His ease and say, “Ah, finally,
water, food, and rest, just what I needed? Now I can sit and ponder what the
Father said and did.” No, Mark said in verses fourteen and fifteen, “After Herod’s
soldiers took John into custody, Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel,
and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent
and believe in the gospel.’” Jesus’ time had come. The kingdom of God was at
hand. It was closer than at any other time in history since Adam and Eve sinned
in the garden. What Jesus declared is the theme of Mark’s testimony. What we
need to realize is Jesus did not just get baptized and then tell the time for
earth; He got busy.
Mark gave many examples of Jesus being busy about the
Father’s work. First, after Jesus returned from the desert, he went to Galilee,
which was near the desert, and said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of
God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” [NASB] Next, as He walked
along the Sea of Galilee, He called fishermen to follow Him. First Andrew, who
introduced Him to Simon (Peter), then, He called James and John. Note, of these
first four disciples, three of them–Simon, James, and John–became Jesus’
inner-circle of closest friends. These were the ones He took to the garden at
the transfiguration, and when He prayed before His arrest after Judas’
betrayal. Note also, these four men did not tell Jesus, “Wait, I must help my
father haul the fishing nets in.” Mark said, “Immediately He called them, and
they left their father and followed Him.”
Now, if Jesus was just a man wanting to build up fame and gain
followers, He could have stopped there. Yet, we don’t see that happening. Jesus
is about the Father’s business, to tell people, “The kingdom of God is here;
repent and believe in the gospel.” What we next read in the Gospel of Mark is
Jesus traveled to Capernaum and immediately He entered to the synagogue and
began to teach. The people listened with amazement at His teaching; He spoke as
one who had authority, not as a scribe or a local man taught what to say by a
Rabbi. What Jesus taught wasn’t new. How
He taught was. Jesus taught with power and freshness. What He said wasn’t the
same lesson the people listened to as the scribes spoke.
A challenge, an example, occurred next. A man with an
unclean spirit was inside the synagogue and this unclean spirit challenged
Jesus. This spirit said in verse twenty-four, “What business do we have with
each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You
are-the Holy One of God!” What this unclean spirit said in the synagogue was
significant in several ways. First, through the man’s voice, the spirit spoke
for all demons. Second, it proved even demons know who the Son of God is.
Third, this demon recognized the extent of Jesus’ power and challenged Him.
Jesus acted. Immediately Jesus rebuked (sharply disapproved) the demon for declaring
who Jesus is. Jesus said, “Be quiet!” He also commanded the demon to leave the
man’s body. With one last attempt to remain in the man’s body, the demon threw
the man into convulsions, then screamed with a loud voice and exited the man
(vs. 25-26). Jesus did not only teach with authority, He had authority. He
showed He had authority over the spiritual realm by commanding the unclean
spirit to be quiet and to leave the man. Mark emphasized Jesus’ authority in
action. The demons, the spiritual realm, acknowledged Jesus’ authority and
power. Jesus has authority in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.
Did Jesus end His ministry with a pat on His back and His
chin raised? No. When Jesus exited the synagogue, He went to Simon’s house. Being
the Sabbath, the men probably shared the Sabbath meal. Simon found his
mother-in-law sick with a high fever and he immediately told Jesus. Jesus did
not say, give me a minute and some food so I can recover. With great care and
love, Jesus went to her, raised her up, took her hand, and the fever left her.
Jesus showed His love and showed He has power over the health of people. In
gratitude, Simon’s mother-in-law waited on them. She gave them something to eat
and drink. After the Sabbath ended at sunset, the people of Capernaum, having heard
of Jesus’ teaching, casting out demons, and healing the sick, brought other people
for Jesus to heal and from whom to cast out demons. Some people came to watch.
Jesus’ fame began, but the people still only sought Him for
what He could do for their physical bodies. They still did not repent and
believe. This may possibly be the reason the disciples searched for Jesus when He
left the house to pray in a secluded place. They recognized His abilities, too,
just like the people who gathered at Simon’s house to watch Jesus heal and cast
out demons. Possibly they sensed there was more to Jesus than that. Mark
recorded these four disciples searched for Him because everyone was looking for
Him. Of course, this was an exaggeration. Only the people around Capernaum, a
town-village of a couple thousand people, heard what Jesus had done there.
Jesus knew He must tell everyone-people outside of Capernaum,“The
kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe.” He said that is why He came to
earth in human form. Healing and casting out demons were good things to do.
Because of Jesus’ love, and His power and authority over all things, He came to
make people whole-physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Healing showed
Jesus’ power and gave physical wholeness, but His primary task was to preach.
Because of Jesus’ love for people, He wanted, and wants still, to make people completely
whole by uniting them with the Father by making them righteousness. Jesus knew
nothing a person could do would make him or her righteous. Righteousness for
humankind required a perfect sin sacrifice as a substitution for the judgment
because of their sins. This perfect sin substitution would free them from
having to offer their lives as the judgment for their sins. Jesus’ preaching
the kingdom of God is near meant God had come down and was right then among
them; accept, repent, and believe. Without His preaching, people would not know
and accept Jesus’ gift of His sacrifice and then become clean from sin, become
righteous. Only this way can people become whole physically, emotionally, and
spiritually.
Jesus never lost the compulsion to preach the Good News. He
preached, taught, healed, raised people from the dead, cast out demons, and in other
ways made people well. Jesus never forgot to preach and teach the Good News. Helping
people heal and become well is good, but without spiritual righteousness, no
one can ever be completely whole. Spiritual righteousness given through Jesus’
life, death, and resurrection is how God makes people completely whole. Often,
we followers of Jesus get baptized, begin to listen to and work for God, then
forget the mandate. Nothing is wrong with helping people, but if they don’t
know Jesus, the work we do is just good. When we tell people the Good News of
Jesus Christ, that work is best. Jesus loved and so healed. Jesus loved people and
died so they could be made righteous, made whole, and have an eternal
relationship with God.
Here’s where it gets real. Are you a Christian who began
your walk with Jesus by telling people about Him? Did Jesus give you a heart of
love for other people and so you care about their life situation? Look around;
have you gotten lost in the process of doing good for people by helping them
with rent money, medicine, learn a language, etc.? Have you forgotten to tell
them why you have a heart of love for them, which is because Jesus loves them
enough that He died in their place as the penalty for their sins? That’s what
our lives should be about. Nothing is wrong with helping people, but helping
people without telling them the Good News is just that, good, not the best.
Tell the Good News.
That is the greatest act of love for a
person.
Jesus still calls to
people. Will you allow yourself to be used by Him for this purpose?
Good vs Best–What will you do?
Christ still lives in the world today,
Tell the good news, tell the good news;
Giving strength to all souls who pray,
Tell the good news, tell the good news.
Tell the good news, tell the good news,
Tell the good news that Christ has come;
Tell the good news, tell the good news,
Tell the good news to everyone
-Tell the Good News by Gene Bartlett
Lord, I gave my life to You. I asked You to
save me and use me for Your service. I’ve not hated or hurt anyone, but in my
doing, I forgot the best. Lord, forgive me for not loving You more and for not
loving other people well so that I did not tell them Your good news. Forgive me
for allowing my works to tell the good news and not my voice. Lord, You never
forgot to be about the Father’s business. Make me constantly aware and vigilant
of where You are working so I can join You and tell Your good news. Make me and
use me for Your purpose for Your best.
