A Lenten journey through Mark’s Gospel
West Hamilton Anglican Parish
2014
THE ROAR OF
THE LION
[Document subtitle]
Wed 5 March
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 1.1
The four gospels are described by scholars
in a variety of ways, but most commonly as
biographies – of Jesus of Nazareth.
A biography is an account of somebody’s
life. You read a biography to find out more
about that person.
The four gospels are more than mere
biographies, however. They were written
for a specific purpose – to announce
something wonderful and important! The
word gospel means, literally, ‘good news’.
Certainly, we get to know more about
Jesus by reading the gospels. In fact they
are our primary source of information
about him. But the gospel writers don’t
write simply to inform but to transform.
They want us to meet Jesus in a lifechanging way, so that after reading their gospel we will never be the same again.
John expresses this most clearly when he writes, near the end of his gospel:
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written
in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the
Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20.30-31)
So the good news is not simply that Jesus lived, but that his life has significance for
everyone. Believe in him, and your whole life will change. More than that, you will begin a
new life in him!
To ponder
How has knowing Jesus changed your life?
In what ways has it been ‘good news’? Count your blessings one by one…
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank you for what you have already done in my life. As I read through
Mark’s account of the good news of your dear Son Jesus Christ this Lent, open my eyes
anew to its life-giving power, and my ears afresh to your speaking life-giving words to me.
This I ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Thurs 6 March
As it is written in Isaiah the prophet… 1.2a
Have you ever noticed that each of the four gospels begins
differently? John, the last gospel to be written, begins farthest
back, with Jesus existence before creation, with all things
being made through him.
Matthew begins by tracing Jesus’ origins back to Abraham.
Luke also traces Jesus’ origins, back to the first human - Adam,
but that is not how he begins. Rather, he begins with the
conception of John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, followed by the
announcement to Mary that she would bear Jesus.
Mark, however, ignores Jesus’ origins and birth altogether. He
goes straight to Jesus’ baptism and the beginning of his adult
ministry. Or almost.
His gospel actually begins with a quotation from the prophet
Isaiah, written centuries earlier. A messenger from God would come first and prepare the
way for God’s anointed one (the Messiah).
In citing Isaiah, Mark is joining with the other three gospel writers in reminding us that
Jesus’ ministry on this earth wasn’t a new idea - a hastily prepared last minute rescue plan
that God suddenly thought of when he looked down and saw what a mess the world was in.
No, God had always had it in mind to redeem the world through his own Son.
Secondly, it is proof that it was God who sent John, the one who would prepare the way for
Jesus. John didn’t simply appoint himself and say “Here I am, listen to me.” Rather, he was a
man sent by God to speak God’s message, and to point to Jesus. He came with authority,
and anyone who had read or heard the prophet Isaiah, i.e. all the Jewish people, should
have heeded his voice.
To ponder
How does your life point others to Jesus?
Prayer
Lord God, I thank you that you sent John the Baptist to prepare the way for Jesus. Prepare
my heart, I pray, to journey with Jesus through this Lenten period, that I may heed his word
and stay with him through all temptation. I ask it in his name. Amen.
Fri 7 March
Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one
crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 1.2b-3
Major events require major preparation. Good
preparation not only ensures the event goes off
well, but it focuses everybody involved.
God had long been preparing for the sending of
his Son into the world. At the time of the Fall he
had announced that the seed of the woman
would crush the serpent’s head (Gen 3.15). To
Abraham he had promised that through him (i.e.
his seed) all the families of the earth shall be
blessed (Gen 12.3). Moses prophesied “The LORD
your God will raise up for you a prophet like me
from among you… it is to him you shall listen…”,
to which God added “and whoever will not listen
to my word that he shall speak in my name, I
myself will require it of him” (Deut 18.15-19).
Then the words of the prophet Isaiah speak specifically of one coming immediately prior to
the Messiah, a forerunner, who would make the final preparations.
This leaves no room for doubt that God meant Israel to be well prepared and to give his Son
the welcome, honour and glory due an earthly king, and – how much more – to the
heavenly King of kings.
We are told many times in Scripture that this same Jesus will one day come again – and that
we must be ready!
To ponder
Lenten preparation is intended to help us focus on the person and work of Jesus, and
particularly his death, resurrection and ascension. How will you sharpen your focus?
Prayer
Lord God, as we pray “your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven”, we long for your
return in glory. Meanwhile help us to live and work as faithful servants of your kingdom, so
that we might be found ready when you come. In our Lord Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Sat 8 March
John appeared, baptizing in the
wilderness and proclaiming a baptism
of repentance for the forgiveness of
sins. And all the country of Judea and
all Jerusalem were going out to him and
were being baptized by him in the river
Jordan, confessing their sins... And he
preached, saying, “After me comes he
who is mightier than I… I have baptized
you with water, but he will baptize you
with the Holy Spirit.” 1.4-8
Baptism, or ritual washing, was a
widespread practice in the many religions of the ancient world. We know it was practised in
Judaism too (e.g. Lev 13.7), there being numerous pools on the south side of the Temple.
Judaism used full immersion ritual washing when a Gentile converted to Judaism, and spoke
of it as a rebirth. There were strict rules to this purification ceremony: the convert had to be
stripped totally naked, and not so much as the string of a bean was allowed to cover the
space between two teeth.
So what John offered wasn’t radical, except that he was calling on Jews to be baptized. He
was, in effect, saying that they needed to be converted to God’s way as much as Gentiles.
For a Jew to respond to John’s call to repent and be baptized took incredible humility, which
can only have been the result of the convicting work of the Holy Spirit.
Amazingly, crowds flocked to John to be baptized. Something supernatural was beginning
which the Messiah himself would complete by baptizing with the Holy Spirit.
To ponder
Reflect on your own coming to Christ. How difficult and humbling was it? Did it involve
submitting every part and detail of your life to God for his cleansing?
Prayer
Lord God, as a father shows compassion to his children, so you show compassion to those
who fear you. Help me not to be afraid to face my sins and my need for your cleansing
grace. May I know the healing power of your forgiveness this and every day, through Jesus
my Lord. Amen.
[Sun 9 March Jesus’ Baptism (1.9-11) and the beginning of his ministry (1.14-15)]
Mon 10 March
The Spirit immediately drove him out into the
wilderness. And he was tempted in the wilderness
forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was
with the wild animals, and the angels were
ministering to him. 1.12-13
Why did God’s Spirit drive his Son into the
wilderness?
Stanley Spencer’s painting graphically illustrates
the challenges Jesus faced in the wilderness. His
tongue is swollen with thirst. His hair is unkempt.
His hands in their gaping sleeves mirror the foxes
in their holes, an allusion to Jesus’ hard call to would-be disciples (see Matt 8.20). The
ministering angels have not yet arrived.
There are allusions to the cross (the outstretched arms), and the laying out of Jesus’ dead
body (Jesus’ bent right leg is far too big, resembling a rock, which his torso – visible under
the white robe – lies across to the right). Jesus will face a greater temptation (Mark 14.3242).
This is a stark reminder that from the outset Jesus was in a battle - with Satan, suffering and
death (cf. Luke 4.13). Taking on the world’s sin meant taking on its suffering too.
We are also reminded of Jesus’ full humanity: life was no easier for him than for us. The
writer to the Hebrews tells us that Jesus was tempted in every respect as we are, yet did not
sin (Heb 4.15).
Extraordinarily, the Holy Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness because “although he was a
son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became
the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him” (Heb 5.8-9).
The Father was faithful in delivering the Son from temptation. He won’t allow us to be
tempted beyond what we can cope with either (see 1 Cor 10.13).
To ponder
How has testing and overcoming temptation taught you obedience?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, you discipline your children whom you love. Help me to accept your
discipline when you apply it, to learn obedience through it, and to be delivered me from it,
for your name’s sake. Amen.
Tues 11 March
And … he entered the synagogue
and was teaching, for he taught
them as one who had authority, and
not as the scribes. And… there was in
their synagogue a man with an
unclean spirit. And he cried out,
“What have you to do with us, Jesus
of Nazareth? Have you come to
destroy us? I know who you are – the
Holy one of God.” But Jesus rebuked
him … And they were all amazed...
saying. “What is this? A new
teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”1.21-28
Satan’s greatest and most effective weapon is to deceive people into thinking that Jesus was
less than the Holy One or Son of God.
Many will admit that Jesus was a fine man and an exemplar, yet take offence at his claim to
be the only way to God (John 14.6). Yet that is what he is; it’s the truth and Satan knows it.
How symbolic is it that Mark records that there was a man with a demon in their synagogue,
i.e. the synagogue of the scribes? The strongest opposition to Jesus came from religious
men, experts in God’s word. The battle shaped up as one between his authority and theirs.
Jesus isn’t simply the greatest man, or the greatest prophet, who ever walked the earth. He
is the Son of God and as such has an authority no other human being ever has had or ever
will have. His unique authority, an authority that came from the throne of God himself, was
what first struck his hearers - friend and foe, human and demonic alike (cf. 11.27-33).
To ponder
How does Jesus continue to exercise his authority in the world today? Consciously reflect on
what it means for you to be under Jesus’ authority.
To pray
Lord Jesus Christ, you are my Lord and Saviour. I humbly and gladly submit my whole being
to your authority. Keep me from submitting to any other than that ordained by you. I pray it
in the power of your name. Amen.
Wed 12 March
And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a
desolate place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those with him searched for him, and
they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you”… 1.35-39
So far Mark has reported Jesus moving at a brisk pace. Have you noticed how often a
change of location is followed by an ‘immediately…’ and then Jesus next ministry is
recorded.
Today there is no immediately, but a very early start. Jesu is intentional, he
Thurs 13 March