Meet Jesus in the Gospel of Mark

Mark was the first of the Gospel writers to write down the oral story of Jesus’ life. Mark 1 is the BIG-Story that makes sense of life as we fully abandon ourselves to Jesus. Trace these themes through Mark and see how attractive Jesus is. Gazing on Jesus in the Gospels puts flesh on God. As we respond to Him, He won’t leave us unchanged.

1. Jesus restores God’s original Eden-plan for humanity (1:9-13). With Jesus’ baptism, Mark deliberately points us back to the 1^st creation in Genesis 1 & 2 and God’s intent for humanity. The same Three Persons were active in speaking the 1^st creation into existence, God the Father, God’s Spirit who fluttered or hovered over the water, and Jesus, the Word (see John 1:1-2 + 14). Jesus demonstrated His full abandonment to His Father, just like baptism does for us today. Like Jesus, we also live under an “open heaven” with immediate access to the Father’s love and acceptance and the Spirit’s power. Notice. At once the Spirit sent Jesus into an alone place to test these fresh expressions of life, like with us.

2. Jesus brings the inbreaking Kingdom of God (1:14-15, 1:21-34). Mark describes Jesus Christ, the Son of God, inbreaking into history. His arrival creates a sense of crisis as He ruptures the status quo. “Gospel” or “Good News” means history-making, life-shaping news, not daily news, and calls for decisive action (note the use of “immediately” in Mark). Jesus embodies God’s Kingdom right to rule. So His arrival launches God’s restoration plan for all that was lost in Genesis 3. Jesus walked through life all-in with His Father and the Spirit (Acts 10:36-38). He drew people to Him as He patiently shared His Father’s words and demonstrated their authenticity with works of compassion and power. Jesus’ Kingship calls each of us to live all-in to His loving sovereignty, and the Father sends us just as He sent His Son (John 17:18; 20:21).

3. Jesus establishes His new Family of God (1:16-20). Jesus ushers us into His new creation Family, available for all who give ourselves fully to Jesus. This restores relationship with the Father. Then He trains up His band of brothers as His new Family (3:33-35) to follow Him in the “Family business” of winning and multiplying disciples, or followers (1:16-20; see also chapter 2 for the same themes). Jesus “focuses on the few to reach the many,” with the world always on His heart.

4. Jesus draws strength from time with His Father (1:35-37). Like Jesus, our true Source of love and power is intimacy fostered through leisurely time alone with the Father with “one foot raised” for action. Jesus retreated to prayer with His Father to prepare for more action, drawn into a rhythm of life determined by being in the Father’s presence.

This is Reflection #38 in my book, Foundation Stones. I also have a web-site with tools, books and "more than Bible studies" that have helped me to live out of this spiritual DNA, www.JimFredericks.com