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by Sandy Shaw
We return to the text of Mark's Gospel in Chapter 1 verse 15 where we have the first recorded words of Jesus. This is the first time we hear Jesus Christ's voice - "Repent and believe the good news". Turn around - turn away and go in the opposite direction - in the Bible it is turn away from those things Jesus hates, to the things Jesus loves.
The Gospel was and is good news of some event that changed things in a meaningful way - and it is an announcement - a sharing of this message of something that is done for you that changes history - and that changes circumstances for ever. We saw how in the world at that time this word 'Gospel' was used regarding battles that had been won. The essence of other religions is advice or regulations or rituals. When we come to the Christian Faith, it is essentially NEWS, and good news. It might be helpful to state again that the Christian Faith is NOT a religion. It must never be considered as a 'religion' alongside other 'religions'. God connects to you and with you, not on the basis of what you have done but on what HE has done in Christ Jesus - by His grace and mercy and love. Jesus then selects twelve men to be His disciples. These men are to become His core group of friends and followers, with whom He shared and shares everything. Pupils used to choose rabbis - Jesus changes that by choosing pupils. And when Jesus calls, it disrupts. That can be shocking. Jesus wants priority over our family, and that at times can be drastic. Jesus takes priority over our career. How many promising medical careers have been ruined, in one sense, as Jesus Christ called men and women to leave these shores and go to Africa or India or the Middle East or some other distant land? This is radical in as much as it uproots - and extreme, in as much as it permits no easy compromise, or half way house. People may say - Oh, surely there has to be moderation. Why can we not just be somewhere in the middle? Turn to Luke 14 verse 26 - Jesus does not say to the crowd - look, most of you can be moderate and half committed - but I do need a few good men and women who really want to go all the way with this discipleship course I am teaching. There is no double standard. In Mark Chapter 3 verses 14,15, we have one short significant sentence - that they might be with Him - and that He might send them out - watching - learning - listening - observing - but surely also for friendship - to pass on the torch at the right time and preach the Gospel in all its fullness - which they did. Verses 21,22 - Mark uses the word authority for the first time. It comes from the same source as author - what I am saying and teaching I am authoring and authorising - writing in the world with the authority from above - from God the Father. Verses 29 to 31 - Jesus then takes this authority to another level. Jesus is concerned with this physical world, and Jesus is King and Lord over this physical world - and not just the spiritual world. Jesus shows and reveals that He has power over sickness and illness and disease. We are seeing a calling Christ - and healing Christ - a Christ who is involved in every area of our fallen nature. He repairs and mends and restores.Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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