Mark 1:1-15
(1) The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
(2) As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
(3) The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
(4) John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
(5) And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.
(6) And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;
(7) And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.
(8) I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
(9) And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.
(10) And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:
(11) And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
(12) And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness.
(13) And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.
(14) Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
(15) And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
The word Gospel in the last verse means a good message. The good message at the time of John the Baptism was about repentance and the Messiah coming, who John the Baptist was not worthy to untie his sandals. The Messiah would baptize with the Holy Ghost. Jesus comes to baptize but John also baptized preparing the people for the Messiah coming. John preached repentance and remission of sin. To repent means to turn away from sin and remission means forgivness of sin. Two things John taught that Jesus would demonstrate through healing of cripples, the ill and the blind people of his day. Jesus would ask is it easier to say to a man on a mat get up and walk or that one's sins are forgiven? The truth of matter it is easy to say your sins are forgiven then to tell a cripple to get up and walk, but Jesus said get up and walk and the cripple man did. Demonstration His ability to forgive as well as to heal.
Jesus would get baptized by John, but it was a demostration of faith that we ought to follow. It was to say repentance and remission were necessary for the believer. He being Jewish by birth, would go through religious cermony though because of who he was it was not necessary for him to be baptized by John. He was baptized into the world of humanity in the since of the flesh at birth and baptized in water, a symbol of being baptized into God's word for repentance and remission of sin. Jesus knew no sin, but he did not always obey man's laws because of who He was. For instance as a boy they found him at the temple, instead of with the children traveling homeward. Nothing odd about this Jesus was in his Father's house, but not with the people God had given him to be raised by. Jesus also would not correct his disciples who picked corn on the Sabbath day. A law of God prohibited any kind work on the Sabbath. In fact at the time of Moses a man was killed for breaking the law for gathering fire wood and he was a stranger to law of Moses.
The courseness of the law was punishment by death. Breaking the things God had established. There were laws that did not cause death but other forms of punishment. One cannot establish a law without punishment, but Jesus advises forgiveness for sin of others. In our humanity we do not obey every law though we are called to obey both God's law and man's law. A crime forgiven is a pardon of the law of judgment. If one gives forgiveness instead of persecution, there really needs to be repentance of the crime. I am not talking a showing of tears to later go and say it okay I did nothing wrong. True repentance comes with remorse for eternity that bring repentance.
Jesus would then go into the wilderness for forty days and would be tempted by the devil and ministered to by angels. Jesus came back and John was in prison, and he began to preach the Kingdom of God was at hand. Jesus was there to fullfill the coming of the kingdom of heaven. Though no one understood this was not about taking Israel back at this time from the gentiles, it was about the spiritual kingdom. To bring the lost souls to God almighty. Jesus was a bridge for the lost. If they could believe in him, then they could believe in God the Father. For his works were clear of healing of diseases of his day. He was there to bring about hope of tomorrow. To bring about repentance of sin and turning toward God and God's way.
The word of God is a good message of repentnace and forgiveness of sin. To forgive is truly divine especially the harder the sin is to forgive. It takes an act of God to forgive certain crimes. Yet Jesus said to forgive them Father for they know not what they do, when He hung on the cross. The truth of matter we can not understand the full measure of forgiveness without understanding our crime of humanity of going against God's will from the beginning of time, beginning with first man and woman who sinned by eating forbidden fruit. Until we understand we are imperfect and one does not obey everything God says, then one can apply confession and repentance of sin to one's life. To say I am sinner without understanding is coming to terms of our unworthiness to stand in God's presence because of our disobedience. As a child runs and hides from a parent after doing something wrong, the adult world would like to do the same with there sin by covering it up.
When person no longer feels the need to hide but can take ownership of there sin, God then is able to forgive. He is able to forgive because he knew of our imperfection before birth. He created man to follow, but with choice. Yet when we repent it requires us to turn away from sin in order for forgivess to happen, no forgiveness is given when confession happens and not before. To kneel down and repent whether figuratively kneeingl or physical, spiritually, and mentally repenting is necessary for forgiveness of sin.
Jesus preach on repentance and forgiveness through out his ministry and then demonstrated it on the cross. If Jesus could forgive those who persecuted Him, do you believe He can forgive you today. Receive Jesus today as Lord and Savior. Receive him as your Savior who died for your sins and not just yours but the whole world including mine. Confess your sins to God and he will save you from you sins upon receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Whoever believes in the only Son of God will be saved and have eternal life. That is God's promise to you and me. God's kingdom comes first to our hearts, by Jesus coming into our heart upon receiving him as Lord and Savior. The Holy Ghost comes into our heart to enable us as believers to live in obedience to God. To forgive is a demonstrate of God's power in our life.
If you want to receive Jesus as Savior even now say Lord I am sinner, I believe Christ died for me and preached a good message of salvation through repentance and remission of sins. Speaking of the kingdom of heaven and promise of your Spirit to come to enable me to be able to live a life pleasing to you. Please forgive me for I am a sinner and your son died for me. I ask you to live in my heart so I will learn to obey you. In Jesus precious name, Amen. If you prayed this prayer with me who are not a believer in Christ. Go and sin no more. Live from turtle30cshell.com i am your host Christina Farris.
