Disciples Global Network

Redemption and God's Kingdom arrived in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, starting with his baptism by John – Mark 1:1-3. The Gospel of Mark opens with a declaration that combines passages from the Old Testament to provide the scriptural basis for the ministry of John the Baptist , and to set the stage for Christ’s mission . Mark begins with a note of fulfillment.

It was only when he died that the Roman centurion in charge of the execution recognized that Jesus was the Son of God . Everyone in the Gospel of Mark is incapable of recognizing who Jesus is, except for John the Baptist, Peter (momentarily), and the Roman centurion at his execution, and Peter’s moment of insight proved fleeting. Even the Baptist began to question the identity of Christ when he was imprisoned by Herod Antipas.

Jesus is the anointed Son of God whose life and ministry were characterized by the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit . The activity of the Spirit dominated the life, words, and deeds of Jesus of Nazareth. He was “ Jesus, the one called Christ ,” the Anointed One, the long-awaited Messiah of Israel.  When  an angel  informed  Joseph that   Mary carried a child  “ conceived   of the Holy Spirit ,” his declaration indicated that something more than a miraculous birth was about to unfold.

The Spirit of God and the voice from heaven confirmed the calling and identity of Jesus, Son, Messiah, and the Servant of the LORD . Jesus first appears in the  Gospel of Mark  when John baptizes him in the Jordan River. The account identifies him with his hometown, Nazareth, a village of no consequence, though its insignificance plays a role in the story. He is the “ Servant of the LORD ” anointed by the Spirit, but he does not conform to popular expectations about the Messiah.

After his baptism, the Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness where he was tested by the Devil. The Messiah succeeded where Israel failed . After his baptism in the Jordan by John, the Spirit “ drove Jesus into the wilderness .” Like Moses and Israel, the Messiah was tempted while he was alone in the Judean desert. His only guide was the Word of God. Like Israel, he was “ tested .” Unlike the Hebrew nation, he overcame every temptation and emerged victorious and “ full of the Holy Spirit. ”

The Spirit of God descended on Jesus, equipping him for his Messianic mission. He baptizes his followers in the Holy Spirit and Fire . John proclaim ed   a baptism in water  “ for the remission of sins ,” and  he  announce d  the arrival of  the  “ Coming One .”  John was the Forerunner sent before  the  Messiah as promised in the  Book of Isaiah  -  “ Behold,  I send my messenger before  your  face, to prepare your way … .” Jesus is the King of Israel who baptizes his people “ in Spirit and Fire .”

John the Baptist prepared the way for the Messiah, the herald of the Good News of the Kingdom of God  – Mark 1:4-8. All four gospel accounts apply the same passage from the  Book of Isaiah  to John the Baptist, the messenger who called all Israel to repent in preparation for the Messiah’s arrival. The  quotation identifies John as the forerunner who was expected before “ the day of the LORD ”:

Jesus journeyed relentlessly toward Jerusalem, where he, “the Son of Man,” would be arrested, tried, and executed  – Mark 10:32-34. Jesus is “ on the way ” to Jerusalem in the  Gospel of Mark , where his enemies will kill him, but he will sacrifice his life on behalf of his people. The theme of Christ’s relentless journey to his death is repeated in  Mark ,   beginning with John the Baptist, the forerunner who came to “ prepare  the way of the Lord .”

To be the disciple of Jesus one must take up the cross and follow in his footsteps, even if it results in rejection, impoverishment, or death . Jesus sent his twelve disciples to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom throughout the region. In the Gospel of Mark , this incident is followed by the execution of John the Baptist. His death serves as a warning to the would-be disciple that rejection will inevitably follow his decision to follow Jesus no matter where he leads. To walk in his footsteps, one must first COUNT THE COST to have any hope of seeing the journey through to the end.

Jesus began to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God in Galilee following the arrest of John the Baptist, an incident that foreshadowed the opposition he would face throughout his mission. In the end, resistance to his efforts culminated in his own arrest, trial, and execution in Jerusalem. His message brought fulfillment but also adversity. Unlike the prophets of old, his work did  NOT  begin or center in Jerusalem, though it certainly ended there - (Matthew 4:13).

Jesus declared that “ violent men are seizing the Kingdom of God .” Was he referring to malevolent men from the outside who attempt to take control of the Kingdom through force? Are his disciples called to “forcefully seize” the promises of and from God, or was he saying that the Kingdom must advance through forceful action? Jesus was discussing the ministry of John the Baptist, and how John was received by the Jewish people.