This text provides an occasion for you to teach and proclaim a broader picture of “the Gospel” as God’s saving work.
The Apostle Mark does not waste any time in his gospel account. The first fifteen verses include a quotation from Isaiah, the public ministry of John the baptizer, the baptism of Jesus, the temptation of Jesus, the arrest of John, and Jesus’ first public proclamation... and we are not even half-way through the chapter!
But let us slow down (despite Mark’s love of the fast-paced “immediately”), and look at the words of Jesus again, especially the final phrase: “Repent and believe in the Gospel.” The words are so familiar it is easy to blow by them and immediately move on with the action. “Believe in the Gospel.” What does this mean?
The people in your congregation probably have a default way of “saying the Gospel.” It has been shaped by their own reading of Scripture, to be sure, but especially by how they have heard “the Gospel” from preachers and teachers. If I had to summarize how the people in my pews would summarize the Gospel, it would be something like this: “Jesus died and rose for you, so you could go to Heaven by trusting in Him.” That is not bad or wrong. It is certainly incomplete, but so is every summary. I am thankful my people know and believe that Jesus’ death and resurrection is for them and for their salvation.
But what do you think Jesus means here, in Mark 1:15? I do not think He is saying, “Repent and believe I will die and rise for you,” at least not that narrowly or immediately. The call to “believe in the Gospel” is more than our faithful and standard summary of the saving events of Holy Week. This text provides an occasion for you to teach and proclaim a broader picture of “the Gospel” as God’s saving work.
The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation. And the Gospel is physically and finally enacted in the death and resurrection of Jesus, by which God accomplishes what he has promised. But the Gospel is fundamentally “good news.” It is the present announcement of what God has promised (whether the fulfillment of that promise is past, present, or future).
Here in Mark 1, the call to “believe in the Gospel” has a specific context: John was just arrested. Now it is time. Now the time is fulfilled. Now the Kingdom of God is at hand. And who does Jesus first enlist into the work of His Kingdom? He does not find a centurion or two and say, “Hey, men! Follow Me! And bring the troops along, we are going to need them.” Nope. Instead, He calls two fishermen. Then He calls a couple more. These were not influential men wielding authority over all their lowly servants. They themselves were out in the boat, mending their own broken nets.
We see the upside down and backwards nature of Jesus’ Kingdom immediately. The arrest of John is the sign. The forerunner has been captured and will eventually be killed. Jesus will follow him in His arrest and execution. And Jesus says, “Follow me,” even as He follows John.
The nature of Jesus’ Kingdom is also seen in the word, “Repent.” Jesus does not say, “To arms! We are storming the castle!” Nope. The time is here. The Kingdom is now. God is fulfilling everything He has promised... so repent. It could not be less glamourous or less glorious. But the path of the Gospel is the path to the cross. By God’s grace it will end in glorification, but that is not the call, the journey, or even the dangled carrot. Ultimately, it is a promise.
It could not be less glamourous or less glorious. But the path of the Gospel is the path to the cross.
You might also consider helping your people “believe in the Gospel” in the context of what Jesus’ hearers may have understood in Mark 1. Obviously, people could not fully understand, until the resurrection of Christ. But in many and in various ways, God had spoken by the prophets. The Gospel is not original with the New Testament.
I would suggest offering a reflection on two or three Gospel promises from the Old Testament. Specifically, take cues from the upside down and backwards Kingdom context. Bring to light how this call to faith and the events of Holy Week are consistent with what God has been promising and how God has been working all along.
You could explore Genesis 3:15. God is going to undo the work of the Devil and save humanity, and He is going to accomplish this through a child who Himself will be wounded. I appreciate how the English Standard Version (ESV) uses “bruise” for both wounds, rather than the New International Version’s “crush” and “strike.” The ESV captures the scandal a bit better. “Repent and believe in the Gospel.”
Fast-forward nineteen chapters and we come to Genesis 22. A miraculous child, promised by the LORD Himself is here! “So, Abraham, here is what I want you to do. You know your child? The one I promised? Your only child, Isaac? The one whom you love? Yeah, well, there is this mountain, and I am going to need you to do a thing there.” The workings of God are not what we would expect, but God is accomplishing His gracious reign through them, nonetheless. “Repent and believe in the Gospel.”
Isaiah 53 might be the next stop. God is just. God is fair. We would expect perfect justice and perfect fairness when His Kingdom comes on earth, just as it is in Heaven. But that is not at all what we get. The innocent One bears the penalty for the guilty, so the guilty might live and be free. “Repent and believe in the Gospel.”
This is the ministry of Jesus. This is the Gospel. It is not just, “Jesus died and rose for you.” It is that Jesus died and rose for you in completion of and in continuity with everything God has promised. The Gospel is the promise.
And living on this side of the cross does not change how God works. Living on this side of Easter does not modify how God works. His Kingdom is still a call to repentance and faith. It is still a call to trust God and His gracious work. It still feels upside and backwards from what we might expect or like, but God is still faithful and still keeps His Word.
So, as you follow Jesus, do not fixate on your comfort level or on your circumstances to know if you are on track. Hear His Word. Listen to His promises. Believe in the Gospel.
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Additional Resources:
Craft of Preaching-Check out 1517’s resources on Mark 1:14-20.
Concordia Theology-Various helps from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO to assist you in preaching Mark 1:14-20.
Text Week-A treasury of resources from various traditions to help you preach Mark 1:14-20.
Lectionary Kick-Start-Check out this fantastic podcast from Craft of Preaching authors Peter Nafzger and David Schmitt as they dig into the texts for this Sunday!
Lectionary Podcast-Dr. John Nordling of Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, IN walks us through Mark 1:14-20.
