After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mk. 1:14-15) The words above are the first words spoken by Jesus in the Gospel of Mark. How are we to interpret them? Clearly the words evidence the reality that occurred when God was incarnate in the person of Jesus Christ. If God is incarnate, then “this is the time of fulfillment”; all of the prophecies have been fulfilled. And if Jesus is present, then the Kingdom of God is present, since the Kingdom is present where the King is present. But what about the middle part “repent and believe in the Gospel”? There are different ways to understand the words “repent and believe in the Gospel. They … [Read more...]
Archives for January 2021
From the Pastor – January 10, 2021
This weekend we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord. For centuries, Christians have celebrated the season of Christmas as twelve days between Christmas and Epiphany. The season ends with our celebration of the Lord's baptism. The public life of Jesus begins with his baptism by John in the Jordan. John hesitates, but Jesus insists. Then the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, comes upon Jesus and a voice from heaven proclaims, "This is my beloved Son.” Similarly to the visitation of the magi, this is an “epiphany” – a manifestation of Jesus as Messiah and Son of God. The baptism of the Lord is the acceptance and inauguration of Christ’s mission as God's suffering Servant. He allows himself to be numbered among sinners, and he becomes “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the … [Read more...]
