Kingdom Disciples

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.

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.

John proclaimed a baptism in water “ for the remission of sins ,” and he announced the arrival of the “ Coming One .” He was sent as the Forerunner of the Messiah as promised in the  Book of Isaiah  - “ Behold, I send my messenger before your face… The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord .” Moreover, he was the promised King of Israel who would baptize his people “ in Spirit and Fire .”

Jesus began to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God in Galilee after the arrest of John the Baptist. That incident foreshadowed the opposition he would face throughout his ministry. Resistance to his efforts would culminate in his arrest, trial, and execution. His message brought fulfillment but also opposition. Unlike the ancient prophets, his work did not begin or center in Jerusalem, though it certainly ended there - (Matthew 4:13).

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 or her decision to follow Jesus of Nazareth 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 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? Should his disciples “forcefully seize” the promises of God and otherwise vigorously “press into” the Kingdom and the “spirit realm”? Or must it advance in the world through forceful action? In the passage, Jesus is discussing the ministry of John the Baptist, and how he was rejected and abused by the leaders of the Jewish nation.

John the Baptist prepared the way for the Messiah, the herald of the Kingdom of God and the one who baptizes in the Spirit – Mark 1:4-8. John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah of Israel, in fulfillment of the Scriptures. He was the Voice in the Wilderness, and the Elijah who was to come and restore all things before the Day of the Lord - (Malachi 4:5, Matthew 11:14).