Mark 1:14-20 ESV
14 Now after John was
arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and
saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at
hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
16 Passing alongside the Sea
of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the
sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to
them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of
men.” 18 And immediately they left
their nets and followed him. 19 And going on a
little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were
in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately
he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired
servants and followed him.
The Time Has Come – Open My Eyes
In the beginning was the Word, and to the end of Jesus
life was the Word.
Genesis 1:3 ESV
3 And God said, “Let
there be light,” and there was light.
And God said… and God said… the Word! In the beginning was
the Word.
John 1:1-2 ESV
1 In the beginning
was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He
was in the beginning with God.
And then, the Word let out a cry…
Luke 23:46 ESV
46 Then Jesus, calling
out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your
hands I commit my spirit!” And having said
this he breathed his last.
John 19:30 ESV
30 When Jesus had received
the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and
he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
All attention focuses on Jesus. Yet Jesus focuses his attention
on God and those God gives to him. The object of faith here is the Gospel. As
disciples and God’s creatures, we are called to believe. Jesus becomes the
object of faith, AFTER the Easter resurrection. But, here, in this passage the
object of faith IS the Gospel.
Jesus comes preaching and teaching. The Time has Come. The
Kingdom is here. The Kingdom has come as God is active in Jesus. Jesus calls
out, repent and believe in the gospel. Jesus speaks to the rule of God in our
hearts and minds to turn to God and look and see and believe. Yes, the Kingdom
has come and yet it is to come again. The Kingdom was, and always has been, is
now and will be fulfilled. The Time has Come!
So, what is this, Kingdom? To paraphrase Luther’s Large
Catechism, God sent his Son to deliver us from the power of the devil, to bring
us to himself, and reign over us as a King. A King of life. A King of
salvation. A King that defends us from sin, death and our evil conscience. And
in this Kingdom, God gives us his Holy Spirit, to teach us through the very
Holy Word that was in the beginning, is now, and forever will be.
How does this Kingdom come? In time, through the Word and
faith. And this Kingdom will be revealed fully to us in eternity when Jesus
comes again, to raise all his Children to eternal life with him, forever. So,
the Kingdom came with the Word, in the beginning… the Kingdom comes to us as we
are baptized and have faith, bring us to believe, in this time of life. And the
Kingdom will be fully realized when Jesus comes finally to raise us from the
dead.
Now, as we read in this passage of Scripture, may we
repent, turn to God, look and see and believe in God’s Kingdom. For here and
now is the rule of God in your heart and your mind.
Yes, repent, believe and yet follow. The Good News of the
Kingdom is a little different here from the Christian Gospel. Here, at Jesus
beginning of his life of preaching and teaching; Jesus adds belief to
repentance.
Jesus comes as a Servant to call servants to a life of
commitment. A life of service to God and to neighbor. Jesus calls us to serve
God and to serve all those God gives to us each and every day of our lives.
Jesus calls us out of our home to work in the Kingdom, here and now. Jesus
comes to our door each day to draw us out from the comfort of our home, to work
with him and his Church in the Kingdom of God, here and now. Jesus calls us to
travel with him, wherever he leads us.
Jesus calls us, not for what we are… fishermen, maintenance
workers, business leaders, medical professionals, servers… Jesus eyes see not
only what is… but what might be in the Kingdom of God.
Mark 12:42-44 ESV
42 And a poor widow came and
put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. 43 And
he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I
say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are
contributing to the offering box. 44 For they
all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put
in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
The eyes of Jesus? May we see each other through Jesus’
eyes and mind…
1 Corinthians 2:16 ESV
16 “For who has understood
the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of
Christ.
Jesus sees creation and all people with love, compassion,
understanding and forgiveness.
Once again to paraphrase Luther in his explanation of the
Fifth Petition of the Lord’s Prayer… Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
those who trespass against us.
Here, we know our sin. But we ask that God would not hold
our sin against us and refuse the things for which we pray. We know that we
have not earned nor deserved God’s love and forgiveness. Yet, we ask that God
would grant us what we pray in this Lord’s Prayer through grace. Yes, I sin every
day and deserve nothing but punishment. Yet through the grace of God, we can heartily
forgive those who sin against us and gladly do good to those God gives to us
each day.
You see, the key… the Grace of God. Jesus sees us through the
eyes of the heart of a loving and graceful Creator, Redeemer and Eternal
Spirit. This is God’s Kingdom!
So, how do we live in this Kingdom?
Jesus calls us for what he is able to make us become. And
in this call, we have a decision. Are you committed to Jesus?
As the called Church of disciples of Jesus, in this
community of believers, who hear and follow Jesus, we must prepare to obey
Jesus, in this Kingdom of God. You see, this Kingdom is not about ourselves. It’s
not about what we do or say. This Kingdom is about God.
Jesus calls us to bring the skills and talents, God has
richly given and blessed us with, to the feet of Jesus and to give these gifts
to all the people God gives to you daily in your life.
Jesus calls us to follow him. Jesus calls us to offer the
Gospel of salvation. We are more than pupils of Jesus. We are called to act out
Jesus’ love for all those God gives to you each day. Act out God’s love freely,
just as God has loved and forgiven you freely.
In following Jesus, you now live a new life. God is
building upon what he has given you, that you may give the message of
forgiveness and new life to all people who enter this Kingdom of God, here and
now. For there will be a day that we all will live eternal life with God. And
that day… begins here and now… In God’s Kingdom.
Lord Jesus, as you draw near to us, may we see that you are
The Rock. The Fortress, The Salvation and believe in you and Your Kingdom,
yesterday… today… and forever. --- Amen
I leave you with a song… As we sing with the Host of Heaven
in God’s Kingdom in Glory…
“Open the Eyes of My
Heart, Lord”
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