You've Got the Power!

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The Baptism and Testing of Jesus

9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, 13 and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted[g] by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

Jesus Announces the Good News

14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
Today, we begin the gospel of Mark.  Mark is the shortest gospel at 16 chapters.  Most believe Mark was the earliest gospel that was written, most likely between 60-70 A.D.  Mark is an action-packed gospel and is often called the "power gospel", because there is a focus on Jesus' power over sickness, disease and demons.  For instance Jesus:
  • Drives out a demon in the synagogue on Capernaum
  • Heals Peter's mother in law's fever
  • Many people were brought others to him and he healed them of their diseases and delivered them from their demons
  • Jesus heals a man with leprosy
Mark's gospel doesn't tell us anything about Jesus' birth, but starts with Jesus' baptism by the prophet John. When Jesus is baptized Mark says, heaven was literally "torn open" and the Spirit descended upon him "like a dove".  After John was put in prison we see Jesus' primary message was, "The time has come, the kingdom is at hand. Repent and believe the Good News."  Jesus' simple message was, "Get ready God is going to show you what He is like in a new way!"

We often focus on the Good News being about the forgiveness of our sins through Jesus' death and resurrection, as we should.  But before this happened Jesus demonstrated what the kingdom of heaven looked like on earth. In God's kingdom there was no sickness or disease and the power of evil is easily defeated in God's power and authority. One of the reasons Mark is called the "power gospel" is that there is a lot of emphasis on deliverance from the demonic.  Demonic strongholds had to do with power.  But Jesus' power was greater any spiritual power in the world which he demonstrated early and often.  

Later on Jesus will say to his disciples, "You will do even greater things than I because I am going the Father.  And when I go to the Father, I will send You the Holy Spirit who will be with you and live in you."  You can only imagine what the disciples thought about this after they had seen everything thing Jesus had done. You may not be called on to cast out any demons this week, but how can you live with this power that is greater than yourself. The power you have been given through the Holy Spirit who lives in you.  The same power that rose Jesus from the dead lives in you!  Don't let it go to waste.

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