THE MESSAGE OF MARK

Mark 1:14-15

I.. The Gospel of Mark presents Jesus as the Servant of God

A. The inclusive message of the book is in our text

1. Another verse central to the Gospel of Mark is this - the Son of Man came Not to be ministered unto, but to minister and give His life as a ransom for many. Mark 10:45

2. That statement covers the whole of the gospel

B. I mentioned that Jesus was the Servant of God.

1. There are senses in which He can never be described that way

2. There is only one sense in which He can be described as Servant of God and this verse makes it clear it was for a sacrificial purpose.

3. By nature. He is God, equal with God, a part of the Holy Trinity.

C. The Apostle Paul conveys to us in Philippians His self emptying whereby the Son of God became the Servant of God.

II. Notice the Nature of His Service

A. The Son of God became the Servant of God in order to create a new Gospel.

1. This Gospel was to provide good news for mankind.

2. In order to provide salvation for them, He became the Servant of god.

3. The prophet Isaiah in the 53^rd Chapter envisions the Servant of God, wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities.

B. In that chapter we see Him fulfilling His service and accomplishing the purpose of God.

1. He did not lay aside His Deity

2. The emptying consisted in His taking the form of a servant.

3. The form chosen was that of a man, the form laid aside was that of Deity.

4. The form alone changed, the essential being remained the same.

III. Notice the Purpose of his Emptying

A. Follow the descending order of Philippians Chapter two.

1. Made in the likeness of man, found in the fashion of a man, He humbled Himself.

2. He humbled Himself further even to the point of death.

3. Not only death, but the horrible death of the Cross.

B. That is why He became a Servant

1. The purpose of the Cross is the salvation of humanity.

2. That salvation is offered to each of us.

C. The Servant of God was in sympathy with us even in our sin.

1. Not in sympathy with our sin, but in sympathy with the sinner.

2. You find no words of severity uttered to sinning men and women.

3. His severity was reserved for hypocrisy.

4. For the woman taken in adultery, He had nothing but tenderness, sympathy and compassion.

5. He only held in contempt the religious and self righteous leaders of His day.

6. John the Baptist said, "Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world."

IV. Finally What is the Result of His Service?

A. The last words of Mark's Gospel tells us the service to be rendered.

1. God into all the world and preach the Gospel.

2. We are to be responsible to carry out the service He commenced when He came into the world.

3. Read Mark 1:1, then 1:14-15 and 1:38-39

B. What is the application to the Church?

1. First we are to repent and believe the Gospel.

2. We are to rest in it and then we are called to share this Gospel.

3. We are all to often silent, we are to live the Gospel and then invite others to discover it for themselves.

4. Have you discovered it for yourself?