The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
It is written in Isaiah the prophet: "I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way" — "a voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.' " And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And this was his message: "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." Mark 1:1-11
(find this or any other passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
This bears repeating: One Bible, the Word of God, 66 books, four Gospels. The Gospels do not contradict each other. They do tell different pieces of a story, from different perspectives, because they, initially, had four different audiences.
Mark 1:1 starts with The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This book's 'beginning', goes straight to an adult John and Jesus. No Christmas story? How can there be a Gospel with no shepherds, angels, no Mary or Joseph, no Babe in a manger?
The traditional consensus is that Mark was written to a largely Roman audience. This was the Rome of gladiators and games, a city and people enthralled by action. Also a people mostly of non-Jewish heritage. Old Testament prophecies, Jewish genealogies and traditions meant nothing to them.
Mark is the shortest of the Gospels with the most action; Jesus said, Jesus went, Jesus healed, Jesus performed, Jesus called... It was written to an audience with a built-in short attention span and a desire for action. Through time, this audience would have been introduced, through Paul and others, to a more complete story of Christ.
In a way, this makes Mark a great Christmas story! Jesus came as a Baby, so that we could understand Him. He came to us as we were. He did not need to be a Baby, to be a Man, as much as we needed a Messiah we could understand; one that addressed us in our environment, meeting our needs. This is what the Gospel of Mark did. It brought the Messiah to a people that would not have understood Him in another way.
Maybe the Gospel of Mark is a good lesson for those of us who share our faith, or want to. There is no one way, one program, or one script. Jesus is willing to meet people where they are, how they are, and who they are. Should not we, who are merely doing the introductions, be willing to be, do, and say the Truth in whatever manner would allow someone to hear?
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Questions:
1. Have you ever compared the Christmas stories between the Gospels?
2. Why do you think God left it out of Mark?
3. Does this help you in the sharing of your faith?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
"God often gives in one brief moment that which He has for a long time denied."
"Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be,
since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be."
"In Jesus and for Him, enemies and friends alike are to be loved."
"For a small reward, a man will hurry away on a long journey;
while for eternal life, many will hardly take a single step."
"All is vanity but to love and serve Him."
"If thou bear the cross cheerfully, it will bear thee."
"Sweet shall be your rest if your heart does not reproach you."
"Learn to break your own will. Be zealous against yourself."
Thomas A` Kempis
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