Mark 1:14-15
Robert M Watkins
Jesus’ first sermon, according to Mark, was four statements. The Pastor Search Committee from First Church-Jerusalem knew immediately this was their man–a preacher excelling in brevity–Glory, hallelujah! Now, if he’ll work for free….
But beware brief statements of faith–there is often so much packed into their simple phrasing that it takes work–hard work–to unravel what they mean. These statements are no different. We hear these four thoughts of Christ, blithely assuming we already know what he means, but then, upon further review, we realize these are statements like black holes–so densely packed that meaning fights to arise and come clear.
So what DOES Jesus say and mean?
THE TIME IS FULFILLED
The immediate question here is “What time is fulfilled?” What time is Jesus speaking of? What calendar has come to fruition?
The simplest answer–the time of waiting.
As we read through the Old Testament, an atmosphere of pensive expectation becomes inescapable. Despite all that happens–creation, the Flood, Abraham, Moses, the Exodus, David, the prophets, the Exile–there is a deep proclamation that nothing is done. Things are incomplete. The people of God are not fully who they are to be; the world is not exactly what God intended; darkness still resides in a lot of hearts; and there is an existential hunger for something more.
Jesus declares that the wait is over. All expectation is met.
Ironic, isn’t it? A cursory look around reveals that much of the incompleteness infecting the hearts of Israel 2000 years ago is still with us. We still struggle for meaning. We still struggle to see reason for hope. Staying optimistic is hard work.
Yet, Jesus’ statement is still in effect–fulfillment has come.
THE KINGDOM OF GOD HAS COME NEAR
His next statement is a clue of what we are to look for to experience time fulfilled, but this statement also raises inescapable questions–
Where is the evidence of the Kingdom of God in the world?
What exactly is the Kingdom of God, anyway?
Let’s start with the last question first–as Jesus defined it, the Kingdom of God was actually wherever God was met, lived with, and followed. Jesus was not thinking of something that world would readily reveal in a blatant, bold transformation of life as it is. In Mark, we know this because of the way Jesus conducts himself–he reveals himself one person at a time, one event at a time. A sick man is healed. A lost woman is found. A scribe gets a theology lesson. A fisherman is called to service. A wondering woman finds herself in an explicative conversation. In each of these tiny instances and singular moments, the Kingdom is present.
So what is the Kingdom, then? It is a relationship between a human being and God–no more, no less, according to Mark. For us, it comes in moments of stillness and reflection. Perhaps the Kingdom arrives in the middle of a sleepless night when, as we fret, we suddenly feel an assurance that we are not alone, that there is help at hand, and that someone loves us. Perhaps the Kingdom arrives in a moment when a child, for no reason other than simple love, presents Mom with a cupcake. Perhaps it comes when someone does the right thing simply because it is the right thing to do. In each of these tiny moments, grace comes. There is an opportunity for love to grow. There is binding together of people. There is a moment of peace.
Some immediately react to this revelation that it is far too small and nowhere near grand enough to be God or God’s place. But read through the Bible. God speaks with a still, small voice found Elijah. God takes a simple act of family fealty and makes it the foundation for a messianic line of descent in Ruth. Jesus calls a band of faceless men–remember, no one had any reason to know any of the Twelve–and builds the Church in which we worship and serve today. Never underestimate the power of simple kindness and basic devotion.
REPENT
To fully grasp the full reality of that proclamation, Jesus proclaims the necessary first step–repentance. We have lived with that word in the Church for centuries, but, amazingly, we have narrowed its meaning to a painful denunciation of our being. We declare that to repent is to (a) admit we are a miserable wretch of a human being, beyond all hope apart from a radical grace that cannot erase the stain of sin, but, at least, mitigate its power to totally destroy our souls, and (b) admit that our lives to that point are worthless and void. However, as Jesus preaches this word, there is far more nuance to it. Yes, it is a call to change the direction of our lives, and, yes, that includes an admission that we do not do things as they should be done all the time, and, yes, we need to take responsibility for things we messed up through our mistakes; but, no, it is not abject denunciation of ourselves before God; instead, it is an acceptance of God’s invitation to reconsider.
As Jesus uses the term, it is akin to Regis Philbin asking a guest on his game show, “Is that your final answer?” It is a moment to pause, fully consider what was said, and reconsider its accuracy–is it the right answer to the question? We hunger for such moments of grace. We often regret that we did not take such opportunities when something goes awry.
Jesus assures us that, with God, such moments are always present. God meets us in grace. Grace is nothing less than a chance to reconsider. It is God asking us, “Is that really what you want to do?” As we allow God’s question to permeate our consciousness, we open ourselves to wonder. As we reflect and ruminate, we begin to see the work of God all around us. We begin to see moments when that mustard seed approach to growing the Kingdom is actually at work. We begin to see the real power of words and deeds, both for good and for bad. We begin to see the power of what we have said and done in the immediate context of our interactions with family, friends, and strangers alike.
And, most importantly, we see that there is always room for a different outcome. Errors are not locked in place. Mistakes are not permanent or eternal blots upon us. There is hope for another chance, another outcome.
BELIEVE IN THE GOOD NEWS
Hence, Jesus’ final statement is a call to believe. It is one thing to hear a word of grace, it is quite another to actually live it.
One of the great existential challenges to the life of faith is actual experience of forgiveness. We affirm it; we proclaim it; and we hope for it; but when the real need for it arises, we find it hard to feel. And the problem is not one from the outside–more often than not, having someone forgive a fault, slight, insult, or injury it is actually quite easy to come by–we tend to be very good at forgiving someone else, of granting them grace, and offering a second chance. No, the real problem is interior–the forgiveness of self. Regret is a cancer of the soul–it is a feeling that simply will not die, but continues to multiply and compound, driven by guilt that condemns, mortifies, and nullifies acceptance, affirmation, and assurance that we are essentially good, valuable, and worthy pieces of God’s creation.
Yet, the Bible reveals, proclaims, and will not refute that God is good and grace abounds. God is love. God loves us. God’s steadfast love and compassion are eternal. No one in the Bible ever seems to fall completely away from God–even the most abject sinner is shadowed by God.
God waits for us. God will always wait for us. God is with us. God never leaves us. God abides.
Know that.
Believe that.
But, most importantly, LIVE THAT.
Through Christ, we have found our hope, assurance, and confirmation that all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well. As we accept that promise in faith, we find the ability to forgive ourselves–even ourselves. We can live in our own skin and acknowledge our own face in the mirror.
Why does “It’s a Wonderful Life” continue to resonate 65 years after it first appeared? Because George Bailey comes to the realization that he can live with being George Bailey, no matter his foibles, failures, and frenzies, and if he can do so, we know there is hope for us.
If a movie can provide such hope, think how exponentially more God can do so.
“The time is fulfilled; the Kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe the good news.”
Yes, indeed.
Amen.
