How should the ministry of the Messiah begin and be shared with the world? For 400 years, God is silent. The people of Israel wait for their Messiah to come and make everything right. Yet God accomplishes the announcement of his Messiah, not by fanfare or celebration, but by fulfilling what he promised in his word. Mark begins his announcement to the world by picking up where the Old Testament left off. Mark 1:2 As it is written in the Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare you way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight’”. What the people have all been waiting for is finally here, a promised messenger to prepare the hearts of the people for the coming Messiah and both are finally here. Suddenly, in their midst is an unconventional man speaking repentance and claiming the time is now. Be ready for the coming Messiah. This is the real deal, a world changing, eternal event, yet the world missed it. His own people rejected him.
How would you write a story of a conquering king, of the Messiah who is coming to make everything right? Would you have your king be born in a stable? Luke 2:7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. How would you present the perfect image of God to the world? Would you have the pure, clean, perfect radiance of God link himself to an action of sin and uncleanness? Mark 1:9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Just from his introduction alone, we see something different about this king. He is humble. He is lowly.
John shares that we are not worthy to even stoop down to untie the sandals of Jesus (Mark 1:7), yet Jesus is the one who stoops. He stooped beyond what we could even imagine in every way. He stooped in his birth by laying aside his glory and becoming man, especially in such meager conditions, to experience pain, hunger, and death. He was not wealthy or sought after. He was born in the quiet of night in a small town in a stable. His only visitors were lowly shepherds. He stooped in his baptism, an action associated with sin and uncleanness, yet that is where he begins his ministry. What a statement! “I came to meet you and connect with you in your uncleanness and sin.” He stooped in his life by surrounding himself with the unclean and the unwell. He did not associate with the wealthy and the righteous but provided for the needy. Lastly, he stooped in his death, by dying the death of one cursed, a criminal slaughtered in whom there was no wrong-doing, despised and rejected.
How should you react to the Messiah now that he’s here? As God the Father modeled, Christ is beloved and pleasing. Mark 1:11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved son; with you I am well pleased.” We see God tearing open the heavens and his spirit descend on him as if God was waiting with anticipation to be reunited with the son again. Do you approach Jesus with anticipation and longing, as God’s beloved and pleasing son? As the wisemen modeled (Matthew 2:2), Christ is worthy of our time and our resources. No amount of distance prevented them from seeking him and they came bearing gifts to acknowledge Jesus as special and worthy of bestowing treasures upon. As the angelic host modeled (Luke 2:13), Christ is worthy of praise and testimony, even more so because Christ’s message is shared with the lowly. Is he the joy and song of your heart? As the shepherds modeled (Luke 2:15), he is worth the interruption to our lives. He is not ordinary, and it should break our routine and make us different. Do you invite the interruption or fight against it? As John the Baptist modeled, he defines our purpose, identity and mission. He surpasses us in every way. John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease. Our entire lives should be lived in order to point the way to the one who is mightier than we are. These examples from the Bible speak to my heart to live boldly in humility and in love. To be different, live differently, and not care about unimportant things. Unless it pierces me to be different, learning about it falls short of its aim. How is the lowly, gentle life of Jesus piercing you today?
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