Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share 2 January 2017
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
2 January 2017
READING: MARK 1:1-15
The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, as 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 wilderness, “Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.”’
And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, 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 baptised by him in the River Jordan. John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt round his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And this was his message: ‘After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptise you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.’
At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised by John in the Jordan. 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. And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’
At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, and he was in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.
After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!’
REFLECTION
Happy New Year! Welcome to a new year of Foundations Podcasts from STC Sheffield. My name is Mick and alongside my wife Tricia we have the great privilege of leading STC. In September last year we began our Podcast series on the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Each day Monday to Friday members of our STC team offer a reflection on a bible passage, a prayer and a song of worship - a great way to build Godly Foundations in our lives as we follow Jesus.
We begin this new year with reflections on Mark's gospel, Today's passage is Mark 1:1-20 - do take some time now or during today to read the whole passage and let God speak to you through his word.
This gospel was written by a young man called John Mark. In Acts 12:12 we read that the early church met at his mother's house and in later life Mark travelled with Paul, Barnabas and Peter. Some believe much of this gospel is taken from Peter's first hand stories of Jesus that Mark heard from Peter.
Mark was written between AD 58 and AD 70 - it's written for ordinary everyday people like you and me. This gospel is a real action packed 'ripping yarn' - fast moving, exciting, relevant and real with amazing stories of Jesus as he begins his ministry. Jesus has spent the first 30 years of his life in the small town of Nazareth but he will spend the next three years travelling the land speaking about the Kingdom of God - the Good News, a new loving way to live life!
As we begin Mark we read that Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist (v9) then blessed by God (v10-11) before being tested in the desert by the devil (v12-13). An exciting beginning! There is so much in this passage but today's reflection is from one verse, v15 “The time has come,” Jesus said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
The time has come The New Testament was written in Greek, the world language of its day and there are two Greek words which denote the word 'time'. The first is 'chronos' which describes the passage of time and the second is 'Kairos' denoting an appointed time. A simple example; you might say that the time is now 7.30am (chronos) but that it is also the appointed time for breakfast (Kairos). Jesus is saying here that Gods appointed time has come.
You may remember a few week ago reflections on Isaiah 9 in our Advent Podcast, words describing the coming of Jesus 'For to us a child is born, to us a son is given'. Seven hundred and forty years before his birth, the prophet speaks of the coming of Christ who will bring a new way of living, a new Kingdom of love that will change lives and nations. Then, at the end of the Old Testament nothing! Four hundred silent years before the story begins again with the coming of Jesus whose birth we celebrated just a few days ago at Christmas. This child has now grown into a man and says that the waiting is over, the time has now come, God's appointed time for a new way to live.
As we begin this new year I wonder what you are waiting for? A new job, a new house, a new relationship or perhaps a new beginning. The Lord is speaking to you and me as we been 2017 - the time has come, repent ( turn back to God) and believe the Good News. All things are possible with God
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, as I begin this New Year I offer you my hopes and my dreams; the challenges and the opportunities that lay before me. It's 2017, the time has come to commit to your ways in my life. Bless my family and those I love and bless me as I commit to you this year. Amen
View all episodes
By STC SheffieldREADING: MARK 1:1-15
The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, as 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 wilderness, “Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.”’
And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, 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 baptised by him in the River Jordan. John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt round his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And this was his message: ‘After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptise you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.’
At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised by John in the Jordan. 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. And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’
At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, and he was in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.
After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!’
REFLECTION
Happy New Year! Welcome to a new year of Foundations Podcasts from STC Sheffield. My name is Mick and alongside my wife Tricia we have the great privilege of leading STC. In September last year we began our Podcast series on the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Each day Monday to Friday members of our STC team offer a reflection on a bible passage, a prayer and a song of worship - a great way to build Godly Foundations in our lives as we follow Jesus.
We begin this new year with reflections on Mark's gospel, Today's passage is Mark 1:1-20 - do take some time now or during today to read the whole passage and let God speak to you through his word.
This gospel was written by a young man called John Mark. In Acts 12:12 we read that the early church met at his mother's house and in later life Mark travelled with Paul, Barnabas and Peter. Some believe much of this gospel is taken from Peter's first hand stories of Jesus that Mark heard from Peter.
Mark was written between AD 58 and AD 70 - it's written for ordinary everyday people like you and me. This gospel is a real action packed 'ripping yarn' - fast moving, exciting, relevant and real with amazing stories of Jesus as he begins his ministry. Jesus has spent the first 30 years of his life in the small town of Nazareth but he will spend the next three years travelling the land speaking about the Kingdom of God - the Good News, a new loving way to live life!
As we begin Mark we read that Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist (v9) then blessed by God (v10-11) before being tested in the desert by the devil (v12-13). An exciting beginning! There is so much in this passage but today's reflection is from one verse, v15 “The time has come,” Jesus said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
The time has come The New Testament was written in Greek, the world language of its day and there are two Greek words which denote the word 'time'. The first is 'chronos' which describes the passage of time and the second is 'Kairos' denoting an appointed time. A simple example; you might say that the time is now 7.30am (chronos) but that it is also the appointed time for breakfast (Kairos). Jesus is saying here that Gods appointed time has come.
You may remember a few week ago reflections on Isaiah 9 in our Advent Podcast, words describing the coming of Jesus 'For to us a child is born, to us a son is given'. Seven hundred and forty years before his birth, the prophet speaks of the coming of Christ who will bring a new way of living, a new Kingdom of love that will change lives and nations. Then, at the end of the Old Testament nothing! Four hundred silent years before the story begins again with the coming of Jesus whose birth we celebrated just a few days ago at Christmas. This child has now grown into a man and says that the waiting is over, the time has now come, God's appointed time for a new way to live.
As we begin this new year I wonder what you are waiting for? A new job, a new house, a new relationship or perhaps a new beginning. The Lord is speaking to you and me as we been 2017 - the time has come, repent ( turn back to God) and believe the Good News. All things are possible with God
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, as I begin this New Year I offer you my hopes and my dreams; the challenges and the opportunities that lay before me. It's 2017, the time has come to commit to your ways in my life. Bless my family and those I love and bless me as I commit to you this year. Amen