The new year is full of uncertainty.
The New Year is always a time of hope and optimism. However you felt about 2009, you probably want 2010 to be an even greater year. Some of you want to eliminate debt and have already signed up for the Financial Peace class. Some of you have signed up to read through the Bible in 90 days. That would be an impressive accomplishment!
Some of you are thinking of losing the pounds, breaking a habit, taking classes to better your life, getting married, buying a home, having your next child, or working for a promotion. Some of you just want to find employment this year-- and friends, we are praying for you. My sister e-mailed me the other day and asked me to pray for her husband Nathan to find work. Nathan's been riding the unemployment roller coaster all year long.
There is a lot of uncertainty out there. I cannot think of a time in my life when I've seen more cynicism about the future. What tops your list? Unemployment. Inflation. Terrorism. The health care crisis. Climate change. Corporate greed. Systemic corruption at all levels of government. Our national debt increasing by trillions. Our enemies, Iran, Russia, China, and Venezuela, are gathering and are exchanging the most dangerous technologies ever known to man. And the problems of past decades have only grown. Poverty. Hunger. AIDS. Injustice. Wars and rumors of war. Natural disasters.
We live in such a big world, yet we seem so tiny and insignificant, even vulnerable. Let me ask you a question. Do you trust those who "rule" over us to give us a new beginning in 2010? I know this is an uncomfortable question. It may even seem like a political question. And maybe it is. But one thing is for sure-- it's certainly a biblical question.
In first century Rome, people put their hope in the emperor.
In first century Rome, the ordinary citizen put his hope in the emperor Augustus. The name "Augustus" and "God" were synonymous. Augustus was God; God was Augustus. People would proclaim, "Caesar is Lord. Caesar is King. Caesar is ruler." It was a cult. People staked all their hopes on one man.
The Romans marked their new year, thier new beginning, not by January 1, but rather by the birthday of their emperor Augustus (September 23)! On the birthday of Augustus, there were all sorts of proclamations made about how Augustus was born to be "the common blessing of all men." They would talk about how Augustus had been "ordained" and "filled with virtue for doing the work of a benefactor among men." In the declarations, it was Augustus who was declared the "savior" of men and Augustus who had come to "make war to cease, to create order everywhere."
Did you know that the month of August is named after Augustus? Augustus was handsome, intelligent, decisive, and a shrewd politician. He became the template for successive emperors-- even politicians in our day. Augustus would flatter the people with great promises. "I'll restore the shape of everything that is failing. I will reverse your misfortunes. I will give a new look to the universe." And Augustus was arrogant enough to try.
The only "gospel" people in the Roman Empire knew was the man Augustus. As his proclamations rang throughout the empire, they were music to people's ears. They said things like, "He'll bring peace, he'll bring prosperity, he'll bring long life and health, and he'll heal our land."
The first century gospel was a political gospel.
The original gospel was a political gospel. The Greek word "gospel" was a secular word, not a Christian word! "Gospel" meant good news from Rome, good news about the man Augustus, good news about his latest decrees or military victories, or news of a new heir or successor to his throne.
Augustus was infallible, was to be worshipped, and was to be obeyed absolutely. "In Augustus (a.k.a. God) we trust. He is the way, the truth, the life." By the way, this emperor cult persists today, and is often spread by Christians. If only we could appoint the perfect man, or the perfect political party to rule over our lives, our nation, and our world, then the polar bears will live, we'll all have health care, the nations will lay down their arms, and we'll rid the world of poverty, injustice, and disease. I'm kidding, but the attitude is prevalent.
So along comes John Mark, around A.D. 60. John Mark originally lived in Jerusalem with his mother, Mary. In Acts 12:1-19 we find them using their home as a meeting place for believers. We find John Mark accompanying the apostle Paul on his first missionary journey before they had a falling out and John Mark returned to Jerusalem.
John Mark was closest to the apostle Peter. In 1 Peter 5:13 (NIV) Peter refers to John Mark as, "my son." You can tell by reading the book of Mark that Peter had a profound influence on John Mark. Scholars believe that Peter led John Mark to faith in Christ. Mark records Peter's high points and low points, his sermons, and his experiences with Jesus. He gives us the unadulterated picture of events from Peter's perspective.
In 2 Timothy 4:11 (NIV), despite their falling out with one another, Paul requests John Mark's presence with him in Rome saying, "He is useful to me." So this is Mark's connection to Rome! Notice how Mark introduces Jesus to his Roman readers in Mark 1:1 (NIV) by saying, "The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God."
Mark wrote about the good news of Jesus Christ.
We read Mark 1:1 as if it's some harmless bumper sticker, but these words were treasonous. John Mark was risking his life to write them and distribute them. Christians who contemplated these words endangered their lives.
What do these words mean? First, the good news doesn't begin in Rome. The good news that is to bring peace, prosperity, life, and health doesn't have anything to do with the man Augustus. A greater king, a greater ruler, and a greater Lord has taken the stage. This is the one who is the Son of God, and not a pretender like Augustus. And it isn't Augustus who will save mankind from disaster. It is Yahweh who saves. Jesus means, "Yahweh saves." The emperor Augustus has been usurped. A new heir has been born. A newer and greater kingdom is emerging. Augustus was a false hope, a false power, a false wisdom, and a mirage. The reality is found in Christ Jesus.
Mark 1:1 (NIV) says, "The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God."
The Greek word "gospel" is "evangelion." It's the word from which we get "evangelical" and "evangelism." Have you noticed what most people associate evangelical with today? It's not Jesus Christ. Evangelical has once again become about politics. To be an evangelical is to be obsessed with the affairs of political parties in Washington and in Springfield. To be evangelical is no longer about being under the rule of Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior. It's about putting our hopes in the lordship of men, and parties, and trusting man's ability to save us from calamity. Evangelicalism is about lobbying, and voting, and working the government.
What good news should Christians be proclaiming?
And what about evangelism? What is the good news we Christians are supposed to be proclaiming? Jesus Christ isn't the content that is heard in many pulpits these days. Instead we talk about morality, marriage, parenting, personal finances, achieving happiness, dreaming big dreams, believing in ourselves, and self-esteem. Instead of leading with the good news of Jesus Christ, we are trying to become relevant to people in other ways. We are mimicking Dr. Phil and Oprah instead of proclaiming the words, deeds, and identity of Jesus Christ, our Savior and King.
Here is the gospel Peter preached in Acts 2:22-24 (NIV). "Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him."
Here is the gospel Paul preached in 1 Corinthians 15:1-6 (NIV). "Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep."
Jesus preached the good news.
Here is the gospel Jesus preached. Mark 1:14-15 (NIV) says, "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 is near. Repent and believe the good news!' "
In Mark 8:35-38 (NIV) Jesus says, "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."
Mark 10:29-30 (NIV) tells us, " 'I tell you the truth,' Jesus replied, 'no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields-- and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.' "
Mark 13:10-11 (NIV) says, "And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit."
So what is the "gospel" you preach? What is the good news that will truly make a difference in 2010? What is the good news that will truly deliver our fellow man from calamity?