Lindsey Blair and Bobby Gilles recap and discuss Pastor Jonah Sage's sermon from Mark 1:14-15.
Lindsey Blair and Bobby Gilles recap and discuss Pastor Jonah Sage's sermon from Mark 1:14-15.
Bobby: Welcome to the Midweek Checkup. My name is Bobby Gilles and I’m joined by Lindsey Blair. This past Sunday Pastor Jonah preached Mark One, verses fourteen and fifteen. He said that the empty tomb means that we can come home and embrace new life in God’s kingdom.
This was an unusual Easter sermon in that Pastor Jonah focused on our first impression of Jesus when he came announcing the kingdom of God. First impressions linger, and our first impression of Jesus is one of invitation.
Lindsey, what did you think?
Lindsey: I think when many of us think of our first impression of Jesus, we imagine that He would speak words of disappointment or condemnation to us, but Jesus speaks beautiful words of invitation, ones that are full of hope.
Now, for anyone who missed the sermon or needs help remembering, let’s do a quick recap.
Lindsey: Pastor Jonah began by looking at the first words of Jesus’ public ministry. His cousin John the Baptist has just been arrested, and what does Jesus do? Proclaims the kingdom of God. First, he says, “The time is fulfilled,” which is like saying, “The cake is done.” Then he says, “The kingdom of God is at hand,” which means life with God is available again. What’s wrong with the world has been overcome and is being undone. Alienated at the Fall, we are reconciled to God. Oppressed by the invasion, we are set free. Separated at the tower, we are made a family again.
Bobby: Two invitations flow from this announcement. The first is to repent. When you hear “repent” all you need to think of is “come home.” Jesus is saying “the cake is ready, come to the kitchen.” Instead of trying all of this your way, come home. Second, he invites us to believe. The cake is on the plate in front of you. What must you DO?!” Eat it. Come home, believe. Receive.
Lindsey: And Jesus spent the rest of his life showing us what that means. He loved and served the most marginalized, voiceless, oppressed, and forgotten. He’s showing you if he can love them, he can love you. If he served them, he will serve you. He spent his ministry performing miracles to prove he is who he says is. He did this to show you he’s trustworthy, and that this is God’s work.
Bobby: He suffered in our place, was mocked in our place, was betrayed and abandoned…just like all of us have experienced at some point.
Ultimately, he died so that our sins might be forgiven and the only thing keeping us from the kingdom of God would be taken care of.
His death shows us that we don’t have to bring anything to God but ourselves. Then he was raised from the dead to once and for all prove he is God. And what does he want from us? Come home. Believe.
Lindsey: This coming Sunday we begin our Eastertide series, called Resurrection Responses. Each week we’ll look at the post-resurrection appearances of Christ in the New Testament, how that changed the lives of those he appeared to, and how these eyewitness accounts change our lives today.
Bobby: This Sunday is also our first Resurrection Feast! We’ll eat together after the Eleven a.m. service. We’ll supply the fried chicken and drinks — you bring a favorite side dish.
Join us, and bring a friend.