1. "Words are very powerful. They can cause great damage. Maybe even this past week you watched words speed out of your mouth like a car and it wasn't long until it crashed."

2. "Friend, if hope was oxygen, I wonder if during this pandemic you felt like a scuba diver underwater whose tank is running low. If that's you, let the best message ever, the message of Jesus, refill it today."

3. "How many centuries were filled with people who wished they could have said those two words, Jesus came."

4. "While the gospel is not about anything less than your personal salvation, it is about more than that."

5. "At his first coming, Jesus came not with an army, but a message."

6. "In God's kingdom, there is no COVID. In God's kingdom, the weeping are comforted. In God's kingdom, the pure in heart see God. Friends, God's kingdom is incredible. And here is the trouble, you are not allowed in."

7. "The call to salvation is not an invitation from a buddy, but a summons from a king who will have his kingdom."

8. "Talking about the kingdom without calling people to repent and believe is like holding out the hope of Disneyland without offering someone a ticket."

9. "If you've ever wondered what Jesus wants from you, the answer is simple: everything. He doesn't just want your wallet; he wants your mind, your soul, your heart, your whole self."

10. "You had a horrible day, but you go to bed believing Jesus went to the cross for you, that's a win. You had a horrible year, but you go to bed believing even with just an ounce of faith Jesus got up from the dead for you, that's a win."

Observation Questions

1. According to Mark 1:1, how does Mark describe the content of his biography about Jesus?

2. In Mark 1:14, what had happened to John before Jesus came into Galilee, and what did Jesus begin doing when He arrived?

3. What two things does Jesus declare about "the time" and "the kingdom of God" in verse 15?

4. What two commands does Jesus give at the end of Mark 1:15 as the proper response to His proclamation?

5. In Mark 1:14, what specific phrase does Mark use to describe what Jesus was proclaiming (note the words "gospel of God")?

6. According to the passage, where specifically did Jesus come to proclaim this message, and what was the significance of this region for God's people?

Interpretation Questions

1. Why is it significant that Mark begins his account by calling it "the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God" (v. 1), and how does this title shape our understanding of everything that follows?

2. What does the phrase "the time is fulfilled" (v. 15) suggest about Jesus' arrival in relation to God's plan throughout history, and why would this have been meaningful to those who heard it?

3. How are repentance and faith related to one another according to Jesus' command in verse 15, and why can't someone truly have one without the other?

4. The sermon emphasized that Jesus' call is a "summons from a king" rather than an "invitation from a buddy." How does the context of the kingdom announcement in verse 15 support this understanding of repentance and faith as commands rather than suggestions?

5. Why does Jesus say "believe in the gospel" rather than simply "believe in me," and what does this reveal about the relationship between the good news message and the person of Jesus Himself?

Application Questions

1. The sermon noted that repentance and faith are not just for becoming a Christian but for the ongoing Christian life. What specific area of your life right now needs fresh repentance—a turning away from sin and toward God—even as you continue to trust in Jesus?

2. When you share the gospel with unbelievers, do you tend to talk about Jesus' kindness and the benefits of His kingdom without actually calling people to repent and believe? What would it look like this week to lovingly but clearly include this call in a conversation with someone who doesn't know Christ?

3. The sermon asked, "What does Jesus want from you?" and answered, "Everything—your wallet, mind, soul, heart, your whole self." Is there a part of your life you are holding back from Jesus' lordship? What would full surrender look like in that specific area?

4. In disorienting or difficult circumstances (like the pandemic mentioned in the sermon), the preacher said that going to bed repenting of sin and trusting in Jesus is "a win." How might this perspective change the way you evaluate your days and find rest, even when life feels chaotic or unproductive?

5. The sermon encouraged us to remember that "God changes His workmen but carries on His work" when we face hindrances in ministry. How can this truth help you trust God when your own plans for serving Him are disrupted, and what practical step can you take to remain faithful in the meantime?

Additional Bible Reading

1. Isaiah 52:7–10 — This passage celebrates the beautiful feet of those who bring good news and proclaim God's reign, providing Old Testament background for Jesus' gospel announcement.

2. Matthew 4:12–17 — Matthew's parallel account of Jesus beginning His ministry after John's arrest reinforces the same message of repentance and the kingdom's nearness.

3. Joel 2:12–17 — Referenced in the sermon, this passage calls God's people to return to Him with their whole hearts, illustrating the nature of true repentance.

4. 1 Corinthians 15:1–11 — Paul defines the gospel as centered on Christ's death and resurrection, showing how these events are the heartbeat of the good news Jesus proclaimed.

5. Acts 17:29–31 — Paul's sermon in Athens demonstrates how the apostles called all people everywhere to repent, extending Jesus' command to the nations.

Sermon Main Topics

I. The Power of Words and the Best Message Ever

II. Who Is Jesus? (Mark 1:14)

III. What Is His Message? (Mark 1:14-15)

IV. Our Response to the Gospel

Detailed Sermon Outline

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me. I wonder when it was you first heard that phrase.

I wonder when it was you first realized that it's not true. Words are very powerful. They can cause great damage. Maybe even this past week you watched words speed out of your mouth like a car and it wasn't long until it crashed. But words can also be wonderful, can't they?

A sincere note or a text from a friend. I wonder what the best word or message you heard this past week was. Take a second. Think about it. Praise God for it.

If nothing comes to mind, or maybe you had a rough week where it was primarily just hard words, a bad job review, a news that a friend is moving, a friend if I'm describing words you've heard, take heart. Because this evening, whether you heard sweet words or hard ones this past week, we will hear tonight, the best words ever. The best message ever from Jesus. That's not hyperbole. I think in no small part, what makes his message the best is that it offers us hope.

A unique hope. Friend, if hope was oxygen, I wonder if during this pandemic you felt like a scuba diver underwater whose tank is running low. If that's you, let the best message ever, the message of Jesus, refill it today. Since last week we've been working up to this message, so last week we continued on in our series looking at an article from our church's statement of faith in light of scripture. And we meditated on the gracious regenerating work of God's Spirit who gives us new hearts.

Hearts that if we did not have, we could not turn to God. And that meditation prepared us for what we're considering tonight, which is the eighth article from our statement of faith we confessed earlier of repentance and faith. This article speaks of turning and receiving.

But who are we turning to? Or what are we turning from? Who are we receiving or believing in? Friends, we'll ask a couple questions like these as we hear the message of Jesus. Turn to Mark 1.

Mark chapter 1. Mark was a follower of Jesus who wrote a biography about Jesus. He's the shortest, his is the shortest of the four biblical biographies about Jesus. The other three being Matthew, Luke and John. The other three gospels as they're also called.

And right off the bat, in Mark's account, we're introduced to that word we'll be thinking about today, gospel, which means good news. Look there in verse 1, the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This is good news about Jesus, which leads us to our first of two questions today. As we consider this great message from Jesus, we would do well to know and remember and cherish who he is. So question number one, who is Jesus?

Question number one, who is Jesus? Let's hear Mark's answer. Read with me starting in verse 14, Mark chapter 1, verse 14. God's word says, Now, after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God and saying, the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel.

Who is Jesus? Well, before we get to Jesus, Mark mentions someone else, John. Look at verse 14 with me. Now after John was arrested, it says. And I think it's easy to just read past this, but think with me for a second.

John, commonly known as John the Baptist, was the man at the time. Jesus himself said, no one greater than John had ever lived. John was the prophet who uniquely prepared the way for Jesus, the fullback clearing the way for Jesus to run. And John was arrested. You can read more about why in Matthew 14, but it's enough to say for now, John hadn't done anything wrong.

His arrest, though, would have been troubling to many of his followers. So rather than read it now after, rather, rather than read it as now after John was arrested, no, we should read it as after John was arrested. The original text literally says delivered up. Friends, John's arrest is bad news. But then look at verse 14 with me.

Jesus came.

Bad news, then good news.

Friends, I want to pause here and encourage any missionaries here with us who though you're not arrested, you may be providentially hindered from the ministry God has given you. Can't get back in your country or whatever it may be. Notice that though John is taken off the scene, God continues to work his plan.

In even better ways. For instance, look at verse 4 in chapter 1, we see John proclaiming. And then verse 14, we see Jesus proclaiming. Friends, this is not to say you shouldn't try to get back to your work, your country, I pray you can, but it's just a good category to have that God will change his workmen but carry on his work.

Even when it seemingly stops. Brothers and sisters, let's pray for our church's missionaries that they would trust God even in daunting circumstances. I think we should read the beginning of Mark like we do the beginning of Joshua. Do you remember how it begins? God says, Moses, my servant is dead.

Now therefore arise, Joshua. And Mark, with a similar frankness, tells us the greater Joshua is here. Jesus. Jesus came, Mark writes. Look with me, Mark 1:14.

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came. How many centuries were filled with people who wished they could have said those two words, Jesus came. Who came. Who is Jesus? A Mark tells us he is one who comes.

The people don't come to him. No, he comes to the people. Specifically here, Galilee, this Middle Eastern region, not super famous. It's not like New York City. It's where God's people resided, though they were under Roman rule, occupation and oppression.

And that's why in no small part, the people were awaiting a Messiah to come as they had been for centuries.

And Jesus came into Galilee. And what was he doing? Proclaiming. Who is Jesus? He is one who proclaims.

In John 18, one of the dopest scenes in Scripture, Jesus is looking at the man who seems to have his life in his hands, and Jesus tells him, For this purpose I have come into the world to bear witness to the truth, to proclaim. And what was Jesus proclaiming? Well, this leads us to our second question. Question number one was, who is Jesus? Mark tells us he is the son of God, the long expected Messiah who has finally come, who has taken initiative, who proclaims.

And what does he proclaim? What is his message? That's question number two.

What is his message? Question number one, who is Jesus? Question number two, what is his message? Look at verse 14. Now, after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God.

Friends, Jesus came proclaiming good news of God. This phrase of God is a little vague in the original text. It could very well mean that this is good news about God and This is good news from God. It's his news. And we'll come back to this, but first let's look at the content of this news more specifically.

We see it's about God, but Jesus goes on saying in verse 15, look at it with me. The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Friends, while the gospel is not about anything less than your personal salvation, It is about more than that. Oh, we confess this regularly as a church. So flip over to that appendix in your bulletin on the last page.

Appendix in your bulletin on the last page where you see a summary of the gospel. Look at just that first line. It says, the gospel is the joyous declaration that God is redeeming the world through Christ. Look again, the gospel. Is the joyous, so there's the good, declaration, there's the proclamation, that God, it's about God, is redeeming the world through Christ.

You can flip to the end of your Bible, to the book of Revelation, and see what will happen at the end of history, where God takes back and renews all things through Jesus, who will be king over all things. And there is so much more I want to say about his kingdom, but alas, we only have so much time together, so I'll just say this, the coming of Jesus, God's rule is breaking into time and space. If revelation is the end of our story, what Jesus means here when he says the kingdom is at hand is that the end of the story has begun. And notice it begins not with a big, strong general. That's what the people were expecting.

It doesn't start there, but it starts rather with a gentle and lowly man in the backwoods. Friends, at his first coming, Jesus came not with an army, but a message. And we haven't finished the content of that message yet. You see, the gospel is more than just news about the kingdom, wonderful as that kingdom is. And make no mistake, there's no kingdom like it.

Disney has lost $5 billion because of coronavirus. But in God's kingdom, there is no COVID. In God's kingdom, the weeping are comforted. In God's kingdom, the pure in heart see God. Friends, God's kingdom is incredible.

And here is the trouble, you are not allowed in.

I am not allowed in.

None of us left to ourselves are allowed in.

Why?

If you're here and you're not a Christian, I understand you might not believe in God, but let's just say Jesus is God, this is his word. Given that, ask yourself, why would God keep people out of his kingdom? The Bible tells us it's because of our sin, our rebellion against God. Kids, friends, all of us have rebelled against God. We're not pure in heart.

But we do things that aren't right, don't we? And God will hold us to account for what we've done.

An account, a debt we cannot pay. And for our debt, we will suffer his wrath forever.

If you're hearing me correctly, you should be asking yourself at this point, what can I do?

Jesus has an answer for you. In the next phrase in verse 15, look at it with me. Jesus proclaims, the time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe. Friends, repent and believe.

This call is a necessary part of the good news. There is no gospel without this call. Look back at that appendix, at that gospel statement we looked at a minute ago. Right there in that first line, we make clear this church believes the gospel is the joyous declaration that God is redeeming the world through Christ and that he calls everyone everywhere to repent from sin and trust Jesus Christ for salvation.

Why should we trust Jesus Christ for salvation? Friend, I can't say it any better than our gospel statement here starting in the second paragraph. We need to trust in Jesus because look with me.

Each of us has sinned against God, breaking his law and rebelling against his rule. And the penalty for our sin is death and hell. But because of his love, it sounds like Ephesians from last week, doesn't it? Because of his love, God sent his son Jesus to live for his people's sake. The perfect obedient life God requires, and to die on the cross in our place for our sin.

On the third day, Christ rose bodily from the grave and now reigns in heaven offering forgiveness, righteousness, resurrection, and eternal blessedness in God's presence to everyone who repents of sin and trusts solely in him for salvation. A friend to repent is to turn from sin to God, as we confessed earlier in Article 8. One of our pastors, Charles Hedman, he gave a great talk on repentance. You can find it on our church website. But to repent is to turn from sin and to God.

To believe is to trust in God. Faith isn't blind trust, faith isn't general optimism, a kind of holy hoping for the best, faith isn't mere mental assent, like, oh yeah, God is real. No, faith is active, certain trust, faith is relying on God. And when it comes to repentance and relying on God, we cannot do one without the other. Repentance and faith are two sides of the same Coin.

Did you see that at the end of in the end in verse 15? The compound nature of this command. Jesus proclaims repent and believe, not repent or believe, but repent and believe. So if you're here and you're not a Christian, King Jesus is not saying, hey, just clean up your life a little, but no need to really trust in me. As if we could repent without faith.

No, friend, apart from Jesus, the mirage of moral reform is just that, a mirage. Brothers and sisters, one of the reasons we come to church is to see the vanity of our mirages. There's lots of them out there. Here's another one people fall for. They act as if Jesus says, Hey, it doesn't matter how you live in life.

You can still trust in me as if we could have faith without repentance. No, Jesus is saying, turn from your sins and trust in me. And he's not just saying that, he's commanding it. The call to salvation is not an invitation from a buddy, but a summons from a king who will have his kingdom. The kingdom rests not upon our good works, but his good work, his death, his resurrection.

The cross and resurrection are the guarantee of Jesus coming kingdom, the heartbeat of that kingdom. It's really interesting at the end of verse 15, Jesus doesn't say, repent and believe in me. He says, repent and and believe in the gospel. Did you notice that? Did that strike you?

Friends, Jesus wouldn't have told people to believe in the gospel on belief, unless belief in the gospel is belief in him. His death, his resurrection. Other proclaimers in the Bible, Peter, Paul, when they proclaimed Jesus death and resurrection and called people to repent and believe, they considered themselves to have preached the gospel even if they didn't talk about the kingdom. You can see 1 Corinthians 15 for an example of this. There Paul makes clear the gospel can be preached without talking about the kingdom, but it cannot be preached without talking about Jesus' death and resurrection and the command to repent and believe in him.

Commenting on how the gospel centers on Jesus, who he is and what he's done, R.C. Sproul said, the gospel Is the person and work of Christ and His benefits appropriated by faith alone? Don't try to improve it for two reasons. First, it's not your gospel. It's God's gospel.

He owns it. He revealed it. He gave it to His church. Second, you can't improve it. Any changes you make to it will only be de-provements.

Friends, this is God's gospel. What should we do in light of it? Three thoughts in conclusion. Number one, we should repent and believe. We should repent and believe.

In Mark, Jesus is not offering a one-time offer to the unbeliever, but an utter reorientation of one's life to follow him. And when we stray from following Jesus, which we all do, we repent as we trust in Jesus. In other words, repenting and believing is what we do as Christians, not because our salvation is in danger, but because we love God and we still wrestle with sin. It's not like, hey, I cleaned up one part of my life, so the rest doesn't matter. No, repentance means turning all of ourselves to God.

Brothers and sisters, if you've ever wondered what Jesus wants from you, the answer is simple: everything.

He doesn't just want your wallet; he wants your mind, your soul, your heart, your whole self. Now, this is why in that passage in Joel that Danny read, God said, Don't tear your clothes and offer those to me. No, offer your hearts. Brothers and sisters, we should repent and believe. Second, we should call unbelievers to repentance and faith.

What should we do in light of the gospel? We should call unbelievers to repentance and faith. When you evangelize, you can talk about how nice Jesus is and how great his kingdom is, but at some point, you need to call people to repentance and faith. Otherwise, you're not proclaiming the gospel. Friends, talking about the kingdom without calling people to repent and believe is like holding out the hope of Disneyland without offering someone a ticket.

Call people to repent and believe. If that scares you, I get it. Scares me. And maybe we'll be helped to remember that it's not ultimately us making the appeal for someone to repent and believe. It's God through us making the appeal.

And just so I practice what I preach, if you're here and you're not a Christian, I want to implore you on behalf of King Jesus to turn from your sins.

To trust in Jesus today. Brothers and sisters, we should call sinners to repent and believe. Third and finally, we should rest. What should we do in light of the gospel? We should rest.

In these pandemic times, we can feel so disoriented. And I just want to say, if your whole day, your whole life has blown up, moms, if your kids are a hot mess, dads, if you're not sure how to lead your family, single folks, if you're feeling lonely, elderly folks, if you're feeling scared, everyone, if you have problems, but you go to bed tonight repenting of your sins and trusting in Jesus, that's a win.

You had a horrible day, but you go to bed believing Jesus went to the cross for you, that's a win. You had a horrible year, but you go to bed believing even with just an ounce of faith Jesus got up from the dead for you, that's a win. That's not to say, beloved, your suffering doesn't matter. It's just to say that your suffering Isn't the end of your story? Friends, we don't have to have it all figured out today.

Jesus has got that. No, we just repent, believe, rest.

It's sweet to trust in Jesus, isn't it? Let's pray.

Father, it's Jesus who saves us, not our good deeds. And yet you really do command us to turn from sin and trust in Jesus. Help us to do that all our days. Father, we ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.