Taking A Look At Mark 1:1-3

In reading through Mark 1:1-3, we see Mark speaking of the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry on earth. In doing so, he opens with who he believes Jesus is. In this we find a Promise to Claim. This promise is in Mark’s firm assertion that Jesus is, in fact, Christ, the Son of the living God. Mark makes no bones about his belief that Jesus is the Messiah, although he does not come out and state that publicly. It is, however, very apparent by his use of both “Christ” and “Son of God” in the first verse of his Gospel.

He then goes on to tell the story of John the Baptist. This story begins with a restating of the words of the prophet Isaiah from chapter forty and verse three in his book from the Old Testament. As these words are brought to light for a new generation of believers, we find another Promise to Claim. Isaiah prophesied in the Old Testament that one would come and prepare the way for the Lord. Mark believes that John the Baptist is the one of whom Isaiah spoke about so long ago, and that John indeed does fulfill that prophecy. We see this come to fruition through Mark’s telling of the story of John the Baptist.

These promises are ones that we can claim for ourselves in a couple of ways. First off, with Mark’s belief that Jesus is the Messiah, we are able to claim Jesus as our Messiah and our Lord and Savior. We can claim that He is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Being able to claim that proclamation brings us to the second promise. That promise, spoken of by Isaiah and again by Mark, is that of a messenger being sent to us to prepare the way and make the paths straight. Just as John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus to do ministry, Jesus prepares the way for us to be reconciled to the Father. John baptized with water, but Jesus baptizes with His own blood shed for our sins. This washes us clean so that we might be pure and righteous in the sight of God.

In reading through this text, I believe that Mark has some Emotions that are expressed. I believe that he expresses excitement through stating that Jesus is the Son of God, and also through the restating of Isaiah’s words as a confirmed prophecy of both John the Baptist and Jesus. We, too, can experience this excitement through these words as we believe that Jesus is who Mark claims He is, and through the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah as a confirmation to the modern reader that God does what He says He will do.

The words of Isaiah that Mark quotes have an Example for those of us who are Christ followers today. When Mark speaks the words “Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.”, it is important that we realize our role in that process. When we became Christians, someone made the path to the Lord straight for us. We came to a point through the help of friends, family members, pastors, teachers, etc… that our path choice was a blatantly obvious one. We needed to choose the path of righteousness, which was paved with the blood and by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. However, without those around us making straight paths to the Lord, we may not have ever found our way to salvation. As we interact with those around us, it is of utmost importance that we are an example of Christ’s work in our lives at all times. When we do not exhibit those characteristics, the path we create becomes winding and twisted, which is hardly a straight path for others to follow to the cross. The example of Mark’s straight forward approach to telling exactly who he believed Jesus to be, and the confirmed words of Isaiah’s prophecy show us that we need to make it easy for others to find Christ.

In conclusion, I want to offer Thanks to God through what I read in this passage. I thank Him for being faithful to fulfill His Word. According to Mark, the arrival of John the Baptist on the scene fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy of one who would prepare the way for the Lord. I am inclined to believe that this is true, and I want to thank God for showing Himself faithful to do what He says He will do. This is but one example of God fulfilling the prophecy foretold in the Bible, and it is through the fulfilling of this prophecy that the ministry of Jesus begins. That ministry is what ultimately led to the greatest sacrifice ever seen, which covers my sins and allows me to be reconciled to God. I can’t help but thank Him for being true to His character and Word!

Finding and Developing My Strengths in Life and Ministry

Have you ever really wondered what your strengths are? I never really did, until I got into my classes through the Tabor College Adult Degree Completion program. I hadn't ever really thought about "strengths" per say, but rather, had continually "done things' that turned out well, and so figured that there must be something more to it. Part of my first class module was focused on finding strengths. To that end, we went through Strengths Quest by Donald Clifton and Edward Anderson. The finds were very intriguing!

There are certain things all of us do that seem to be second nature. These things just come naturally, and require little to no effort. Call them gifts, talents, or quirks if you wish, but each of us have certain strengths of character that I believe are built into us as God knits us together in our mother's womb. These strengths, when harnessed, have the ability to produce success in life, learning, and ministry. After taking the Strengths Quest test online (www.strengthsquest.com), I discovered that my top five strengths are as follows: 1. Strategic, 2. Communication, 3. Belief, 4. Developer, 5. Responsibility. These five strengths, when used together, create an opportunity to greatly increase my ability to succeed.

The first strength in my list is Strategic. According to the StrengthsQuest book, I am able to "sort through clutter to find the best route... This perspective allows you to see patterns where others simply see complexity (67)". I've seen this particular strength in my life from many sources. I've always been good at critical analysis, and coming up with a rock solid plan that turns chaos into calm isn't hard for me to do. People have given me the reputation of one that "just gets it done", and that ability has served me well.

In ministry, this particular strength comes in very handy when revamping current ministry events and creating new ones. When working with so many volunteers, it can be challenging to focus everyone's attention on a particular issue. By harnessing this strength, I am able to clearly identify what needs to be done, delegate those responsibilities, and see it through to completion.

The second strength in my list is Communication. From an early age, I learned how to clearly communicate ideas and opinions. Public speaking or performing hasn't been an issue for me at any point in recent memory, and when I have the opportunity to speak, I am excited and challenged to make it something that will stick in people's minds for a long while. I want my word pictures to "pique their interest, sharpen their world, and inspire them to act (Clifton/Anderson/Schreiner, 36)". As a minister, this strength is used on an almost daily basis, as I preach, teach, counsel, and shepherd my congregation. Communication is of utmost importance if I am to bring the Gospel to the masses in fresh, relevant, and relational ways.

The third strength in my list is Belief. My parents instilled a need to believe in something greater than myself from birth. They told me the stories of the Bible, showed me the wonders of God, and lived a lifestyle that exuded the essence of living as a Christ-follower. It is my belief in Jesus Christ that gives me the hope to face each day head-on, and that belief guides my thoughts, decisions, and actions each moment of each day. StrengthsQuest says that "When you live your life according to your deepest values and beliefs, you experience motivation, drive, and determination (34)". I find this to be absolutely true for me. It is in living my life for Jesus that I find the motivation to move forward in every aspect of life and ministry. My beliefs reach every corner of my being, and give me the desire to instill those beliefs in my children, my friends, and in those who walk through the doors of my church each week.

The fourth strength in my list is Developer. This is what I would call "shepherding" in ministry terms. This strength is what gives me the ability to see things in others, and the desire to bring it out of them. I was in bands for years, and it was always a joy to bring along players and watch their abilities grow. As a worship minister, it is part of my job to develop players and singers of all ages, so that they might work together for the glory of God and edification of the Body. The most important part of this development is not musical in nature; it is the spiritual aspect that is, in fact, the most essential. As StrengthsQuest says, "When you interact with others, your goal is to help them experience success. You look for ways to challenge them. You devise interesting experiences that can stretch them and help them grow (44)".

The fifth and final strength in my list is Responsibility. As I mentioned earlier, I'm the guy that gets labeled as one who "just gets it done". When I take something on, it is important to me that it get done correctly. I want it to be the absolute best it can be so that it can be as successful as possible! Unfortunately, I can be this way to a fault. StrengthsQuest says "With the responsibility you feel to the people who come to you and with the demands that each of them brings, you might feel overwhelmed and under pressure to perform (63)". In ministry, as someone with a strength in responsibility, it is very easy to take on too much and want it all to be too perfect. It's for God and His people, right? If so, then it HAS to be perfect! I must watch myself in this area constantly, or my strength of responsibility can become a weakness of taking on too much responsibility.

With these five strengths now being defined for me, I have the ability to harness each of them directly. It is my hope that this will make a positive impact on myself, my family, my congregation, and the world.