In the gospel of Mark the reader is immediately brought to important milestones in the ministry of Jesus which signal the coming of God’s kingdom. First there was the message of repentance John the Baptist gave, preparing the way of the Lord, next the baptism of Jesus when the Father’s voice was heard from heaven, and then the temptation of Jesus by Satan.
None of these important events in Mark’s gospel allow us the opportunity to hear Jesus himself speak. Our gospel lesson for today records those first words in the gospel of Mark Jesus speaks: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
These first words we hear from Jesus are words that have already been said by prophets before him. ‘Now is the time to repent, the kingdom is here, believe in the gospel.’ John the Baptist taught these things, and even a prophet with a small book of the Bible such as Jonah, preaching the same message of repentance.
The message of repentance is for all people. We heard in the Introit, “He raises the poor from the dust and the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, princes of his people.” The message of repentance Jesus brings unites us all together, rich and poor alike- and the gospel brings us to positions of glory and honor in God’s kingdom.
Although the Lord is high above all nations and His glory above the heavens, he sees us and has regard for us, even as low as we are.
In this world we live in, there are many people we might struggle to think that they deserve God’s mercy. Those who are just too low, the criminals, the pedophiles, the drug dealers and those who scoff at God.
Jonah struggled in this way. He was not afraid for his safety that he first resisted following God’s command to go to Nineveh and preach the message the Lord gave to him. Instead, he ran from this calling, he ran as far as he could West toward Spain- the other side of the known world from Nineveh. He wanted nothing to do with delivering a message of mercy to a people who were known in the ancient world for their cruelty.
Jonah knew that if he were to go to Nineveh, that God’s Word is so powerful that the people would very likely change their ways. It sounds like a strange thing to worry about, ‘what if people repent and change their ways.’ What if the worst of our enemies become our brothers and sisters in the kingdom?
What if everything we knew and expected about how the church should be was suddenly changed? Those we expected to be the good influences in our life perhaps going their own way, and those who we saw as bad should become as brothers and sisters?
The worry Jonah has is probably unique in the scripture, but even in the immaturity and selfishness of Jonah not wanting to see Nineveh saved, there is still with Jonah a strong faith and belief in the power of God’s Word.
Today we as the church struggle to see this power of the Word. We look at the culture around us and think- people do not want anything to do with the church, and that is just the way it is. It does not even cross our minds to worry about what if the most rough around the edges people we can think of should hear God’s Word and believe.
We don’t give much thought to the possibility that the people who lead demonstrations with billboards and signs against our church, may one day be our brothers and sisters in Christ.
After Jonah learned the hard way how foolish it was to run away from his calling as a prophet to Nineveh, after he was cast into the sea and rescued by a great fish which spit him upon dry land, Jonah heard the Word of the Lord a second time that he was to give the message to the great city that was told to him. The message given to Jonah to speak was very simple, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”
How could this one sentence message make such a difference? This one sentence contained the information that Nineveh faced God’s destruction, that their evil was no longer to be tolerated, and that the God of Israel cares enough about them to give the warning and time for repentance- 40 days. This message contained law and gospel, God’s condemnation of sin and God’s mercy to all.
The power of the message was so great that the people of Nineveh believed God. They all took the position of the needy on the ash heap, fasting and wearing sackcloth. Even the great king, when word reached him of Nineveh’s pending destruction, even he covered himself in sackcloth and ashes.
The king made a decree for repentance throughout the land and said: “Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who know? God may turn and relent from this fierce anger so that we may not perish.” Even though they were not Jews, they repented and believed the Lord’s prophet Jonah, and they were saved from destruction.
The message Jesus gave was just as simple as the message Jonah was given to speak: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Jesus was saying right now is the time to repent, because he is here among them- God’s kingdom is at hand in Him.
Nineveh was given 40 days before destruction. And the time is short for us as well. St. Paul remarks in our Epistle reading, the present form of this world is passing away. Jesus may return on any day. We cannot afford to put all of our importance in the things of this world, whether it is in having a wife or family, or a job, we cannot afford to let the things of this world prevent us from receiving the kingdom of God.
Jesus called Simon and Andrew, James and John to leave their fishing nets and follow Him. The time was at hand for them to leave the things of this world, repent and follow Jesus. They may still have fished for a living after they were called by Jesus, but no longer would the responsibilities of this world distract them or get in the way of their seeing the coming of the kingdom in Jesus. One word from the Lord was enough to change the course of their lives.
The people of Nineveh would still go on with the same business of raising cattle, growing crops and all that occupies a city of great size. But now they had the opportunity to turn from and abandon their evil ways, as they saw the LORD’s great mercy to them.
The people of Corinth who St. Paul wrote would continue to live in marriages and all those other activities that daily life brings. But instead of only concerning themselves with worldly things about how to provide a living for their spouses, the people may now live with the sense of urgency in their faith that the time is now at hand.
We hear the same message today that Nineveh heard, and the people of Galilee heard- the time is fulfilled, we are called to repent and believe in the gospel.
As we follow Him we will continue to manage the affairs of our daily life. But instead of putting all of our focus on how to please an employer or spouse, we can see in Jesus that the greatest need is to continue to grow and abound in God’s kingdom.
Whether we are well organized in the affairs of our life or just scrapping by, the situation is the same for all of us, we come before Jesus with the full weight of our sin and we give it to Him. And He promises that He will lift us out of the ash heap and exalt us to follow Him.