St. Mark 16:14-20
Dearly beloved,
Today we recognize the Holy Spirit’s work in one of God’s
servants, St. Mark, Apostle and Evangelist. The church is a dynamic, living
organism that is full of color, beauty, and distinction. In the midst of
the Divine gifts, this Bride of Christ, the church, recognizes that God uses
people. This creation is the Lord’s creation, and so it is only natural
that he would use bread, wine, water, and men to convey Christ’s blessings.
This Easter season is focused on the victory of Jesus over
death and the grave. This victory is a win over sinful flesh, death, and
Satan. The interesting dynamic that is evident in the New Testament is that
God uses sinful men to preach His coming kingdom. St. Mark is a good
reminder of each and every one of us. There isn’t a whole lot that we know
about Mark. We do know that Mark is reported to have written the Gospel of
St. Mark in Egypt.
We also learn a few things about Mark in the New Testament.
In Acts 13 Paul and Barnabas were about the Gentile mission. They had some
young disciples with them. One of them was John Mark. As Paul and Barnabas
set off for Pamphylia, Mark grew weak and returned to Jerusalem. Not much
more is said of Mark’s departure in chapter 13. But a few chapters later,
in chapter 15, Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them as they traveled
back through the cities they had visited. Paul and Barnabas wanted to
strengthen those to whom they had preached Jesus.
Paul did not want to take Mark. We are told, “Paul thought
best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and
had not gone with them to the work.” Paul saw a flaw in Mark. The flaw was
fear and wavering tendencies. Paul perceived a lack of faithfulness in
Mark. Barnabas, however, believed in Mark. So, a sharp disagreement arose
between Paul and Barnabas to the point that they went separate ways.
Mark reminds us of ourselves. We begin the journey, but
grow weak. In a moment of zeal and emotional fervor we are ready to take on
the world. We are ready to proclaim, serve, love, pray, and rejoice. But
we travel down the road. When we were thinking about how great it was being
a Christian we did not think about the forces of evil that would challenge
us along the way. Satan tempts us, thereby testing our faith as we go, and
we begin to grow weak. Suddenly, we are not so sure about the journey with
the gospel.
Loving and serving in humility becomes a real chore when we
are challenged. We say to ourselves in a weak moment, “It would be so much
easier going back home and sitting in the easy chair and blocking all
meaningful thought from our minds. It would be so much easier raising
children if we didn’t have to worry about all the bad influences. It would
be so much easier if we didn’t care so much.” This is weakness speaking. Paul
saw this weakness in Mark. Paul needed apostles who behaved like men.
But everything teaches in the Bride of Christ, the
church. When
you entered Christ and the church through Holy Baptism you entered a new
life. Jesus saves you from your sins, and He begins to fashion you as He
wants you to be. Your baptism is the beginning of a lifetime of growth in
the mercy of Jesus. The Holy Spirit will continue to refine you through the
Word and Sacraments. Jesus comes to forgive your sins and to strengthen you
on the journey. God had plans for St. Mark.
Yes, Mark grew weak and wavered. Mark was holding on to the
plow and looked back. But the Lord was to use Mark for the building up of
the church. Mark was to be an apostle, an official ambassador to proclaim
all that he had seen and heard from Jesus. Mark was to write a gospel. Mark
was to do missionary work with Paul and Barnabas. This was the Lord’s plan.
Eventually, Mark grew in the faith and as he did this, Paul eventually
caught on to Christ’s mission. God persuaded Paul to use Mark. Paul writes
on two different occasions concerning Mark.
Mark must have rejoined Paul on the journey, because Paul
says at the end of Colossians that Mark sends his greetings. Then Paul
tells Timothy in 2 Timothy to “get Mark and bring him with you, for he is
very useful to me for ministry”(2 Timothy 4:11). The apostles, in this case
Mark, show us that God uses sinners for the building up of the kingdom. The
Lord is teaching us through these men that it is God who brings the growth.
God strengthens the faith of His church. When we gather in this church for
Divine Service, we are not witnessing a gathering of strong, perfect people.
We are seeing a gathering of God’s saints who may very well
be weak. We are a people who struggle to believe. We struggle to serve and
love. Loving is difficult. Serving with meekness and humility is a great
challenge. Serving and loving quietly without asking anything in return is
really hard. Living life without sin and temptation is impossible. So,
here we are—a people who are broken, weak, tempted, fallen, and in need. Yet,
we are being changed. Jesus comes in the Word and Sacraments, and holy
absolution to forgive us of all of these sins. Let me tell you that you
have the forgiveness of Jesus for all of your sins, even these sins I just
mentioned.
You are then strengthened through the word and sacraments,
as Jesus comes to you to continue to change you and shape you. This means
that you belong to Jesus. You are a member of Christ and His lovely bride,
the church. What makes the Lord’s bride so beautiful is that she is His
bride. He loves her. He loves you. St. Paul reminds the Corinthians of
this dynamic of which I speak: “[Jesus] is not weak in dealing with you, but
is powerful among you. For He was crucified in weakness, but lives by the
power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will
live with him by the power of God”(2 Cor. 13:3-4).
In concluding our thoughts on St. Mark today, his gospel is
notable. If we were to do a detailed study of St. Mark’s gospel, we would
see that he emphasizes man’s weakness and the power of the cross. Mark’s
own weaknesses must have been on his mind, because the power of the cross is
so strong in his gospel. In chapter 8 of Mark’s gospel is the beautiful
statement reminding the church of her new life in baptism: “If anyone would
come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow
me. Whoever
would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and
the gospel’s will save it”(Mark 8:34-35).
These words are a baptismal statement right in the middle of
the gospel. Taking up the cross is baptismal. Denying yourself is to know
your sins and weaknesses, to confess them, and to desire to abide in Christ.
Mark no doubt reflected on “losing his life for Christ’s sake and the
gospel.” This was no doubt something he struggled with early on, but Mark
came to learn that there is a better way of living. Mark is reminding us
that the goal of the journey, the result of patient endurance is a better
life in Christ. Jesus knows you and He loves you. Jesus bathes you in His
love and mercy and He will strengthen you in due time, just as He did Mark.
Your end result shall be the crown of life. Amen.
--
Rev. Chad Kendall
Trinity Lutheran Church
Lowell, Indiana
www.trinitylowell.org
