”The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God”

Welcome to Mark’s Gospel - action, immediacy, Jesus-centred, God-inspired, Good News. - v Rome, v Temple, v Strong Man.( See  disclosing new worlds for a fuller summary)

Jesus is announced as good news - the Son of God. The next time the title is used (other than by a demon) he will have died. The gospel will keep asking the questions Who? How? Why?- and you the reader will know. Briefly, back to the messenger - in the desert, on the margins - away from those who believe that power only happens at the centre, and that God’s power can be controlled - He preaches repentance & forgiveness and the people flock to him. Repentance - turn around, be changed - heart of which is forgiveness - otherwise all the baggage weighs us down - fresh start, new life. order in chaos, light in the darkness - time to repent, to seek forgiveness?

Wilderness - place to be lost and to meet with God

In Jesus there is a merging of heaven with earth, his baptism symbolises God grace breaking free upon earth - the Spirit is there, the Father proclaims the Son - confirms the narrators assertion in v1. Jesus confronts the powers - bringing life out of death - Focus on Jesus - are we Jesus-centred? God inspired? Is there a merging of heaven and earth? Do we need Jesus to bring light to our darkness? is it time to repent?

When Jesus enters the story - enters our story - the time is fulfilled - (present not future tense) - the kingdom (reign) of God has come near - (decision is yours - Jesus knocks, calls - next move is yours - belong to the good news that is the reign of God or the bad news that is the reign of death) Repent and believe the good news.