While many people may say that Jesus was a good and wise man, he is much more than that. He is God come in the flesh to save his rebellious image-bearers. He has power from the Holy Spirit and was approved for this task by God the Father, and he is a warrior who has conquered Satan and sin for his people, securing salvation for those who believe in him.

The Gospel of Mark starts with a bang and quickly rolls out Jesus’ earthly ministry. It is probably the most dynamic of the four gospels with its rapid story line and succinct, dense narrative. If you want a quick snapshot of Jesus’ life, Mark is a great place to start.

As can be expected with so much packed into this short gospel, there is much to be learned from just the first chapter. While the world may think of Jesus as just a good man, four important things we learn in the first chapter is that Jesus is God, Jesus has both power and the Father’s blessing, Jesus is victorious over evil, and Jesus changes lives.

1. Jesus is God who was promised to save his people.

The New Testament did not drop out of heaven as an isolated document—in fact, quite the opposite is the case. The Jewish people had been expecting a messiah based on God’s revelation in the Old Testament Scriptures. Mark tells us at the very beginning of his gospel that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and his coming was an answer to prophecy.

Mark quotes from the Old Testament book of Isaiah where we are told that there will be a messenger announcing the coming of the Lord. Next, Mark points to John the Baptist as the messenger who prepared the way for the coming of Jesus as the fulfillment of that promise. Mark is telling us that Jesus is the Lord. God promised that he himself would save his people, and he fulfills this promise in the person of Jesus.

2. Jesus was chosen and comes with power for his people.

John was a great prophet and many people came to him, but he directed people to look for the one he was announcing. This coming one would be so great that John would not be worthy to do even the most menial task for him (Mark 1:7). This coming one would come with the power of the Holy Spirit, which he would pour out on his followers (Mark 1:8).

Read More