Good News For New Beginnings

The first Sunday of the new year has rolled in. Dripping with promise. Untapped potential. The year is wide open. Many of us are gun shy on decreeing and declaring what the year will hold. 2020 met us with unusual circumstances so our hesitancy is understandable. But on this first Sunday of 2021, I logged off with a little more hope. Pastor introduced the sermon series for 2021. This year will focus on “Making Your Mark.” We will journey through the book of Mark and study the life of Jesus. Ultimately, the hope is that we gain valuable insight on how to live our lives by studying His.

Now traditionally, I try to do a general overview of the sermon. I want to give folks a great Cliff Notes version of everything that went down. But today is different. Many great points were brought to life, but one hit differently for me. If you feel cheated, you can mosey on over to St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church’s Facebook or YouTube page and watch the sermon for yourself. Ready for that one point? Good.

Pastor drove home the point that your new beginning puts you in prime position for an unexpected comeback. Now if you just look at Mark 1:1-8, which is the text used for the sermon, you will likely miss the power of the unexpected comeback. Pastor filled us in on Mark’s back story. And what a back story it is.

We get glimpses of Mark’s early life in the book of Acts. He is the son of Mary. Mary is like many mothers of yesteryear. The early church, the newly formed Christian community, meets often in her house. In one instance, many of the members are gathered together there praying. They have met and are one accord petitioning God to free Peter from jail. As they begin their prayer, Peter is already at the door. Their prayers are answered instantly. Mark has a front row seat to God’s almighty power.

Paul (still rocking with the name Saul at this point) and Barnabas evidently see potential in Mark. Mark goes with them on the mission field. And then things get hairy. Maybe he saw how difficult the mission field can be. Maybe he got tired of the travel. He might have just been homesick. For whatever reason, Mark quit and returned home.

But his story is not over. Because the Mark that quit the mission field is the same Mark that pens the gospel of Mark. He is the first to sit down and write out the story of the life of Jesus. As he sits, he writes, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Did you catch that? His new beginning and unexpected comeback are focused on the beginning of new life for us all, Jesus Christ.

Now, I have been in church for all my life and did not have an understanding of many people’s stories. Within the last year and a half, I have become utterly fascinated. See, the folks in the Bible have moved from being Bible greats and untouchables to being real people with real lives. That has drastically changed my relationship with God and my understanding of what He really can do with a life that is yielded to Him.

We all fall short. And at times, we give up on the work of the Lord. Listen, the mission field is not for the faint of heart. And let’s be honest. Most of the time we go out there not even dressed for battle. Forget the full armor of God. Many days we are doing good to have one piece of protection. Mark’s unexpected comeback is a reminder that we can have new beginnings. Even if we have walked away. #wepreach