In Genesis 1.20-2.3 God finishes his work of creation, filling the world with all good things, observing his work, proclaiming it very good, and resting on the seventh day. Though there is much to be said about that passage (read it at http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Genesis+1.20-2.3 ) we'll look in more detail at just a small portion of our New Testament reading today.
Mark 1.29-45 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Genesis+1.20-2.3 ) brings Jesus into the forefront. In Mark's characteristic style, see that Jesus starts out with a bang, proclaiming the urgency of the gospel. "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1.15, ESV). We'll dwell on that statement for a moment.
The time is fulfilled. The world that God made, proclaiming it "very good" in Genesis 1.31, has fallen. It is ruined by sin which requires death and judgment. Now Jesus has come, God in the flesh, to visit his creation. We can expect judgment. The time is fulfilled. Sin and death are to rule no more. For generation upon generation, man has ruled this world in the power of his sinful desires. This time is coming to an end. We all know what that means. Mischief has been done and the evildoers will meet justice. The time is fulfilled.
The kingdom of God is at hand. No longer will we dwell in the kingdom of man, but the kingdom of God is here. And what happens when the king comes to town, finding it ruled by disobedience? He brings judgment on that disobedience. The soul that sins shall surely die. The righteous king (or any king) will dispose of those who oppose him. He will not tolerate rivals to his kingdom and his throne.
As we are confronted with these bleak statements of Jesus, we see we are the sinners, we are the disobedient, we are without hope in this world, our human show of righteousness is surely our condemnation. How great the destruction that the king brings when he comes, with the time of sinful disobedience fulfilled!
Repent and believe in the gospel. Now the good news, and what great good news it is. We are not called to destruction, but to repentance. The King has come in power and does not destroy us out of hand. He calls us instead to repent and believe. Watch the two prongs in this cure for sin. We repent, that is, we turn from sinful disbelief. But we are not left in a vacuum. We are told what to believe - the gospel. This Christian walk is not merely one of renunciation. If we define the Christian life in negative terms, we spend all our effort turning from things but having nothing to turn to. Rejoice, for the Christian life has a goal in sight. We turn TOWARD the gospel. Our strivings are not simply to shun sin, but our strivings are with a goal in sight, we have been given something to believe in.
And what is this gospel? Here is the greatest good news of all. The gospel is that Jesus came to be the savior of the world, to die in the place of sinful man, taking our sinful condition and all our acts of unbelief past, present and future upon himself, bearing the penalty of sin in our place, and rising to newness of life on the third day to precede us into heavenly bliss. We are not cleansed by our own righteousness. We have already seen that we are unable to do that. We are not cleansed by our own striving to repent. We are not cleansed by the quality of our belief, which will be partial and faltering. We are cleansed from sin and brought into the perfect kingdom of God by the great faithfulness and righteousness of Christ who died for us. Believe in the gospel!
"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."
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