The scripture for this Second Sunday of Advent is Mark 1:1-8.
Mark is the oldest and shortest of the four Gospels. The word “gospel” itself means “good news”. And Mark begins this book with the words “[t]he beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, God’s Son…”.
Compared to the other three Gospels, Mark gets right down to business. He places us immediately in the action. Verses one through three give us the connection from the prophets to this Gospel and then…..BAM! John the Baptizer is on the scene by verse four declaring that Jesus is coming.
What gets me every time I read these eight verses, however, is the phrase found in verse one: “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, God’s Son…”.
What is “the beginning of the good news”? What is the beginning of the good news in light of 2020 and all of the tragedy we have experienced as a human family?
Mark begins the Gospel with Good News and continues to unpack that Good News with each verse and chapter that follow. And what is that Good News? That God loved us so much that God would send us Jesus, the embodiment of God’s love, to live as one of us and that by the Spirit’s transforming power of love, we change our hearts and lives to reflect the love shown to us.
As we continue to Christmas and into 2021, may Mark’s words encourage you. May you experience the Good News that has no end. May you experience the Good News that continues to give us hope and encouragement in the days ahead.
Christ’s Peace,
Pastor T. Wes Moore