1. Title: The Incarnation of God in Jesus Christ in the Gospel of Mark Text: Mark 1: The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God By: Pastor Micah Adamson December 18, 2016
Mark 1:1 (NIV84)
Title

2. Christmas sermons from Peter and John
Matthew and Luke include the Christmas story.
John: John, Revelation, 1-3 John
Peter: Mark, 1-2 Peter
Incarnation:
Definition = In + Carne (Flesh).
Doctrine = Jesus is God + Man = Jesus is God in the Flesh.
Direction = Jesus was eternally God + become man in time.

3. Jesus’ Birth or Baptism as the first story
Matthew and Luke tell the Christmas story as the first story.
John and Mark tell the story of Jesus’ Baptism first.
Matthew starts with Jesus’ genealogy.
Luke puts Jesus’ genealogy after Jesus’ baptism.
Both stories show the close relationship of Jesus to God the Father and of Jesus to the Holy Spirit.

4. Jesus’ Birth Matthew 1:20-23 (NIV84)
20 …an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.” [Isaiah 7:14]
Son means descendant.
Jesus was conceived by the Holy spirit.
“Immanuel”: Jesus is not only God’s Son, He’s also God (with us).

5. Jesus’ Birth Luke 1:30-35 (NIV84)
30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.”
Father means ancestor.
Jesus is the Son of God.
The Holy Spirit conceived Jesus.
Son of God: Eternal son.

6. Jesus’ Genealogy
Matthew 1:2,3,5,6,17 (NIV84) 2 …Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar… 5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth… 6 and Jesse the father of King David…the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife… 17 Thus there were [about] fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, [about] fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and [about] fourteen from the exile to the Christ.

7. Jesus’ Genealogy is a Summary of Israel’s history
Generations
Text
Bible
Summary
People 21
[…]
Luke 3:34-38
Genesis 1 - Genesis 11
Paradise Lost -
People Chosen
Adam (Father of everyone) - Abraham (Father of Israel) 14
Matt. 1:2-6 Luke 3:32-34
Genesis 12 -
Ruth
Kingdom Promised -
Kingdom Come
Abraham (Patriarch) - David (King)
Matt. 1:7-11
Luke 3:27-31
1 Samuel -
2 Chronicles
Kingdom Decline -
Kingdom Lost
David (King) - Jehoiachin/Jeconiah (Exile)
Matt. 1:12-16 Luke 3:23-27
Ezra–Mal. -
Matt.–John
Return from Exile -
Return of the King
Jehoiachin/Jeconiah (Exile) - Jesus (Christ/King)

8. Matthew and Luke’s Genealogies of Jesus Compared
[…]
Lk. 3:38
...the son of Adam, the son of God.
Mt. 1:2
Abraham was the father of Isaac...
Lk. 3:34
...the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham...
Mt. 1:6
...David was the father of Solomon...
Lk. 3:31
...the son of Nathan, the son of David...
Mt. 1:12
...Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel…
...the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri…
Mt. 1:13
...Zerubbabel the father of Abiud...
Lk. 3:27
...the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel...
Mt. 1:16
...Jacob the father of Joseph…
Lk. 3:23
…Joseph, the son of Heli…
... Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, called Christ.
[Jesus] was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph…

9. Reconciling Jesus’ genealogies in Matthew and Luke
Matthew gives Jesus’ family tree from father to son (the normal way).
Luke gives Jesus’ family tree from son to father (upside down).
This makes them a challenge to compare.
Matthew is emphasizing Jesus as the fulfillment of messianic promises to the Jews.
Luke is emphasizing Jesus as the fulfillment of the messianic promises to all people.

10. Reconciling Jesus’ genealogies in Matthew and Luke
Matthew traces Jesus’ line through David’s son Solomon.
Luke traces Jesus’ line through David’s son Nathan.
Luke looks like Mary’s genealogy.
Matthew looks like Joseph’s genealogy.
Mary and Joseph were 28th cousins.

11. Reconciling Jesus’ genealogies in Matthew and Luke
Matthew and Luke’s genealogies meet after the Exile with Shealtiel.
Then they branch out in two directions again after Shealtiel’s son Zerubbabel.
Matthew’s genealogies includes at least one example of a “levirate marriage” (Ruth and maybe Tamar).

12. Reconciling Jesus’ genealogies in Matthew and Luke
Matthew looks like Joseph’s Father was Jacob.
Luke looks like Joseph’s Father was Heli
Is this another Levirate marriage?
Matthew was Joseph’s genealogy.
Luke is Mary’s genealogy.
Mary’s Father’s name was Eli/Heli per the Talmud.
Jesus really was the “son/descendent” of Heli.

13. Reconciling Jesus’ genealogies in Matthew and Luke
Jesus was not Joseph’s biological son.
So, why include Joseph’s genealogy at all?
He’s the heir to the throne of Israel!
Joseph really was Jesus’ father by adoption.
Joseph gave Jesus his genealogy.
Jesus was the heir to the throne of Israel through Joseph.
This is good news for us who are adopted by God and heirs with Jesus! (1 Peter 1:3-4).

14. Jesus’ genealogy in Mark
Mark 1:1 (NIV84)
1 The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Matthew 1 = Joseph’s lineage – Jesus is the Son of Abraham and David (Jewish)
Luke 3 = Mary’s lineage – Jesus is the Son of Adam and God (Jew/Gentile, Human/Divine)
Mark 1 = Jesus’ lineage – Jesus is the Son of God (Divine)
John 1 = No genealogy – Jesus is God in the flesh (Divine)
Hebrews 7:1-3 = Jesus doesn’t need a genealogy to be Christ

15. Jesus’ Baptism John 1:1, 14 (NIV84)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Jesus has always been God (Deity, Pre-existence).
Jesus has always been with God the Father (Personhood, Pre-existence).
Jesus became a man (Humanity).

16. Jesus’ Baptism John 1:15, 32-34 (NIV84)
15 John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me…
32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.”
Jesus had preceded Him in time (Pre-existence).
Jesus was the one who could give the Spirit to others (Deity).
Jesus was the Son of God the Father (Sonship, Humanity)

17. Jesus’ Baptism Mark 1:1 (NIV84)
1 The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. [Psalm 2:2,7]
Mark starts by calling Jesus the Christ and God’s Son (Sonship).
Some manuscripts are missing Mark’s words, “the Son of God”, in verse 1.
No manuscripts are missing God’s words, “You are my Son”, in verse 11 (quoting Psalm 2:7).

18. Jesus’ Baptism Mark 1:2-3 (NIV84)
2 It is written in Isaiah the prophet:
“I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way”— [Malachi 3:1]
3 “a voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the LORD,
make straight paths for him.’ ” [Isaiah 40:3]
The “messenger/voice” is to prepare the way for the LORD.
LORD = JHVH/Jehovah or YHWH/Yahweh = The I AM/God who always was/is/will be.
Jesus is the one John prepared the way for: the LORD God. (Pre-existence, Deity).

19. Jesus’ Baptism Mark 1:4-8 (NIV84)
4 And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: “After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
John baptized people in water as a picture of washing their sins away and getting a new life.
Jesus is the one who could do for real what John was doing symbolically.
Jesus’ birth teaches that Jesus’ was incarnate by the Holy Spirit (Deity).
Jesus’ baptism teaches that Jesus can give us new birth by the Holy Spirit (Deity).

20. Jesus’ Baptism Mark 1:9-13 (NIV84)
9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” [Psalm 2:2]
12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, 13 and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.
God the Father publicly acknowledged Jesus as His son at Jesus’ baptism (Sonship).
All three members of the Trinity are present at the same time at Jesus’ baptism (Personhood).
Like us: The Holy Spirit came upon Jesus, sent Jesus, and Jesus obeyed.
Jesus is One who could uniquely send and baptize with the Holy Spirit (Deity).

21. Jesus the Christ, Son of God, and Son of Man in Mark
Mark 14:61–62 (NIV84)
61 …Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”
62 “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Christ = “the Son of God”.
Christ = “the Son of Man”.
The Son of God + The Son of Man = The Christ

22. Jesus the Son of God in Mark
Mark calls Jesus the Son of God.
God called Jesus His Son.
Jesus called God His Father and called Himself God’s Son.
Demons called Jesus the Son of God.
The soldier at the cross called Jesus the Son of God.
Psalm 2:2, 7 (NIV84)
2 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One [Christ]…
7 I will proclaim the decree of the Lord: He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.

23. Jesus the Son of Man in Mark
Jesus called Himself the Son of Man.
God called Ezekiel, “Son of Man” 93 times in Ezekiel.
Daniel 7:13-14 (NIV84)
13…I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

24. Jesus is the Christ
Mark 1:1, 8:29, 9:41, 12:35, 13:21-22, 14:61, 15:32
Mark calls Jesus the Christ.
Peter confessed Jesus as the Christ.
Jesus confessed that He was the Christ.
Jesus’ enemies at the cross mockingly called Jesus the Christ, the King of Israel.
Mark 12:35-37 (NIV84)
35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “How is it that the teachers of the law say that the Christ is the son of David? 36 David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared:
“ ‘The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’ [Psalm 110:1]
37 David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?

25. Conclusion We can trust the Bible not to contradict itself:
Jesus is both God and Man in the OT and NT.
Jesus’ deity, humanity, pre-existence, personhood, sonship, and relation to the Holy Spirit is taught in all four gospels.
We can trust Jesus to save us from our sin because of who He is as God incarnate:
Jesus is the promised one who can really wash our sins away and give us a new life by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus is the promised King/Christ in the line of David.
Jesus is the promised Son of Abraham.
Jesus is the promised seed of Eve and Son of God.
Let’s worship Jesus for all of who He is as God and Man this Christmas!