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Mark 1:14-20

¹⁴ Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, ¹⁵ and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the reign of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

¹⁶ Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” ¹⁸ And immediately they left their nets and followed Him. ¹⁹ And going on a little farther, He saw James the son of Zebedee and John His brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. ²⁰ And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed Him.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

You have heard two of the shortest sermons recorded in Scripture this morning. From Jonah’s cry, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” (3:4) to Jesus’ proclamation, “The time is fulfilled, and the reign of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Jonah’s audience, the evil pagans of Nineveh, had an urgent timeline. Forty days is not a long time before annihilation. But Jesus’ call is even more urgent, “The time is fulfilled – the time is even now – and the reign of God is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel.”

Jonah’s sermon is very incomplete. He gives no Gospel, delivers no forgiveness. He doesn’t proclaim God’s mercy, only God’s judgment. If the time ever comes when you hear me preaching sermon after sermon proclaiming only God’s coming judgment on sin, run me out of here! Remove me from being your pastor because your only getting half the story – less than half. That is not how a shepherd should treat his flock.

However, even though Jonah proclaims nothing but Law, judgment, and destruction, God speaks His Word through Jonah’s mouth to miraculously bring about repentance and faith in the Ninevites. That is how powerful God’s Word is. God works through His Word to do His work of bringing people to repentance and faith.

The king of Nineveh took a shot in the dark when it came to repentance. He said (Jon. 3:9), “Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish.” For all they knew, God would still destroy their city even if they repented. The people of Nineveh could have simply taken on the slogan, “Let us eat, drink, and be merry for in 39 days we die.” They didn’t know God’s nature or character because Jonah didn’t tell them. Jonah didn’t mention that God is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and mercy. But the Ninevites rolled the dice, and they did learn that God is merciful.

Jesus’ sermon is complete. Today, through my voice, Jesus says to you, “The time is fulfilled, and the reign of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel.”

Today, God brings His kingdom, His rule, His reign in this place, in this city, this state, this world. Repent. Turn from your sin. Confess your sin. Do you know what that word confess means? It literally means ‘to say the same thing as.’ Every week, you come here and together we all say the same thing about ourselves and our sin as God says about us and our sin. We are poor sinners. We are, by nature, down to our core, sinful and unclean, unfit to be in God’s presence. Throughout the week, we have sinned against God in thought, word, and deed. You are damnable. I am damnable.

“Repent,” this is the command of your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. But this very command is not something we are able to do. We cannot repent. But this word, “Repent,” from Jesus creates exactly what it calls for. Don’t look at your repentance or confession as the part you have to do to be saved. Repentance is not your work (Act. 5:31; 11:18; 2 Tim. 2:25). That’s a good thing. How could you ever know if you have really repented enough? Your sin is so bad that you are dead. Last I checked, dead people don’t do anything.

Think back to creation. When God said, “Let there be light,” light obeyed the word of God. God spoke into the void, and that which did not exist obeyed. When God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation,” it just happened. Plants, grass, and trees simply grew and produced fruit and seed. The very nature of God’s Word is that it creates, and it always creates what it calls for.

Jesus’ call to repent is the same. Spoken by the lips of Jesus, the command, “Repent,” creates the very repentance demanded. But it can and does, sadly, happen that some resist and defy God’s Word. “In between repentance and defiance is the mystery of the Holy Spirit’s work” (Rev. Timothy Winterstein).

The same goes for Jesus’ command, “Believe the gospel.” By our own reason and strength, we cannot believe in Jesus Christ as Lord or come to Him. But the power of Jesus’ word creates belief and faith as the Spirit works. A simple word from Jesus moves the dead to life. The living Gospel brings life to the dead.

The people of Nineveh didn’t know what would happen if they repented; Jonah didn’t even tell them to repent. But you know. Jesus gives the Gospel because He is the Gospel. He is the one who miraculously took away your sins through His death on the cross.

You are here because of Jesus. Jesus’ call to Andrew and Simon and James and John has left the shores of the sea of Galilee and echoes through the millennia to you here today. Jesus calls you just as He called them, “Follow Me.” Though I do have to say that translation is too clean. Literally, Jesus says, “Com’ere [sic], behind Me.” And, now, here you are – behind Jesus.

Living in repentance and faith and being behind Jesus means you are different. The time is short, and the present form of this world is passing away (1 Cor. 7:29, 31). Jesus has called you out of this world to be behind Him wherever He goes. Where He goes proclaiming the Gospel, you also go. You go freed from having to live as though the things of this world matter. You can walk through the things of this world knowing that nothing matters except that you are repentant, believing, and behind Jesus.

You know that Jesus has placed you behind Him living with your spouse, your children, your jobs, and your stuff as salt and light. You are in this world now as God’s own child, repentant and forgiven. Living in the present reign of God, and being His voice calling others into His reign. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.