Revival and the narrow way: Recent Episodes
Hedley Quinton
Mark’s gospel like never before: enjoy hearing about Jesus’ launch into revival ministry then his journey down to Jerusalem where he would face the authorities and the cross.
Presented by Richard George, director of The Way of The Spirit. For more info go to www.thewayofthespirit.com.
Even after Jesus’ resurrection many of the disciples stubbornly refuse to believe. Nevertheless he tells them to go, delivering the mandate to continue his ministry to all nations.
Three groups, representing the whole of humanity, reject Jesus as he approaches the cross. It gets even worse when, at the point of death, he experiences even abandonment by his father in heaven. Knowing who he is allows him to keep going.
The mystery of Jesus’ identity begins to unfold as he describes, albeit rather bewilderingly, future events for Israel and the world. The listener must think back to the book of Daniel to make sense of it all.
Jesus enters Jerusalem and goes straight to the temple, but doesn’t find any good fruit there any more than he did in the fig tree. The religious interrogate him, trying to catch him out, but he in turn interrogates them, fearlessly challenging their religious mindsets.
Sandwiched between two physical healings of blindness, Jesus now addresses spiritual blindness in the disciples. Even when Jesus speaks about his death and resurrection loud and clear they misunderstand and don’t seem to hear it.
The religious leaders come up from Jerusalem to spy on Jesus as his Galilean ministry draws to a close. Jesus challenges their hearts while a gentile woman expresses what is in hers.
Now it is the disciples’ turn to preach, drive out demons and heal the sick! Jesus has compassion for Israel's sheep without a shepherd and feeds them; the disciples get into trouble again on the lake and Jesus walks on water to rescue them.
Who is this man that stills storms, casts out demons and raises the dead? For those who pay attention it is becoming clear.
Jesus begins teaching about God’s apparently secret kingdom using parables. Some seem to understand, others do not. He instructs them to attend to what he says and to dig deeply, for that is where the treasure is.
Shockingly eating with society’s rejects and provocatively healing on the Sabbath, Jesus begins demonstrating the new wineskin: God’s kingdom.
The crowds come to watch Jesus reach out to the sick with compassion and healing; he also casts out demons as the life of the kingdom becomes a concrete reality before their eyes.
Jesus immediately plunges into kingdom ministry and people are amazed at his teaching, spoken and demonstrated with authority.
Jesus launches his ministry and the fast paced action begins. He comes expressing the life of the kingdom, preaching a message of repentance and faith.
Isaiah’s heart-cry hundreds of years earlier is now answered as Jesus appears on the scene, heaven is torn open and his Father speaks.
We are drawn into the drama of vast crowds flocking to hear John the Baptist’s revival ministry. He is preaching a message of repentance, paving the way for one who will baptise not just in water, but in God himself!
400 years of waiting for God to break in again is ended as John the Baptist heralds the arrival of Jesus the Christ. The beginning of the good news!