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Jonah 3:1-5, 10
Psalm 62:5-12
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
Mark 1:14-20
Sermon preached by The Rev. Scott B. Neal
St James Episcopal Church, Arlington, VT
Epiphany 3, January 25, 2015
252nd Annual Meeting

This week the world lost one of the great theologians and authors of our time, Marcus Borg. Borg was
among the most widely known and influential voices in progressive Christianity and was a major figure in
scholarship related to the historical Jesus. One of the resources I am using this year, as I prepare my
sermons, is Borgs Conversation with Scripture; The Gospel of Mark. In this book he helps us refocus our
attention on the Good News or the Gospel of God.
The gospel this morning opens with the arrest of John the Baptist. It is at this moment that Jesus begins
his public ministry, when Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the good news of God. It is only after John
is arrested and out of the picture that Jesus begins proclaiming the Gospel of God.
In the next verse, Jesus tells us what that gospel is. Mark, like all the other gospellers, gives us a
summary of what the Gospel or Good News is all about. Jesus first words in this gospel are, The time is
fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.
For Mark, the Good News is about the Kingdom of God. Lets step back here a minute. Is this what
you would say the Good News is about? Is this your understanding of the Good News, the understanding
youve had your entire life, since, say, you were eleven or twelve and had for the most part finished
Sunday School? I dont think it is what my understanding of the Good News was at that age, or maybe
even age 30 or 40. My understanding of the Gospel or the Good News at that age was probably
something like God loved us so much, that God sent Jesus to be born as one of us and die on cross for
our sins so that we could be forgiven and go to heaven. Of course I believe this as well. Sin,
forgiveness, heaven and belief. But now I am not so sure that is it or all of it at least.

Marks understanding of the Good News, as well as Matthews and Lukes, is about the Kingdom of
God. Today this is also the consensus in academia. The majority would all agree that the Gospel is about
the Kingdom.
So what does this mean? What did it mean in the first century when Jesus was preaching and what does it
mean for us today? The Kingdom of God is not about life after death. The Kingdom is about life in this
world. Borg tells us that there is nothing here that denies an afterlife, but he says the focus must be
understood as - the Kingdom of God is for the earth. In fact, we really should not be terribly surprised by
this because the Lords Prayer clearly states this, Thy will be done on earth as it already is in heaven. In
other words, heavens in great shape, it is earth that has the problem.
Borg also reminds us that there is a political component to the Kingdom of God as well. He points out
that this idea of the Kingdom of God is completely different from the kingdom of Herod and the kingdom
of Rome, the kingdom of our government or most other governments. A whole new world order is what
Jesus is calling for. This new Kingdom is about our allegiance to God and what life could be like on earth
if only God were king, and the rulers of the world were not in power.
This Kingdom of God is transformational. It is about the transformation of our individual lives and of the
very world itself. It is about working to bring about the dream of God for the earth, like the earth is laid
out in the Garden of Eden, that mythical place of peace, tranquility and happiness. In this new world God
dreams of justice and peace for all. Justice, where everyone has enough of Gods abundance, not created
by social justice institutions but by an understanding that there is more than enough if we all work at it
and share in Gods Love and Abundance. Peace in this Kingdom is dreamt of by Isaiah and Micah, a
world where weapons of war are transformed in implements of agriculture. Swords are beaten into
plowshares The lion and lamb lay down together. This is Gods dream, The Kingdom of God, The
Good News, The Gospel.
So what might the kingdom has come near mean. It could mean near in time like the kingdom will
be here soon. Or it could also mean has come it is already here. But near could also have to do with
accessibility it is near at hand, like it is beginning and available and we could enter it now. Or it could
mean becoming involved in a process not simply waiting for it to arrive. In other words, already but not
yet. Not a lot of help I know but Stay tuned for more on this as we follow Marks gospel throughout
the year. See if you can tell me what Mark is saying.
Jesus continues repent and believe. Biblical repentance has two meanings. To repent means to return
to journey on the way back to God from a place of exile. It also mean to embark on the way of return to
God reaching beyond our understanding. So either way, to repent means to turn, to return to God, it is just
from where.
And finally to believe is to hold it in our hearts as the truth or the goal. Jesus wants us to repent, to turn
toward God, and then believe in the good news that the Kingdom has come near and to commit our life to
God, to the Kingdom and to understand a vision of a very different kind of world.
When Jesus calls Simon and Andrew and James and John to follow him, he is inviting them, and us, to
become his disciples; to work to bring about the Kingdom of God in our midst today, in this place. Jesus
calls us to follow him in bringing the Kingdom of God into the here and now. To work for justice and
peace among all people. There is no justice or peace in the world unless we all have it. If there are
hungry people in the world we are all hungry; if there are homeless people in the world we are all
homeless; if there is war in the world we are all at war. Jesus is calling us to bring Gods Kingdom of
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justice and peace into this world. We get glimpses of it here and there but God envisions a world of
heaven on earth.
We are called to transform the world; to bring about social justice and peace for all; to proclaim the good
news of God, the Kingdom of God to the world. We are called to repent and believe in this Good News
the Kingdom of God has come near. In order to do this we must be transformed ourselves. We must open
ourselves up to God in ways we never thought possible. We must be willing to accept this call, drop
everything immediately and follow Jesus no matter where he leads.
Are you ready?
Jesus is calling follow me.
Are you listening?

Amen.