Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

It's doubtful any of us can recall the town crier proclaiming, "hear ye hear ye" ... in other words, "listen up, people." The hear-ye phrase was a call to attention, something very important was about to be announced! This is exactly how Mark begins his gospel: "The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." (Mark 1:1, AMP). Three decades after Jesus' resurrection, Mark starts his writing with a declaration ... listen now, pay attention ... you're about to hear the facts concerning the Gospel, the Good News about Jesus! It is quite simply through Jesus' life, His ministry, His death and resurrection that Mark tells the eternal significance of The Savior. Throughout Mark's gospel, it's a no-frills account of the grace of God as expressed in His Son, Jesus; one commentary summarizes Mark's words this way: "here is the truth, believe it, and let's get on with following Jesus." Are we not reminded of the shepherd's quick decision to go to Bethlehem and "see this thing that has happened" (Luke 2:15). How slow, however, we are to respond to the facts, the truth when set before us "as it is written." This Advent Season, will you listen and hear and respond without hesitancy to God's call to draw near to Him? Hear ye, Hear ye!