Interesting Fact-

Before the crowbar was invented

Most crows drank at home

 

Little known fact-

Captain Hook bought his hook from a second hand store.

 

   In today's gospel story we read the very beginning of Saint Mark's Gospel. In that very beginning, Saint Mark gives us a very important real fact.

 

Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

 

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St. Mark I:1 “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; as it is written in the prophets, Behold I shall send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.”

 

   The story of the baptism of Jesus by Saint John the Baptist in the Jordan River that Mark then recounts tells us “And there came a voice from heaven saying, Thou art my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased”.

 

Saint Matthew in his gospel tells the same story of “the Spirit of God descending like a dove” on Jesus and the “voice from heaven” saying “This is my beloved Son”.

 

Saint Luke in his gospel tells the same voice saying Jesus is the “beloved Son”. Luke also in the telling of the Transfiguration on the mountain tells us, “And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.”

 

   This is a fact.

 

  Jesus Christ was not just a great teacher.

 

  He was not just a prophet.

 

  Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God.

 

   When we, as Christians, say the Apostles Creed or the Nicene Creed we repeat that we believe this fact, that Jesus is the only Son of God.

 

  To be a Christian, the Church has always required of its members that they accept this fact.

 

   In our Baptismal Office, in the Book of Common Prayer, the person to be baptized is asked this question. “Dost thou believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God?”

 

  The person must acknowledge this to be considered a Christian.

 

   The reason this fact is so important, the reason it is so central to the Church, is that if Jesus were not God's only begotten Son, then he would not have been able to make it possible for us to be reconciled to the Father.

 

  His sacrifice on the cross makes it possible for those that believe in him to have peace with God.

 

  Through Jesus the sins that would keep us from God are forgiven.

 

   We as Christians can now because of this wonderful fact take comfort in these words of Jesus to Nicodemis (John 3:16), “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”