In Mark’s gospel, Jesus gets his understanding of himself and his mission confirmed by God… and then forced out into the wilderness. He is baptized into a movement by John the Baptist, who is then arrested. It’s tempting to see “figuring out” ourselves, our call, and our relationship with God as the goal, but in many ways, that’s just the start of a journey full of obstacles.Who are you, who are we, and how do we move forward faithfully?Read the transcript (PDF)Show notesThis is how Mark starts his gospel!We talked about the last 2 verses a few weeks ago: Change your heart & your life – Mark Jesus is confirmed in his path… and then drive out into the wilderness. That’s something LGBTQ can often relate toAfter John Went to JailAs queer people come to understand ourselves, our truth, and our relationship with God, we are sometimes pushed into our own wilderness: out of family, friends, churches, and communitiesRemember: Jesus is connected to a movement that predates himComing out can sometimes feel like the “end” of a journey, but it’s often just the beginningCreating a sexual ethic after coming outThe nuts and bolts of creating a sexual ethicSynchroblog 2018: what are we called to do and be in the world?Mark About that time, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River. While he was coming up out of the water, Jesus saw heaven splitting open and the Spirit, like a dove, coming down on him. And there was a voice from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I dearly love; in you I find happiness.”At once the Spirit forced Jesus out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among the wild animals, and the angels took care of him.After John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee announcing God’s good news, saying, “Now is the time! Here comes God’s kingdom! Change your hearts and lives, and trust this good news!”The post Figuring out your relationship with God – Mark 1:9-15 appeared first on Queer Theology.