In the summer of 2016, while attending the Foursquare Connection conference in Hawaii, I had the chance to check two items off my bucket list.. We had a short window of time, but I had planned the quickest route to the North Shore of Oahu, and determined that Shark’s Cove was our best destination. This was considered to be one of the top ten shore dive’s in the world. Our dive was breathtaking. And it was possible only because I had spent several hours investigating dive spots well before our trip.
Are you prepared for the Lord?
Compare the four gospels and you will find that all four gospels open not with the ministry of Jesus, but rather, the ministry of John the Baptist. Jesus was baptized by him, King Herod feared him, and the multitudes of Judea and Jerusalem came to hear his message and prepare themselves with his baptism.
2“As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,
‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way,
3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’
4 “John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7And he preached, saying, ‘After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (Mk 1:2-8)
John the Baptist fulfilled the last prophecy of the Old Testament prophets, given by Malachi, which foretold of one who come to prepare the way of the Lord.
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers…” (Malachi 4:5-6).
John did not preach in the temple, but in the wilderness, baptizing the multitudes of Jerusalem and the hill country of Judea in the Jordan River. He did not dress in fine robes, tied with tassels, nor sit in the places of honor like the scribes and Pharisees. But rather, he wore rough camel hair robes, tied with a crude leather belt, and ate locust and wild honey like the prophets of old.
His message was also different. He preached with power and authority! Calling the people to repent for there sins, in order to be prepare Israel for the coming of the Kingdom of God! His witness is preserved by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit for our benefit.
These are the only passages from the prophets of old that Mark himself quotes. They were given more than 500 years before hand and are meant to authenticate John’s ministry, as well as, ultimately authenticating Jesus’ ministry. Because Mark is writing to Roman believers, he does not utilize the prophets beyond these initial quotes.
HOW DID JOHN PREPARE US FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD?
In this article we are going to consider 3 things that John the Baptist prepared Israel and ultimately, us for…
1. JOHN CALLED US TO PREPARE FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD!
He cried out from the wilderness (v.3-4). The wilderness was where God had led the people from Egypt in preparation for the promise land! A whole generation of Israelites actually never entered the promise land because they did not believe that God would deliver the giants of the foreign land into their hands. They did not allow the many miracles the Lord had performed on their behalf to prepare their hearts to take the promise land!
John cried out, “Prepare the way of the Lord…Make his paths straight!” (v.3). When a king was going to appear in a town, a ‘forerunner’ would be sent ahead to prepare people for his arrival. They would have all obstacles removed so that the king could ride in on straight paths. John was calling for the people to prepare their hearts & remove all obstacles from the Lords journey!
What obstacles are in the way of the Lord? What paths do you need to make clear?
The wilderness and the way are two themes that Mark will build upon. The wilderness is where the Lord prepares us in times of waiting for his promises. He perfects our faith in the wilderness. The way is the journey of the discipleship life as we await our Soon Coming King!
2. JOHN CALLED US TO REPENT FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS!
The Israelites did not practice baptism, because they believed salvation was their birthright. Gentiles who wanted to join in worship in the temple would baptized themselves in order to identify with the children of Israel and as a means of cleansing. Is it possible that this identification was with the children of Israel when they were brought through the Red Sea during the Exodus? (See 1 Corinthians 10:1). The fact that John was baptizing Israel was a sign that he was calling them to something new!
Today, Christian baptism identifies with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Going into the water represents the grave, while coming out of the water represents the resurrection (Rom 6). We are proclaiming our death to sin, and our new life in Christ.
He offered a baptism of repentance (v.4). His baptism did not achieve forgiveness of sins, for only God can do that (2:7). John’s baptism was symbol acted out so that those who would respond to his message in his baptism would be prepared their hearts with humility and repentance for the Lord.
Those who were baptized confessed their sins (v.5). Repentance and confession go hand and hand. The repentant heart confesses sin.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1Jn 1:9).
What does it mean that God is faithful and just? God will honor the once and for all sacrifice of Christ. He is faithful to forgive according to the new covenant in Christ’s blood and just, meaning that Christ satisfied God holy standard.
John never made much of himself, despite the multitudes he ministered to. In Matthew’s gospel, the pharisees questioned him and he claimed that he was not the Christ! He was the one who was called to prepare the hearts of the people to receive the Christ!
He claimed that he was not worthy to stoop down and untie Jesus’ sandals! (v.7). A slave did not have to untie their masters shoes! He was less than a slave! His baptism was with water, a meaningful symbol, to repentance, but his power was nothing compared to Jesus’ power.
He claimed that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit! (v.8). John’s baptism was with water & symbolic. But Jesus would be the one who would fulfill the prophets by baptizing believers in the Holy Spirit.
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young mens shall see visions.Even on the male and female servantsin those days I will pour out my Spirit.” (Joel 2:28-29).
and,
“For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground;I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants” (Isa 44:3).
Before his ascension to the throne, he instructed his disciples to wait in Jerusalem, so that the Holy Spirit could prepare them with power for ministry,
“And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:4-5).
and,
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
The Lord gives us this baptism with the Spirit to remain continually ready to follow him and to remain ready for his return. We are to be continually prepared, be on guard, and keep awake until the return of the Lord!
“But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come.” (Mk 13:32-33).
May we remain continually prepared for him, to experience him, to serve him and for his return.
This article is part of the Son of God--Servant to Man series on the Gospel of Mark. You might also consider reading 7 Insights to Reading the Gospel of Mark and How to Read the Bible as the Word of God.
This article is part of the Son of God--Servant to Man series on the Gospel of Mark. You might also consider reading 7 Insights to Reading the Gospel of Mark and How to Read the Bible as the Word of God.
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