I Send My Messager

Scripture Reading

Mark 1:2–8 NASB95

As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You, Who will prepare Your way; The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight.’ ” John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey. And he was preaching, and saying, “After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals. “I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

I. Introduction

a. Last week we started with Mark 1:1 “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”

b. Mark is a gospel that was written for everyone and not to one set of individuals, like Matthew was written to Jews.

c. Mark did not spend anytime on Jesus when He was younger, but is a pure account of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

d. Mark started at verse one with the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ and ended in chapter 16 with this proclamation. Mark 16:15 “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

e. This week we set the stage for the coming of Jesus Christ with His for-runner, John the Baptist.

II. Elijah must first come (John the Baptist)

a. Messenger comes first:

i. Isaiah 40:3 “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God.”

b. Elijah must first come:

i. Matthew 17:10-13 “And His disciples asked Him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” And He answered and said, “Elijah is coming and will restore all things; but I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist.”

ii. Malachi 4:5-6 ““Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD. “He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.””

c. John the Baptist:

i. Who is he -

a. Luke 1:57-66 “Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her. And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, after his father. But his mother answered and said, “No indeed; but he shall be called John.” And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.” And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “His name is John.” And they were all astonished. And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God. Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea. All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him.”

b. Jesus’ cousin.

c. John was about 6 months older than Jesus.

ii. Similarities in appearance to Elijah -

a. John Mark 1:6 “John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey.”

b. Elijah 2 Kings 1:8 “They answered him, “He was a hairy man with a leather girdle bound about his loins.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.”

iii. The call to repentance -

a. John Mark 1:4-5 “John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.”

b. Elijah 1 Kings 18:21 “Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him a word.”

d. John declares the Christ -

i. Mark 1:7 “And he was preaching, and saying, “After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals.”

III. Repentance, Conversion and New Life

i. The Gospel -

a. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 “Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,”

i. Repentance - Death of Christ on the cross.

a. Mark 1:4 “John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”

ii. Conversion - Burial and resurrection of Christ

a. Romans 6:1-7 “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.”

iii. New Life - Ascension of Christ which was the giving of the Holy Spirit.

a. Mark 1:8 “I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

IV. Summary

i. John set the stage for the coming of Jesus Christ. John came in the spirit of Elijah to fulfill the prophecies that Elijah must come first and prepare the way of the Lord.

ii. As like the first coming of Jesus Christ, it is going to be the same at His second coming, Elijah is going to come and prepare the way of Jesus Christ when He comes at the end of the age as a conquering King.

iii. The gospel of Jesus Christ at a high level shows us how He works in our lives, through His death, burial, resurrection and ascension. Our death, being repentance, our conversion in Christ being his burial and resurrection and our newness of Life in Christ being His Ascension and giving us the Holy Spirit.