Baptism of Repentance

You’ve heard me say before that there are things in this life that test my patience. I struggle at times to wait on something or someone...I’ve gotten better about this, but waiting is not fun for me. However, I’ve never had to wait as long as the nation of Israel waited for the Messiah to come. Isaiah prophesied 700 years before Jesus and the Prophet Malachi spoke of Jesus 4-500 years before Jesus. I mention these two prophets because Mark starts off his Gospel account with quotes from these two...I want to read for you starting with Mark 1, verse 1...

Mark 1:1–8 NIV

1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way”— 3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ ” 4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Today is a different service as we celebrate with those this morning who have given their life to Christ and following that up with obedience to be baptized. And from there begins a cycle of disciple making that leads to more people giving their life to Christ and then more baptisms.

I wanted today to look at the life of John the Baptist and how everything he did pointed to Christ. I have for you three ‘M’s’ that will guide the conversation this morning:

Mission, Means and Message. We’ve used another passage recently to define these for us...

Matthew 28:19–20 NIV

19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

The Mission - Go, make disciples, baptize them.

The Means - by the power of Jesus who is with us always

The Message - Obey all that Jesus taught.

We’ll add a few other details today from the passage in Mark as it relates to John the Baptist’s Mission, Means and Message...

First let’s look at his mission:

Mark 1:1–4 NIV

1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way”— 3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ ” 4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

John was a messenger and voice - He was sent with something to say

John prepared people for Jesus’ coming.

John preached

In many ways as we think of our role in bringing people to Jesus, it is not much different than the role John had. We are called to be a voice, a messenger, a preparer of the way to Jesus. Romans 10:14-15 says this...

Romans 10:14–15 NIV

14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

We have all been sent to preach, to be a voice of Good News about Jesus to those who need to hear it. This was John’s mission, this is also our mission - bring Jesus to those who need to hear it.

That was the mission...let’s look at the means or resources that John had to do so...

Mark 1:4–6 NIV

4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.

He was in the wilderness. All through scripture we see where the wilderness is a place where God encounters his people...he uses the isolation and simplicity of the wilderness to get their attention.

Notice he wasn’t in the city center...he didn’t have a fancy microphone or live streaming - not that we don’t want to use those today, but the wilderness was enough for God to speak through this man.

He had camel’s hair clothing and a simple leather belt.

When I think of camel’s, I don’t think lush and comfortable. That would be an alpaca, not a camel. He likely had to make his own clothing out where he was staying...not only that, but...

He ate locusts and wild honey.

You’ll be happy to know that locusts are not on the menu for the picnic today.

John ate what God provided, John wore what God provided, John preached where God sent him. John spoke what God said to speak.

With all that we have, with all of our fancy Bible translations, technology food and comforts, we still find ways in which we lack so that it is not ideal to engage with the mission. I don’t mean this to be a stern talking to...I want you to be encouraged. God used a man in the wilderness, wearing camel hair and eating bugs to announce the impending arrival of Jesus the Messiah. We’ve all got a lot more to work with - let’s go where God says and be on mission to tell others about Jesus.

We’ve seen the Mission - Bring Jesus to those who need him.

We’ve seen the means - How God provides even when resources seem scarce.

Finally let’s look at the message...

Mark 1:4–8 NIV

4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. It wasn’t enough to just say sorry, which is what they were doing in the cycle of sin -> sacrifice, sin again -> sacrifice again...and on and on.

Repentance means a commitment to turn away from sin and to turn toward God. Yes, sorrow plays a part in that, but repentance means pursuing holiness, not a holiness of acts and “being” good, it means allowing Christ to be your Lord. John wasn’t just pointing to doing better, he was pointing to Jesus.

Jesus would be the one who would baptize us with the Holy Spirit.

The Greek word here used, baptizo, was primarily used to describe taking a piece of cloth and submerging it into a dye. When the cloth was taken out, it no longer looked like the same cloth. John understood that the baptism of repentance was just the start. That would not sustain anyone. John knew we needed the Holy Spirit in order for us to be truly changed like the cloth was changed when baptizo-d.

John preached this message, day after day in the wilderness. Those who heard went back into the city and brought others back to hear what John had to say. Did you hear that...when they heard the message, they went...go...

And day after day the same thing happened...look at verse 5 again. I’ll read it.

Mark 1:5 NIV

5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

The response was first to confess their sins and to be water baptized...then as they went back into Jerusalem and throughout the Judean countryside, they told others what happened. And more people came to hear. Having heard, they confessed their sins and were baptized.

I think sometimes we get in our own way about going out and telling others about Jesus. We don’t want to fumble over our words, or not have all the answers...Listen to what Paul wrote to the Corinthians...

1 Corinthians 1:17–18 NIV

17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Paul understood that Jesus is goal, not Baptism. Baptism is a natural byproduct of preaching the Gospel. And the preaching of the Gospel does not happen with wisdom and eloquence...no, the gospel message of the cross is foolishness. It doesn’t make any sense to those who are perishing. But for those who the Holy Spirit has already been working on...it is the power of God.

If you are hear and someone invited you to come and you’ve been having some questions about life, about Jesus, questions about purpose in life and what is this whole thing about anyway, I want you to know that we have been praying for you. The people at Crossroads have seen first hand the impact that Jesus can have in our life. Not just as some far away benevolent God, but as a person Lord and Savior.

We’ve started our journey in confessing that we are sinners and deserve what sinners deserve - death and eternity in hell. Just like the people did when John preached. The good news is that Jesus came to pay our debt for us. He died on the cross to pay for our sin. As I just read, that is pure foolishness to anyone who isn’t contemplating these things, but if God is already using circumstances in your life, conversations with the people who invited you here, perhaps it’s just the message you needed to hear today.

The Bible tells us to do two things when we want to move forward with Jesus as Lord and Savior:

Confess - say out loud you are a sinner, say out loud that your believe Jesus died in your place, say out loud that you want Jesus as both Lord and Savior.

Believe in your heart - I don’t know about you, but when I truly believe something, I don’t just keep it in, I act different. Our believe in Jesus changes us. He give us joy in the midst of hard times, he gives us peace when the other things is happening, he changes our speech, our loves, our desires...He does that in us.

Bow heads, close eyes. Invitation