Prepare the Way of the Lord
Faithful Discipleship • Sermon • Submitted
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· 277 viewsJohn the Baptist prepares his hearers to meet Jesus Christ, the Son of God who fulfills Old Testament prophecies as the Savior and King of the world.
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Introduction:
Have you ever been unprepared for something important?
Maybe you were unprepared for a job interview that cost you the job. Maybe you were unprepared for a class exam that determined whether you would graduate or not? Maybe you were unprepared when you got married?
I have nightmares of being unprepared preaching on a Sunday morning where I did not study and I have no clue what to say where everyone is staring at me with blank faces.
Or have you ever been unprepared for something that could literally change your life?
I know personally I have. I was unprepared for the birth of my daughter in December. I was totally unprepared when Verity got sick and spent two and half weeks in the hospital in the ICU. If something worse were to happen to her, I literally would not know what to do with myself.
Or worst, have you ever been unprepared where something could not only change your life, but it could literally cost you your life?
When I went to Hawaii with Helen a few years back, we visited the historic Pearl Harbor. I could only imagine how unprepared the soldiers may have been when the Japanese invaded and bombed Pearl Harbor which cost them their lives.
But the greatest tragedy would be to be unprepared for eternity.
And there are millions of people today who are unprepared for the judgment that is coming upon the world because they were not prepared to receive the King of kings and the Lord of Lords.
This is what Mark prepares us for this morning. He wants us to be prepared for eternity by introducing us to the greatest story ever told and showing us the greatest person who ever lived and who continues to live.
He wants us to be prepared now spiritually, because to be unprepared spiritually would lead us to eternal ruin. As Mark introduces these eight verses of Scripture.
Proposition:
Mark wants us to be prepared to meet Jesus through the ministry of John the Baptist. John’s ministry was to prepare the way of the Lord so that people could meet the Lord and be changed and saved eternally. In our introduction to Mark, we will see how Mark prepares us for eternal matters as we look at...
Purpose Stated
Mark wants us to be prepared to meet Jesus through the ministry of John the Baptist.
Prophecies Fulfilled
Prophet Introduced
Preaching of the Messiah
Background
Prologue (v. 1)
Prophecy (vv. 2-3)
But before we launch us into our text, let me give some background information of the author and the audience.
Prophet (vv. 4-6)
Proclamation (vv. 7-8)
Background
Who is John Mark?
John Mark is normally referred to the “disciple” and “interpreter” of Peter. John was his Jewish name while “Marcus” was his Latin name. The Apostle Peter called him “Mark, my son” () referring to their close relationship. Furthermore, Mark was also called the cousin of Barnabas (). In , Mark accompanied the Apostle Paul on his first missionary journey. For some unknown reason, Mark abandoned Paul and Barnabas at Perga in Pamypylia (). Because of this abandonment, Paul did not want to take Mark on his second missionary journey that created a division with Barnabas (). Instead, Paul chose Silas to accompany him (). But later in Paul’s ministry, he apparently reconciled with Mark by calling him a fellow worker (). Paul told Timothy, “Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry” (). Kent Hughes writes, “What a recovery Mark made! He rose from failed follower of Christ, to devoted disciple, to premier biographer and honored martyr.”[1]
The earliest testimony connects Mark’s name to the Gospel. It comes from Papias, Bishop of Hierapolis in Asia Minor, who wrote the Interpretation of the Lord’s Oracles (written sometime between 110 and 130).[1] According to Papias, Mark was the interpreter of the apostle Peter. Furthermore, the Christian apologist Justin Mattyr called the Gospel of Mark the “memoirs of Peter.”[2] Other church Fathers such as Irenaeus called Mark the disciple of Peter.
The earliest testimony connects Mark’s name to the Gospel. It comes from Papias, Bishop of Hierapolis in Asia Minor, who wrote the Interpretation of the Lord’s Oracles (written sometime between 110 and 130).[1] According to Papias, Mark was the interpreter of the apostle Peter. Furthermore, the Christian apologist Justin Mattyr called the Gospel of Mark the “memoirs of Peter.”[2] Other church Fathers such as Irenaeus called Mark the disciple of Peter. John Mark also accompanied the apostle Paul and Barnabas on their missionary journeys (;).
Who was the Audience?
[1] David E. Garland, The NIV Application Commentary: Mark (Grand Rapids, MI: 1996, Zondervan), 26.
[2] John MacArthur, The MacArthur Study Bible, 1416.
Cousin of Barnabas. Follower of Peter. Accompanied Paul on Missionary Journeys.
Who was the Audience?
Written to Gentiles, probably in Rome during the time of Nero’s persecution around 60s. This book was written to encourage Christians concerning the true identity of Christ, the Son of God.
Unique Features
It is know as the fast and quick gospel. It is the shortest gospel. It is known for its brevity. You will see the word immediately 42xs and the word and/then. It does not have a birth narrative or genealogy like Matthew or Luke. But it begins with Jesus’ ministry. And Jesus is moving from place to place healing the sick and preaching the gospel of the kingdom.
Sections are divided with Jesus ministry in Northern Galilee (1-8) and Jesus journey to Jerusalem (9-16) with a 1/4 of the gospel devoted to the last week of Jesus’ suffering and death.
If we are going to be prepared to meet the Lord, we must know the purpose of Mark’s Gospel. Let’s look at at our first point, the purpose of the this book stated...
I. The Purpose Stated(v. 1)
I. The Purpose Stated(v. 1)
The purpose is to introduced us to the hero of the Bible’s story: Jesus Christ.
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
The Beginning. When you think about those words, I think of and . It is an introduction to the person and work of Christ.
Star Wars Episode 4 Luke Skywalker is a nobody, but we find out that this is one of the great Jedi’s. The title is a New Hope.
One of the highest grossing films of all times was the movie Star Wars. This is why my kids and I won’t be attending Disneyland for awhile because they just made Star Wars land and people are still excited about Star Wars just as they were four decades ago. For you Star Wars fans, do you know the subtitle of the first Star Wars movie? A New Hope.
As you know, the first Star Wars movie was not the ‘beginning’. There were three movies before that, and three movies after the first trilogy.
The beginning, a new beginning.
Luke Skywalker, comes from some some obscure village and ends up being the chosen one to lead the Rebel Alliance to defeat the evil Galatic Empire. A new hope. A new beginning is taking place.
Sometimes I think Star Wars borrowed from the Bible.
But when Mark says the beginning, I think it is not only the beginning of the book, but it is more significant than that. It is the beginning of a new day. It is the beginning of a new age. Where the age of sin and death reigned in Adam’s time, the new age of righteousness and life reigns through the Second and better Adam. A second Exodus is about to take place.
The first verse states the purpose and the theme of the book. It is the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
What is the Gospel?
Gospel does not refer to the four books of the Bible as some believe, but the word as you know means good news or message of glad tidings. The Gospel according to Mark. Euangellion or Evangel where we derive the words evangelism or evangelical.
The Gospel of Mark 1. The Herald in the Wilderness. Ch. 1:1–8
essential content of an evangel in the ancient world: an historical event which introduces a new situation for the world.
The word was used by heralds to announce the birth of Kings, military and political victories, and enthronement of a king. The word was used of the birthday of Augustus Caesar. The Greek translation of the OT has the same word in Isaiah’s book:
The Gospel of Mark 1. The Herald in the Wilderness. Ch. 1:1–8
. In the prophetic word there is a distinctively forward-looking eschatological perspective. The messenger of joy will announce the beginning of the time of salvation and thereby introduce it (cf. Isa. 52:7–10).
How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him who brings good news,
who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness,
who publishes salvation,
who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”
The OT reference pictures a time where God’s enemies would be subdued, and God would bring back Israel to the land so that he would reign over them in God’s chosen land. Mark is showing us that God is preparing us for a second deliverance or second exodus through Jesus Christ.
Non-Religious Seeker
The main message is not a self-help book. It is not a book of wise tips from ancient sages. It is not even primarily about behavior modification. The main message of Mark is an announcement of good news. An announcement of spiritual liberation from sin and death. An announcement of the arrival and enthronement of the King. A new day has appeared and dawned because the good news is about Jesus Christ.
Good News about Jesus Christ
Jesus is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Joshua which means the “Yahweh Saves” or “Yahweh is Salvation”. Christ is a title. He is the Messiah or Anointed One. An anointed one was anointed with oil and set apart for God’s service.
Just like David was the anointed one to rule over God’s people, this is the capital Anointed One because he is not only the rightful king, but he is also God in the flesh.
What do we need saving from?
We need saving from our sin. Sin has broken fellowship between us and God. Sin has cast us out of his presence. Sin has alienated us not only from God, but from one another and creation. Therefore, we need God to save us from our sins. And he does this through Jesus Christ.
She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
Not only is Jesus the One who will save, and the One who will rule, but he will save and rule because He is the Son of God.
Son of God
In ancient Greek Culture, heroes, kings and emperors were often called sons of the Gods. In the OT, Son of God could refer to Adam in a generic sense. It could refer to the Israel. It could refer to the great Kings of Israel in which they represented the nation. But here, it is a unique description of Jesus Christ as we will see in Mark’s Gospel. We will see that this Son of God is the truly man, but also truly God. This is the perfect God-man. Jesus Christ is divine and co-equal and co-eternal with the Father.
The purpose of Mark’s writings is to introduce us the the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Son of God could refer to Adam in a generic sense. It could refer to the Israel. It could refer to the great Kings of Israel in which they represented the nation. But here, it is a unique description of Jesus Christ as we will see in Mark’s Gospel. We will see that this Son of God is the truly man, but also truly God.
Application:
The gospel is about Jesus, not us. When you make the Bible primarily about you, you miss the point of the Bible. The Bible is primarily about God and what He has done in Jesus Christ. The purpose of Mark’s Gospel is to introduce us to who Jesus truly is.
Non-Christian
If you have not yet trusted in Christ, let me tell you this is the best news you will ever hear. This news will not only change your life, but your eternity if you understand its message. Seek the Scriptures and ask God to reveal Himself to you in His Word. Jesus has come to take away your sin. He has come to crush death. He has come to reverse the effects of the curse upon us. And He is coming again to renew all things. But you must repent of your sins and trust in Him.
CFBC
We will continue preaching and teaching this good news. We want every member here to not only understand the good news, but we want each member to share this good news. If you are a believer, we cannot hold good news to ourselves. We must share it with others because it is so good. As we study Mark’s gospel, you will see the life of Jesus, the death of Jesus, and the resurrection of Jesus and what that means for us.
Transition: The purpose of Mark’s gospel is to introduce us to Jesus Christ the Son of God, but secondly, the arrival of Jesus Christ is the fulfilment of prophecy.
II. The Prophecy Fulfilled(vv. 2-3)
II. The Prophecy Fulfilled(vv. 2-3)
What makes the Bible stand the test of time and intense scrutiny by unbelievers is its truthfulness. In other words, the Bible is perfectly flawless and without error. When God speaks, he follows through with what he says. God makes promises and keeps them.
And everything written about the coming, the birth, the life, the works, the suffering, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was written long before Christ ever appeared on the scene.
Christianity is rooted in OT history. It is not a new religion or a new divisive sect, but rooted and connected to OT history. And Mark shows his readers by quoting Isaiah the prophet.
As it is written refers to something written in the past and has enduring relevance for today.
Mark 1:2-
As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,
“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way,
the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’ ”
The quotation here is actually a conflation of three biblical passages. Sometimes NT would do that to get their point across. The first passage is in the Exodus where God promises to send an angel or messenger ahead of them to the promised Land.
“Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared.
Second passage is in Malachi.
“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.
Third passage is in Isaiah where God promises to restore Israel by coming to them and redeeming them and bringing them back into the land after judgment has passed. Isaiah may have been reference because his book was longer and prophecies of God’s restoration of Israel were described in the latter half of the book.
A voice cries:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
John is preparing people for a greater exodus. It is not an exodus from Egypt, but a exodus from spiritual slavery over a more wicked taskmaster than Pharoah, Satan. And God will bring us into the new land when he returns and remakes the heavens and the earth.
The whole ministry of John the Baptist was to be a forerunner for the King and Messiah. In the ancient world, envoys were sent out to announce the coming of the King and they would remove any obstacles that were in the way.
John was preparing people to meet the King!
Prepare the way of the Lord
Jews would understand that it means God. So when John is preparing the way of the Lord, Mark is showing us that Jesus is God!
Application:
Christian, you need the OT just as much as you need the NT. In fact, you will not understand the NT authors if you do not understand your OT. We do not separate the testaments. We are people of one book, which includes both OT and NT.
OT predicted Christ.
The Gospels reveal Christ.
The NT explains Christ.
And the rest of the NT explains the significance of the Messiah for us today. The Bible is one book with one grand story with one great hero that emerges to save his people from their sins.
CFBC
We must not preach the NT, but we must also preach the OT. We must see that all scripture is profitable for teaching, instruction, correction and training in righteousness ().
She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
Authority of Scripture
Christian not only should you read your the whole Bible, but you should not be ashamed of the Bible. I can promise you that the Bible will not go out of existence in your lifetime or lifetimes to come because what is written in here has been fulfilled, is being fulfilled, and will be fulfilled. You can trust your Bible.
Prophecies confirm the witness and truthfulness of Scripture.
For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
God keeps his promises. Believers are those who rest in God’s promises, even if doesn’t necessarily get fulfilled in our lifetime. The great saints in history looked to the promises of God, and kept believing God even when God’s promises surpassed their lifetime. This is why they were considered heroes of the faith.
These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
Non-Christian
God keeps His promises.
And if you haven’t trusted in Jesus yet, I would encourage you to read the Bible yourself. Ask questions. Ask sincerely. And I’m sure every objection you may have raised can be answered or solved with a humble and sincere seeking. Christianity is rooted in history that can be verified and confirmed.
All humanity experiences separation from God. Death is a form of exile. But there will be a day of eternal exile if you do not trust in Christ.
Transition: We have seen how Mark prepares us to meet the King by showing us the purpose of the Gospel: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, showing how Jesus fulfills biblical prophecy, but thirdly introducing us to the prophet who points people to the Messiah or the Christ.
III. The Prophet Introduced (vv. 4-6)
III. The Prophet Introduced (vv. 4-6)
What is a Prophet?
A Prophet is simply a messenger of God who spoke on behalf of God. He had an authoritative message because he was sent from God.
John followed the pattern and example of OT prophets, yet his ministry was unique and surpassed all the other prophets. In fact, Jesus said,
Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Why was he considered so great? Because he would be the forerunner to introduce the people to the King with the dawning of a new age. Remember, there was a 400 silence after the close of the OT.
The other gospels give us more detailed accounts of his birth, how he was filled with the Holy Spirit and lept in Elizabeth’s womb when she encountered Mary. He would be devoted to the Lord his entire life as he was a Nazirite and not fear man because he preached judgment and repentance.
John’s ministry was also fulfilling biblical prophecy.
The Gospel of Mark 1. The Herald in the Wilderness. Ch. 1:1–8
(1) John’s career was the result of divine appointment in fulfilment of prophecy; (2) John bore witness to the supreme dignity and power of the Messiah, whose coming was near.
A. John’s Ministry
John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 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.
John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 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. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.
John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 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.
1:
Baptizing. Now Jews did not normally baptized, but they would have rituals of washings. The only thing similar is when a non-Jew would be converted and be proselytized into Judaism by baptism. John’s baptism, however, was unique. It was a call to repentance to prepare people to meet the King. Notice where he was baptizing...
In the Wilderness. Adam and Eve would be cast out of garden and live in the wilderness. Moses would flee from the Egyptians and live in the Wilderness. Israel would be delivered from Egypt and meet God and be tested in the Wilderness.
The New American Commentary: Mark 1. The Preparation of John (1:1–8)
In the Bible it is more than a geographical place; it is the place where God meets, reveals himself to, tests, and saves his people.
If the people were going to be prepared, they needed to come to the Wilderness to be baptized as a outward sign of repentance for the fogiveness of sins.
Repentance means a change of mind. It includes confession, but it is more than confession. It is a radical separation from sin and turning to God. The hebrew word for repentance means simply to return. John was calling people to return to the Lord.
He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”
As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ,
His baptism did not grant repentance, but symbolized it just as it does today.
And Mark uses Hyperbole to say that all Judea and Jerusalem were going out to him because they truly believed he was the prophet of God and he was baptizing in the Jordan.
Now if you have been to the Jordan, I hear that it is a muddy and smelly place. It was a sign of humility and contrition to not only confess your sins, but to be immersed into the muddy waters of the Jordan.
And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.” But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.
And the Jordan was significant as well because it was the borderline between the Wilderness and Promised Land. John was preparing the people for a New Exodus. A New Deliverance by getting people ready confessing their sins.
The whole purpose of John’s ministry was to prepare people for the Messiah. And he prepared people by baptizing them.
Baptism was an eschatological baptism. It was new baptism initiated by John.
Religious leaders believed that they did not need to be baptized, only Gentiles (like Namaan). But all needed to be baptized. All of Judea and Jersualem were coming to him.
Just like if you profess faith in Jesus Christ, all Christians should be baptized.
If you want to be prepared to meet Jesus, you need to humble yourself. You have to admit you don’t know it all. And you have to admit that you are a law-break and are unclean and need to be washed.
This is why the people to were coming to him. They were confessing they needed forgiveness of sins and needed to be washed and cleansed. And if you want to be cleansed, you must confess your sins. You must repent of your sins. And you must humble yourself before the Lord.
B. John’s Clothing
Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.
Why did John eat such bizzare food? It’s like the stuff you see people eat on the travel channel right? Anthony Bordaine eats bizarre food like bullot. Or snake. In Asian cultures, you can eat snake or frogs.
Well John the Baptist ate locusts and honey.
Why did John have such a weird diet?
He ate locust and honey because there was no Jolibee or restaurants in the desert! Honey was abundant and locust were considered clean food in the OT and a high source of protein.
John was a rough looking prophet like dude. He was a prophet’s prophet or a man’s man if I could illustrate. But he was not any prophet, again, he was the prophet coming like Elijah. The OT reference tells us Elijah wore the same thing.
They answered him, “He wore a garment of hair, with a belt of leather about his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.”
Application:
Why is Elijah significant?
Elijah was a mighty prophet of God. He was not afraid to confront the wicked Ahab and Jezebel or the prophets of Baal.
The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary Elijah (Person)
Later OT, intertestamental, and rabbinic tradition sees in the mysterious disappearance of Elijah from this world a sign that he will have a unique role in the future victory of God. Mal 3:23–24 [—Eng 4:5–6 foresees him as the harbinger of the day of Yahweh. He will come to bring peace and to resolve all rabbinic legal disputes (ʿEd. 8:7). He is often identified as the precursor of the Messiah, a tradition that looms large in the NT as well.
Eljiah is signficant because he was taken up into heaven. And he would return before the great day of the Lord. Jesus identifies John as the Elijah to come.
John was an Elijah type figure. Jesus even identifies him as so. The prophecy of Elijah was spoken by the angel.
And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
Application:
Preparation begins with contrition, confession, and repentance. And the outward sign is baptism. The people were being baptized in the wilderness. The wilderness reminded the people not only of God’s deliverance, but of their disobedience. And repentance was necessary to embrace the promises of God and enter into the promised Land.
And if you have truly felt sorrow for your sin, understood you deserve punishment because of your sin, and confessed the sin and repented from the sin, you will walk in obedience.
We as preachers are to prepare people to receive the Messiah.
If you have done this, you need to identify yourself publicly with Christ and His people in baptism.
We should not be afraid to preach judgment and sin just like John the Baptist. Because you will not confess your sin if you have do not have sin. John was very specific in calling out people to repent of specific sins like greed, extortion, abuse, and false accusation. We should not be afraid to call sin for what it is. John was so bold that he literally lost his head when he was preaching against Herod’s unlawful divorce and immoral relationship.
He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”
As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ,
Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”
What sins do you need to confess? What specific sins do you need to repent before you meet the Lord?
We should remain separate from the world. Like John, he was set apart from the world and set apart to God. Likewise, we as God’s people should be separate and distinct from the world and also set apart unto God because God has made us new.
Transition: We see the way to be prepared to meet the Lord is to know the purpose of the book, Jesus Christ, to see how Jesus is the One whom the prophets predicted, and the whole ministry of John was to point people to Jesus. Finally, if we are going to be prepared to meet the Lord, then we must receive the preaching and proclamation of Jesus Christ.
What sins do you need to specifically repent of?
Transition: We see the way to be prepared to meet the Lord is to know the purpose of the book, Jesus Christ, to see how Jesus is the One whom the prophets predicted, and the whole ministry of John was to point people to Jesus. Finally, if we are going to be prepared to meet the Lord, then we must receive the preaching and proclamation of Jesus Christ.
OT readers would know it is a picture of Elijah.
Notice what John preaches....
IV. The Preaching of Jesus Christ (vv. 7-8)
IV. The Preaching of Jesus Christ (vv. 7-8)
Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. And 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. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
And 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. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
And he preached. His ministry was one of proclaiming and heralding the good news of Jesus Christ. Ours should do. We have a message to proclaim, “Christ has come! Christ has died. Christ has risen. And Christ is coming again.”
Notice what he preached.
A. He preached Christ.
John didn’t preached “John the Baptist’s Diet Plan.” He didn’t preach 30 days to a better you. He didn’t preached moralism or behavior modification. He preached Christ. We must preach Christ as well.
The principal work of every faithful minister of the gospel is to set the Lord Jesus fully before His people, and to show them His fullness and His power to save. The next great work He has to do, is to set before them the work of the Holy Spirit, and the need of being born again, and inwardly baptized by His grace. These two mighty truths appear to have been frequently on the lips of John the Baptist. It would be well for the church and the world, if there were more ministers like him. (J.C. Ryle, Mark, 4)
Akin, Daniel L.. Exalting Jesus in Mark (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary) (p. 9). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
Noticed how he preached.
B. He preached humbly.
He said that he wasn’t even worthy to stoop down and untie Jesus sandals. Even Hebrew slaves would not take off sandals.
In the Philippines, everyone wears sandals right. I’m not even worthy to untie or take away his sandals.
John was not even worthy to do the work of a slave.
He must increase, but I must decrease.”
The wealthy would not take off their sandals, that was reserved for the slaves.
There was a story of a some people who visited a man who pastored a large congregation of about 3000-4000 members. When they heard this pastor, they said “what a great sermon, what a great pastor.”
The following week the same people visited the Metropolitan Tabernacle to hear Charles Spurgeon preached. The same people walked away saying, “Hallelujah what a Great Savior.”
John the Baptist was a man who preached and his listeners weren’t going away thinking how great John was, but thinking how great Jesus was.
If we want to be like John the Baptist, we must seek to point people to Jesus and not ourselves.
C. He preached that Christ alone has the power to save.
I only baptize you with water and have an outward symbolic cleansing. The One coming baptizes you with the Spirit and can cleanse you from the inside.
What is baptism with the Holy Spirit?
There is confusion over this term. Because people think the baptism of the Holy Spirit refers to the gifts of the Spirit like speaking in tongues or prophesying.
But here, it is referring to the Spirit’s work of cleansing and regeneration.
John says Jesus is mightier, greater, and more powerful than himself.
John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Jesus is Mightier.
John as the forerunner to the Apostle is saying that in Jesus, the Spirit will come to renew you, wash you, and sanctify you. Jesus is the One who will give the Spirit in fulfillment of the OT prophecies.
Jesus is mightier because this is God in the flesh.
This is what Peter quoted in Acts.
Jesus is Greater.
Whearas
“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 men shall see visions.
“I will remove the northerner far from you,
and drive him into a parched and desolate land,
his vanguard into the eastern sea,
and his rear guard into the western sea;
the stench and foul smell of him will rise,
for he has done great things.
until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high,
and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field,
and the fruitful field is deemed a forest.
And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,
Ezekiel
I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,
Jesus will baptize in the Spirit meaning that God will save by cleansing and making sinners whole through the Spirit. God will give us new hearts to understand and believe in Christ. Through the Spirit, God will give us the gift of faith and repentance to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
John was preaching repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ because Jesus was mightier than John, greater than John because only Jesus has the power to cleanse and wash and through His Spirit.
he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
Application
Application:
If we are going to be effective evangelists, we must be humble evangelists.
Humility is a necessary
If we are going to be faithful preachers and teachers of God’s Word, we must preach Christ.
John’s ministry was all about Christ. So should ours.
The principal work of every faithful minister of the gospel is to set the Lord Jesus fully before His people, and to show them His fullness and His power to save. The next great work He has to do, is to set before them the work of the Holy Spirit, and the need of being born again, and inwardly baptized by His grace. These two mighty truths appear to have been frequently on the lips of John the Baptist. It would be well for the church and the world, if there were more ministers like him. (J.C. Ryle, Mark, 4)
If we are going to be faithful in ministry, we must tell others that only Jesus can save and cleanse and make us new.
Baptized Unbeliever
See, baptism doesn’t save. Jesus does. Baptism is only a symbol of what Jesus can do by giving a man a new heart to follow Him.
Maybe you were baptized because you had pressure from the family. Maybe you were baptized at a young age and didn’t really know what was going on. Have you been baptized into the Spirit?
Akin, Daniel L.. Exalting Jesus in Mark (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary) (p. 9). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
The Spirit is sovereign and blows where it wishes and you only sees its effects. Have you truly been convicted of your sin and repented of your sin and believe only Jesus can save?
Humility is necessary.
Non-Christian
He is worthy of your worship. True conversion is when one is born of the Spirit. Water is only external, while those born of the Spirit are changed from the inside out.
CFBC
Let us make sure we practice regenerate church membership. Let us make sure that we guard the gospel by making sure that those who come inside the church have been truly born again by the Spirit and have been given the gifts of repentance and faith. Le
Unsure Christian
And if you are unsure of your salvation, talk to one of the elders. Cry out to God. Read the Bible to find comfort and rest in the promises of His Word.
Conclusion:
Are you prepared for eternity? Are you prepared to meet God?
You must know who Jesus Christ is, the Son of God. The Saving One. The Ruling One. The Divine One.
You must know that Jesus is the promised One who fulfills OT prophecies.
You must confess and repent of your sins.
You must trust in the Messiah who can cleanse you from the inside out by giving you a new heart because He is the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.
The King has come a first time to bring salvation. And people were unprepared because they had wrong expectations of Him.
The King is coming a second time to bring judgment to those who are unprepared because they did not receive the news of his first arrival. But this time, there will be no time to repent or second chances because you weren’t prepared to meet Him the first time.
Don’t be unprepared to meet the King. You can meet Him today if you repent and receive the preaching of Jesus Christ.