Know who you're following!

Intro

As we move from our series Turning Point where we talked about how to respond to turning points in our lives we will begin to look at the question, “Who do we follow” and answer the statement we’re following?

We’ll be looking at the story of Jesus, his call on our lives and what that means for us who call ourselves his disciples.

- The importance of discipleship.

Discipleship develps rootedness

It creates internal growth

And external growth as well.

Scripture

English Standard Version Chapter 1

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

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. 7 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. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

The Baptism of Jesus

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

As we start we see that the author of this book John Mark is laying out and telling us exactly what this book is all about:

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the son of God.

His intent is to show the audience

He lays out clearly that Jesus (personal name) Christ(official title; greek equivilant of Messiah) is the Son of God. He has divine nature.

We start the book of mark with a connection here between Jesus and the Old Testament.

The author is quoting Isaiah 40:3 and Malachi 3:1

A reminder of the importance between the old and the new testament. That it all points to Jesus. The bible is one big story pointing to Jesus.

We saw that explained to us in hebrews, and we saw that in Haggai and Zechariah

#1 The Need for forgiveness

English Standard Version Chapter 1

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.

We are introduced to John the Baptist. The one who goes and prepairs the way for the Lord.

He’s out in the wilderness and he’s proclaiming a message:

What was that message?

Repentance. HE preached a bold message, and people listened.

Holman New Testament Commentary: Mark B. John the Baptist Prepares the Way for the Sacrificial Servant (1:2–8)

The appearance of John the Baptist in the wilderness was the most important event in the life of Israel for more than three hundred years.

The people were lead to : Convection/Confession

- They knew - We should Know

Interesting how the good news starts with conviction: Often times the first step to forgiveness starts with facing the reality of our spiritual situation.

Not wanting to look at the report card because if I don’t looks its not real.

This conviction lead to confession. The people were confessing their sins.

When confronted with the reality of our situation, we are left with only two options. Ignore it or confess it.

There is something powerful and healing when we are honest about our short comings and our need for Christ.

#2 Understand the Call

English Standard Version Chapter 1

6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 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. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

John the Baptist Understood his call.

Why does the scripture seemingly randomly discribe his clothing and diet?

It emphasizes that he was not mainstream. It was protest agains the godlessness and self-serving materialism of that day.

To go out and be baptized by this man would be a break with the institutions and culture of Jerusalem. People would have been called crazy for being baptized or associated with this man.

??His clothing and leather belt were reminiscent of another man preparing the way…Elija 2 Kngs 1:8

He understood his position as a servant. He understood his call in preparing the way.

He rejected the world’s comforts to complete his calling.

How many of us are willing to sacrifice our comfort for the calling that God has placed on our life?

It will be unique for each of us. But our goal should be to seek that calling and to live it out no matter how difficult. This is the nature of discipleship.

Luke 9:23 ESV

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

The Gospel of Mark 4. John’s Witness to the Coming One (vv. 7, 8)

John did not think himself sufficient even for that. The word “worthy” (Greek hikanos) implies adequacy, sufficiency, fitness, qualification. John regarded himself as unqualified to untie the Coming One’s sandals.

He says I baptise with water: a symbol

But he baptises with the holy spirit: true purification.

He is implying the deity of Christ because only God can bestow the Holy Spirit.

Now something intresting happens in these next several verse. We read them earlier we see that Jesus Gets baptized.

But why? It was leading us to this, to question we are trying to answer: who are we following?

#3 Recognize the Savior

You see Jesus being the sacrificial servant obediently submits to Johns baptism and is affirmed by his father in preparation for the ministry of service. He does not get baptised because he needs cleansing from sin.

Jesus get’s baptized to be make himself relatable to the people (He becomes flesh)

2 Corinthians 5:21

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

To fulfill the prophecies

And for God to speak to the people and to show them that he was his Son.

Recognizing the savior starts with recognizing our sin (conviction), and recognizing the need for forgiveness of sins (confession)

This means we have contrition of sin (2 Corinthians 7:10)

English Standard Version Chapter 7

10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

And we have conversion from sin.

This is a change in direction. a change in mind. we say we were going one way and now we are going another.

This is only possible by Jesus, through the power of the holy spirit. Hince, he will baptise in the holy spirit.

And why can Jesus do this: Because he is God in the flesh. 100 percent human 100 percent divine.

THis is who we follow.

Conclusion

Do you know who you are following?

Are you following Jesus the God Man. or some other version of him?

I want to end with this story:

The Sermon Notebook: New Testament The Baptism of the Servant (Mark 1:9–11)

Ray Steadman gives the following illustration: “The grandfather entered the child’s bedroom. A wide grin brightened his kind, warm face. “Davy!” he said, spreading his arms for a hug.

“Grampa!” shrieked the delighted two-year-old from his playpen. “Grampa, hug!”

“Sure, I’ll give you a hug, Davy,” said the grandfather. And with that, the old man reached out to his grandson and scooped him up out of the playpen, snuggling the boy in his strong arms. After a big hug, the grandfather set the boy down outside the playpen, among his toys, and they began to play together.

Minutes later, the boy’s mother walked into the room. “Davy!” she said sternly. “You know I put you in the playpen because you’ve been naughty! You shouldn’t have told Grampa to take you out!”

Davy’s eyes puddled up, and he began to cry. The grandfather instantly felt terrible. He didn’t know that his grandson had been given a time out in the playpen as a punishment. Now he had made a bad situation even worse for his little grandson.

“Grampa, play with me!” the boy said in pitiful voice that broke the old man’s heart.

But the mother was unbending. “Davy, you know you have to go back into the playpen.” She lifted the boy up and put him back in solitary confinement. The boy wailed in despair.

What could the grandfather do? He knew he couldn’t overrule the boy’s mother. But his heart went out to the poor boy.

Then the grandfather had an idea.

“Dad!” said the mother. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“The only thing I can do,” said the grandfather as he climbed into the playpen with his grandson. The child was being punished, and rightfully so. The only way the grandfather could show mercy to the boy was by descending to Davy’s situation and taking Davy’s punishment onto himself.

And that is what happened in your life and in mine the day Jesus came.

Jesus walked into the wilderness of our lives, becoming one with us, accepting the restrictions of life in human form, accepting our punishment, and suffering our pain. Jesus came so that we could have life—abundant life.” Amen!)

This is who we follow: are we willing to make the counter cultural decision to follow this savior wherever that may lead. Let’s pray.