Prepare the Way

Greatest Preacher

John the Baptist was different in many ways. He was blessed by the Spirit at an early age. Luke 1:15 (NRSV)

15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. John has been prepared by God to make the ways straight. Have you considered what it means to make the ways straight? John came, blessed by the Spirit but his power was limited. Our power is also limited by the will of God. The idea of making the ways straight for the coming of the Lord is to make us right. John preached repentance of sins. This was to remind us of our sin and to lead us to ask for forgiveness.

John was different, he even looked different. As Christians we must remember that we too should be different, even look different. Repentance is an act of work, or an action verb. Repentance must be asked for and then received by the participant. In order to ask for repentance we must first acknowledge that we need this repentance.

John the Baptist had a job and was considered one of the greatest preachers ever. But why? Why was he different? John had a call in his life and he was living with the influence of the Holy Spirit. But John knew from the beginning that he was not the one but one greater was to follow. Mark 1:7 (NRSV)

7 He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I believe that being what God needs from each of us starts with the understanding that there is someone greater. Mark 1:8 (NRSV)

8 I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” John tells people that he baptizes with water but the one to come baptizes with the Holy Spirit. Think about it this way-John works for the one who Baptized him. The one whom John gets his power from the one who does more than forgive sins, He is the one who empowers you to be great.

One of the very humble things about John was that he was able to acknowledge that he was not the one. John 1:20 (NRSV)

20 He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” I think this is so important for us to acknowledge today because we can get caught up with being the change. Churches often get caught up in the idea that if they could just get the right pastor, or just get the right program. It is a fine line between being called and knowing what that call is.

In the world we live in today I think we suffer from narcissism. In the book called The Cult of Narcissism, (Christopher Lasch) Narcissus was a boy-god in the Greek religious circle, where the young boy-god fell in love with his own image, while looking in a reflection pool. He eventually withered away with ungrateful desire to make love to his own image. This is the story that brought us this condition called narcissism. John could very easily have fallen into this trap of thinking to highly of himself. What we actually see in this passage is that John never denied his calling. John was called to Baptize with water, to call people to repentance. John the Baptist is blessed early with the Spirit, which empowers him to be successful, but he always stayed in his lane.

Mark then takes us to the scene where the savior himself is baptized by John. Mark 1:9 (NRSV)

The Baptism of Jesus

(Mt 3:13–17; Lk 3:21–22; Jn 1:29–34)

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Ask yourself, could I handle this great honor without becoming absorbed with my own image? Mark 1:10 (NRSV)

10 And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. You are John and you are asked to baptize the savior by the savior. The text of the prophets assures you that this will happen, but could you prepare yourself for this moment? Mark 1:11 (NRSV)

11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” This is the message that God reserves for all who answer the call to serve Him. Imagine now that He is well pleased with you. Imagine you are John and you heard the voice come down from heaven signifying His pleasure of His son, but what if God was talking also to John? What if He was talking to you when He said this?

Today as you receive this word, know that your mission (call) is not to be God, but to let God be you. If you go back and visit the scripture concerning the birth of both John and Jesus you will discover that they were both of the Spirit. What I want you to take with you today is that you are a child of God. God’s hand is your hand. If you use your hand to do His will.

John 14:12–14 (NRSV)

12 Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.