In this message Pastor Travis kicks off our study of the Gospel of Mark. We learn that God’s word is reminding us that he is not pleased with religious activity on the outside. He desires to have a personal relationship with us. A relationship that transforms us from the inside. That is what we explore in this sermon.
One danger of continuous study of God’s Word is that the radical glories of the Gospel become so familiar to you that you lose your sense of awe. In losing your sense of awe, you lose your thankfulness. In losing your thankfulness, you lose your worship. –B.B. Warfield
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 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,’ ”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. 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.”
MARK 1:1 – 8
Fast Facts About the Book:
This book was written between 55 - 68 A.D.
This book was written to Gentiles following Jesus in Rome.
This book is the shortest of the four gospels.
This book was written in a culture that was hostile toward followers of Jesus.
A DECLARATION OF JESUS
v 1. – “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”
The Savior who is the Messiah has come, His name is Jesus, and He is God in the flesh!
A PROPHECY ABOUT JESUS
V 2. - As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “ Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way
Isaiah foretold that the King would come, and someone would prepare the way for His arrival.
In ancient times, construction crews would arrive at a city long before the planned arrival of a king to level the hills, fill ditches, clear debris, and remove obstructions in order to prepare a wide, unencumbered, straight road into the heart of town. This work also served as notice to the city officials: “Prepare yourselves and your city to receive the king.” –Charles Swindoll
A FORERUNNER FOR JESUS
4 – 6. “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.“
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Matthew 23:27-28
V7. 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.
People with humility don’t deny their power; they just recognize it passes through them, not from them. –Fred Smith
The word repentance means a change of mind about your sin. It means you see how ugly and terrible your sin is. So you repent. Repentance is the needle that pierces the cloth to make way for the gospel thread. Repentance prepares the way for Jesus to come into your life. –Jerry Vines
V8. “I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
John proclaimed baptism with water, which was a symbolic outward expression. Jesus proclaims an inward transformation through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation.
It is as if John is saying, “All I can do is wash you on the outside with water. But He can transform and cleanse you on the inside.” Being baptized with the Holy Spirit refers to the regenerative work of salvation. –John MacArthur
What is your response to Jesus?
However, when a person begins a life-changing relationship with Jesus, it impacts more just the outside.
John proclaimed baptism with water, that was a symbolic outward expression. Jesus provides a personal relationship that transforms from the inside out.
“Make ready the way of the Lord” and “Make His paths straight” refer to customs no longer familiar, but everyone in the first century would have understood them immediately..
