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2. The Ministry of John the Baptist in the Jordan Valley (Mark 1:2-8)
MARK 1:2-8
2 As it is written in the prophets, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you. 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight!’” 4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. 5 All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins. 6 John was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen. 8 I baptized you in water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.”
Nowadays engineers build wide roads across deserts and swamps. They build big bridges over valleys and rivers, but they cannot provide a connection between men and God. Do you want God himself to build a right path from him into your heart, your family, and your friends? Are you prepared to tell others about the Lord’s work and imminent coming that they may become prepared to accept him?
Many people seek by writing and broadcasting to become famous guides and leaders among their people, but only some of them are actually called by God. Their voice is empty and valueless. Yet, John the Baptist was the messenger of Christ. He rose in the power of the Holy Spirit, and his Lord put the words of the prophet Isaiah into his mouth. With his words, he penetrated into the hearts of many, declared their sins to them, and saw in the wilderness an example of the spiritually dead souls that are deprived of the showers of God’s grace.
John the Baptist preached sincere repentance; he told his hearers that there must be a change of their minds, a change of heart and a reformation of their lives, that they must confess their sins, and deny themselves following their baptism in the Jordan River. The confession of sins in public was to break their pride, and the baptism was to symbolize the purification of the sinner, and the death of the old man with his deeds.
Do you know that every man, including you, long for comprehensive forgiveness and purification? So, confess your sins now before your Lord, and open yourself to him faithfully.
John declared the remission of sins in the name of God, and in the power of his Spirit, to prepare the way of the coming Christ, and thousands repented brokenly before the Holy One. However, the Baptist knew in his heart that repentance, confession, waters of baptism, and words of forgiveness were not sufficient to make radical change in man, for the Holy Spirit alone comforts the hearts and reforms man. So, God revealed to his praying prophet that Christ would come quickly to give the repentant a new heart, and to baptize them with his Holy Spirit. John the ascetic trembled at the very thought of meeting the Son of God personally, for he knew that he was not good enough even to bend down and untie the sandals of the coming One, since no one is good but God.
The divine design is to fill the repentant sinner with the spirit of love. However, no man can receive this spirit except through abiding faith in the living Christ who is, together with his Father, the fountain of this blessed Spirit. So, come to Jesus, confessing your sins and intending to forsake them entirely that he may forgive all your sins, and fill you with his kind, pure Spirit. He who calls you is faithful, who also will make you perfect if you come to him.
PRAYER: O heavenly Father, we thank you because you sent the Baptist to prepare the way of your Son. Lead us into sincere repentance through the guidance of your Holy Spirit, that we may know our sins in your light, repent of them in our innermost selves, confess them honestly, forsake them with your power, and hate them; also that, through faith, we may receive complete forgiveness through the blood of your only Son, and become purified, and filled with your Holy Spirit with all those who long for your love all around the world. Amen.
QUESTION:
- What is the content and aim of the message of John the Baptist?