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Prepare

Mark 1: “3 dThe voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” [1]

 I.  Wilderness

     A. Desert

     B. Devoid

II. Welcome

     A. Define

     B. Determine

III. Witness

     A. Deliver

     B. Delight

Introduction:   Today we will look into the first of the four gospel accounts.  The New Testament is compiled with Matthew as the first of the four gospel accounts.  In the first few words of this account from one known as Mark, this one who scribed this for God referred to this as the beginning of the gospel of Jesus.  Many scholars believe that this is indeed the first and oldest written gospel account.

Most Bible tradition agrees that this Mark is that John Mark which caused the division of Paul and Barnabas.  John Mark was Barnabas’ younger cousin who got scared and decided to leave his first missionary journey.  Later Barnabas wanted to bring John Mark along again and it caused such an argument that Paul and Barnabas broke their ministry partnership for a time.

Mark traveled with Peter later on so this gospel account is from the perspective of Simon Peter.  It is also mentioned that a young man ran away as the temple guards arrested Jesus.  The young man left so suddenly that he slipped out of his garment and ran away from there naked.  It is ironic that this young man is later in Paul’s writings as one who is valuable for the gospel and very well could have written the first of the four gospel accounts.

In our Bible studies here at Merry Oaks we have been comparing the prophets of old with events of the present.  We have heard since Jesus ascended that He would be coming again.  We know with each passing day that the time is one day closer today than it was yesterday.  What should we be doing to prepare for His second coming as we are contemplating this Christmas season?  What should our time be spent on now?

There are so many things that are being done and said during this season of preparing for Christmas.  We have been busy with Christmas preparation ourselves with the trees and the manger scenes and such.  We do want people to know that this is surely a time of year of giving.  There is nothing wrong with calling this time to the attention of the world.

There is so much more to be told than something that happened that had an ending.  Many will be kinda glad when all this decorations can come down and things can go back to normal.  People really don’t understand that when Jesus came that day as a baby the world changed and it will never be the same again.  When He comes back this time the world will be totally different again.  Through Malachi God the Father said that Jesus would have someone to prepare the way for His first arrival.  Malachi was speaking of one called John who baptized.  Who is God using to prepare the world for Jesus to come again?

Scripture:  Today’s scripture is Mark 1:3.  When you have found it please rise to your feet for the reading of God’s written word.

Prayer: Please be seated

Message:  Please follow as we hear verses 1-8.  This author said that this is the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ seems to begin with the one the prophet Malachi prophesied about many years before Jesus came as a baby who prepared the path for Jesus.  That one’s name was John.

It is important to note that there was one voice crying in the wilderness.  Isn’t it amazing what God can do with just one person when that person allows God to use them?

Anyone who has ever been in a desert understands wilderness.  There are no settlements of people.  Nothing can be grown in the wilderness because it is a place devoid of life sustaining necessities like water and even a place to withdraw from the heat.  Nothing much can live there.

Just a little ways from there people do live and even prosper.  They depend on the world to give them what they want.  In verse five the people in Judea would leave their homes and come out to hear this one person crying in this wild place.  They would come from the small settlements and even the big city of Jerusalem to listen.

John would welcome them to be baptized with a condition.  They must prepare themselves to meet Jesus.  They must be definite in their purpose.  Sin had defined them but now they were ready to make the 180 degree turn and head away from where they had determined to go.  There had to be repentance.

Prepare ye the way of the Lord!  Was this a statement or command that John was responsible for or was he really telling us that we must first decide to prepare ourselves through repentance before Jesus will come to us?  That is what the prophet Malachi prophesied and this was the command that John gave to those who came to him for repentance and remission of sins but who is responsible to make the path straight for Jesus?  Each and every person who is truly ready to Make Jesus Lord.  We are responsible to make His path straight to our hearts.

Our purpose here and now is the same as it was for John in those days leading up to Jesus’ journey.  We are to witness to those who feel comfortable in their sins.  There is a big push among those who are comfortable in this so-called progressive movement to prevent the evangelical movement.  There are those who say that we who call sin what it is are the ones who must be stopped from crying in the wilderness.  We are definitely outside of the mainstream now as was John in his day.  We are in our wilderness.  We are in good company.

John insisted that to receive remission for sin a person must be straightened out.  The witness of a person’s life shows whether there has been a deliverance from sin and that their life has been straightened out so that they no longer walk the crooked walk.  If we are to walk with God we can no longer walk the crooked walk.  We must walk with a noticeable delight in our step as we walk.  The way we walk gives witness to our joy of walking with Jesus.

Is Jesus coming again?  Yes and He is coming sooner today than yesterday!  What happened with Jesus’ first advent?  There was one voice crying in the wilderness, now we are many voices.  Did John fit in with those in his day?  He was clothed in camel’s hair and animal skin wrapped around his midsection.  He ate bugs and honey that he could eat from where he was outside of so-called civilization.  We are not quite there yet but it is getting harder and harder not to fall into the trap of dependency that will lead to domination for those who resist God.

This is not to preach conspiracy.  This is to preach the truth as the Bible records what is happening and what will happen.  In calendar terms we are fast approaching the time that we are reminded of Jesus’ first arrival.  While we wait for Christmas we must not forget that we are preparing the way for His second coming as John did way back then.  What else are we here for?  Christmas presents and Santa Claus and reindeer are fun and that’s Ok but we are here for much more.  We are here to prepare the way for The Lord!

John did not light the path for himself.  He preached of one that he was not worthy to stoop down and untie his shoes for and yet that was John’s ministry.  That is ours too now.  We will not be welcomed in this world by those who prefer to walk the crooked way but we must stand firm in our love for Jesus and each other because that is why we are here.  And we will have to do so out in the wilderness.

There is One that we have now abiding in us that John knew.  The world at large had not received The Holy Spirit at that time.  In verse eight Mark recorded what John told them as they were getting out of the water from baptism.  We are Baptists.  We believe as that John did.  We baptize with water.  Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit.

Our purpose is to lead others.  The Holy Spirit’s purpose is to save souls so that believers can and will witness Jesus and Him crucified.  You know the story does not end there.  Jesus was raised back to eternal life and now He is at the right hand of His Heavenly Father making intercession for us.  He is coming again and we are here to witness that truth as the Holy Spirit gifts us.  Let us make His path straight for Jesus to come again.  Merry Christmas!

Prayer:

Invitation:  There is no greater gift that we can give than to witness Jesus in our lives.  This world is becoming more and more a wasteland as we see governments preventing church gatherings.  People are more interested in hearing of the latest thing that will prevent the sickness and violence that others might cause them instead of asking what they can do for others.  Jesus knew when He came here that He was giving up paradise for a time so that we might regain that which we decided to throw away.  Are we ready to follow Jesus or are we worried that His path might take us straight to where we don’t feel comfortable?

Is He your shepherd or are you His lamb?  If it’s not both ways you need to examine yourself.  Following those who would rather lead you astray will not bring you to a greener pasture.  It will take you to that wilderness where God is not where there will most definitely be crying.  Make his way straight to your heart.  Let Him have His way as we sing…



d Cited from Isai. 40:3. Cited also John 1:23.
[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Mk 1:3). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.