When you don’t know where to start, start at the beginning. This is what Mark did. Mark 1:1
At the opening of Mark, the stage is almost set for Jesus’ ministry to begin. John the Baptist is on the scene.
John is in the wilderness preaching. Why did the people come to the wilderness to hear John?
Two aspects of the message that John preached: its allure and its authority.
Its Allure
The strange allure of John’s message moved the people.
- John spoke to a universal need. Sin.
- Along with the knowledge of sin comes guilt.
- Sinful and guilty we face the future with fear.
- We desire freedom.
- John message also offered hope.
- He preached the truth.
- He preached a word of deliverance.
- He preached that the sinner could be clean.
- He preached that now we could be free.
Its Authority
John spoke as one telling the truth.
1. John’s message was one of repentance.
- He ask the Scribes and Pharisees to see the “fruit” of their repentance.
- He called them to confess their sins.
Only as we acknowledge that we are sinners; that we have a need to turn from our sinful ways, do we lay a foundation for repentance.
There is a great need for true biblical repentance in the church of Jesus Christ today.
Repentance means both a change of mind and a change of behavior.
Repentance means that we turn from our ways because we have been convinced by God that they are wrong.
John called them to publicly acknowledge their repentance by baptism. True repentance is not secret repentance.
2. John’s message was one of forgiveness.
When you repent, you are forgiven.
“Remission” means “to put away.”
3. John’s message was one of new life in Christ.
John was only a forerunner to lead us to Christ.
Repentance and forgiveness are only the beginning of God’s work in our lives. John can bring us to God, but only Jesus can take us on with God.
John’s message calls us to:
- confront and confess our sins;
- turn away from it in sincere repentance;
- to receive God’s forgiveness; and most importantly,
- look to Jesus.
