JESUS IS COMING

 

Mark 1:4-11, John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 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 have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” 

 

1.      So we have John the Baptist appearing in the wilderness.  He was preaching forgiveness of sin.  He was talking about am inward change of the heart.  Making a declaration of faith by believing what you hear and receiving salvation in the heart.  Then John used an old standard in the Jewish faith.  It was called the Tvilah and it was used to purify someone who had become ritually unclean.  John adopted baptism as the central sacrament in his messianic movement. 

 

a.      In the Christian faith this is the outward sign of what had happened in the heart.  It is the same

with us.  We are baptized in water as an outward sign of what has happened in our heart.  It is a declaration of our faith that we have forsaken the old life and are going to follow the Lord.  It is an identification, with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  

b.      John was preparing the people for the way of the Lord.  His job was to prepare the people for

the coming of the Messiah.  The people were getting pure for ready for the Messiah’s appearance.  In the same way we should keep ourselves pure, holy moment by moment for the coming of the Lord.  This is our reality, Jesus can come any moment .

c.      People were coming from the whole Judean countryside and Jerusalem.  They were going out

to be baptized by Him.  They were confessing their sins.  The Holy Spirit was doing a work of conviction and many thought that John was the Messiah.  He was even asked if he was.  He said he was the voice crying in the wilderness.  The fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy.  Remember right from His birth John’s mission was clear. 

d.      The Spirit was getting people ready for the coming of Christ and He is doing the same no. Now John was clothed in a camel hair coat and wore a leather belt unusual attire.  He ate locust and wild honey.   He was a Elijah personality.  Black and white view of things.  He spoke straight and true.  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 have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” 

 

2.      He proclaimed that there is one coming after me who he was not worthy to untie his shoes.  John had a proper view of his role.  Remember John would say later that He must decrease and Christ must increase.  That is how we must operate.  We need to be like Jesus and want to do the will of our Father.

 

a.      John says, “I baptize you with water but He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.”  What a promise

that is.  This is being fully immerse in the power, authority, enablement, wisdom, clarity, boldness, and anointing.  You will be possessed by Him.  You will be His temple or dwelling place.  You will receive gifts and fruit from Him.  You will be His vessel.  He will take what He hears and pass it on to you. 

b.      The Holy Spirit is your counselor, guide and friend.  He wants all of you.  Jesus stated in the upper room discourse that because He went away He would send the comforter.  When we are alone, afraid, uncertain, discouraged, frustrated, and overwhelmed, the Holy Spirit comes along to help.  Let Him do His work right now. 

 

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 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. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

 

3.      So John is baptizing people some 10 miles north of Jericho at Enon.  Jesus came from Nazareth some 50 miles north and was baptized by John.  Now we know from other gospels that John did not want to baptized Jesus but Jesus told him that it must be done to fulfill all things.  John had also called Jesus the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 

 

a.      Now what happens after Jesus comes out of the water is significant.  First, the heavens open up

and the Spirit descends on Jesus in the form or like a dove.  Then the voice of heaven speaks and says, “This is my beloved Son in who I am well pleased.”

b.      This is a moment where trinity is revealed.  God is trinity and this is a physical manifestation of

this truth.  The gospels are clear on this.  Jesus was the physical embodiment of the Godhead.  He was 100% man and 100% God.  The perfect union of the divine and natural.  This was such a powerful moment.  Mark does not talk more about this because his gospel is one of action and written to the Roman.  Jesus in Mark’s gospel is a man of action, power and immediacy. 

c.      Jesus immediately after His baptism would be driven in the desert for 40 days and nights.  He would be tempted by the devil and win by using the word.  Through out this year we will be looking at the life of Christ and the lessons we can learn so let me leave you with some lessons we can learn.

 

Conclusion

 

1.      Know what we believe and why.  The two ordinances of the faith we practice are water baptism and the Lord’s Supper and why we practice them.

2.      We need to be preparing like John for the coming of Jesus which could be anytime.   We need to live ready.  We are to bring Christ into our world through telling and loving others.

3.      Be baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit.  Allow Him to empower, enable, and anoint you.  Let Him give you gifts and allow His fruit to develop in you.  Let Him guide and lead you.  You are His temple and with that comes purity and holiness.

4.      John saw the reality of God that day and we should be open to the reality of God working in our lives every day.  So count your blessings, be aware of the small miracles God does, be thankful, watch and pray.