Mark 1:1-8 -- Chiefly Concerning John the Baptist

February 7, 2010

Introduction:

Most of what we know about Mark comes directly from the New Testament. He is usually identified with the Mark of Acts 12:12. (When Peter escaped from prison, he went to the home of Mark's mother.)

Paul and Barnabas took him along on the first missionary journey, but for some reason Mark returned alone to Jerusalem. It is evident, from Paul's refusal to let Mark accompany him on the second journey despite Barnabas's insistence, that Mark had displeased Paul. Later, Paul asks Mark to visit him in prison so we may assume the trouble did not last long.

The oldest and the shortest of the four Gospels, the Gospel of Mark emphasizes Jesus' rejection by humanity while being God's triumphant envoy. Probably written for Gentile converts in Rome—sometime between A.D. 50 and 70—Evidently a friend of Mark (Peter called him "my son"), Peter is perhaps Mark's chief source of information, others being the Church in Jerusalem (Jewish roots) and the Church at Antioch (largely Gentile).

Like one other Gospel writer, Luke, Mark was not one of the 12 apostles. We cannot be certain whether he knew Jesus personally. Some scholars feel that the evangelist is speaking of himself when describing the arrest of Jesus in Gethsemane: "Now a young man followed him wearing nothing but a linen cloth about his body. They seized him, but he left the cloth behind and ran off naked" (Mark 14:51-52).

Some believe Mark to have been the first bishop of Alexandria, Egypt. Venice, famous for the Piazza San Marco, claims Mark as its patron saint; the large basilica there is believed by some to contain his remains.

A winged lion is Mark's symbol. The lion derives from Mark's description of John the Baptist as a "voice of one crying out in the desert" (Mark 1:3), which artists compared to a roaring lion. The wings come from the application of Ezekiel's vision of four winged creatures (Ezekiel, chapter one) to the evangelists.

There is very little in Mark that is not in the other Gospels—only four passages. One is: “...This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come” (Mark 4:26-29).

Justin Martyr, around 150 AD, wrote that the Gospel of Mark was the Memoirs of Peter. Irenaeus wrote in 185 AD that after Peter and Paul left Rome, "Mark the disciple and intepreter of Peter, also transmitted to us in writing what had been preached by Peter." Another ancient Christian writer, Clement of Alexandria wrote this: "When Peter had proclaimed the word publicly at Rome, and declared the Gospel under the influence of the Spirit; as there was a great number present, they requested Mark to reduce these things to writing."

So, Mark was not personally a disciple of Jesus. He may have been born about the time that Christ was crucified and rose again. But he was a very close companion of Paul and Barnabas, and was with Peter constantly, and recorded Peter's sermons, and got the Gospel story straight from Peter. And Peter, the leader of the twelve, certainly was a tremendous Apostle, who knew everything about Jesus there was to know. And so the Church has always received the Gospel of Mark as accurate, and as inspired by the Holy Spirit.

*SCRIPTURE and SERMON: Mark 1:1-8

1 The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

2 It is written in Isaiah the prophet: "I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way"-

3 "a voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'"

4 And so John came, baptising in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptised by him in the Jordan River.

6 John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt round his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.

7 And this was his message: "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.

8 I baptise you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit."

This passage is chiefly about "John the Baptist." What can we learn about John?

I. His Identity

The Gospel of Luke informs us that John's birth was supernatural, and that he was the cousin of Jesus.

5 ¶ In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.

6 Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly.

7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well on in years.

8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,

9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshippers were praying outside.

11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.

12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.

13 But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.

14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,

15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.

16 Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God.

17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

(Luke 1:5-17)

Mark says that that coming of John was predicted by the prophets Malachi and Isaiah (Mark 1:2-3). (Mark doesn't mention Malachi, but the first quotation is from Malachi, and he second is from Isaiah.)

II. His Purpose

He was given the job of "preparing the way" for the Messiah. To "prepare the way" means to get people ready. This is quite a common thing to do in the music business. For example, suppose Taylor Swift, the reigning queen of country pop music was coming to Atlanta to do a concert. Well, she would not appear right away. First the audience needs to be warmed up. They need to be ready for her arrival. So, there will be a lesser known music talent that comes first and performs for an hour or so. Someone that's really good, but not quite as well-known or idolized yet as Taylor Swift. For example it might be: Kelli Pickler and Gloriana, who opened for her on tour in 2009. I'm sure you see what I mean. John the Baptist was sent by God to get the nation of Israel warmed up and ready for the Messiah.

III. His Place and His Audience

John the Baptist lived in the desert, near the Jordan river and near Jerusalem. His audience was the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem. This represented a large number of people, and a high level of acceptance. The Holy Spirit was at work, and multitudes were repenting and confessing their sins, and returning to God.

Note: It is God who decides the when, the where and the who of revivals. God chose the time. God chose the location. God chose the preacher. God worked in hearts and caused repentance. We may schedule so-called "revivals" in our churches, but it MUST be a movement of the Holy Spirit, not a program of the Church.

It was the WHOLE Judean countryside, and ALL the people of Jerusalem to went to listen, and who confessed their sins, and who were baptized. Even supposing that Mark was exaggerating a little bit. It was still a very high number of people. The population of Judea and Jerusalem in 30 AD is estimated by historians to be from 500,000 up to several millions. Even if we take the lower number, that means the in John's short six months of ministry, he preached to and baptized about 500,000 people.

IV. His Message

What did John the Baptist preach? He preached: Repent of your sins; and Believe in Jesus Christ.

1. "Make straight paths for the Messiah"

John was not preaching about road work with spades, shovels, grading machines and asphalt or concrete. He was preaching about the condition of the human heart. "Make straight paths in your hearts for the Messiah. Turn from your sins. Repent and Confess!" That's what he was talking about!

2. He also preached salvation: "Repent and be forgiven." (Mark 1:4) He was not preaching that being baptized would wash away your sins. The baptism was merely a symbolic rite, a ceremony, that signified what had happened in your heart. It was a mile-marker in a person's spiritual life.

Did John the Baptist preach the Gospel? Yes. Mark says in 1:1 that what happened in John's preaching was "the beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ." John was preaching repentance. There MUST be repentance. This is the first half of the Gospel. There is no forgiveness and no salvation without repentance. John was also preaching "After me will come the Messiah!" (Mark 1:7) And when Jesus showed up to be baptized, John pointed Him out: "Behold the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world!"

13 ¶ Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptised by John.

14 But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptised by you, and do you come to me?"

15 Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfil all righteousness." Then John consented.

16 As soon as Jesus was baptised, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.

17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."

(Matthew 3:13-17)

29 ¶ The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’

31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptising with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."

35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples.

36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"

37 ¶ When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.

(John 1:29-31, 35-37)

25 An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing.

26 They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—well, he is baptising, and everyone is going to him."

27 To this John replied, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.

28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.’

29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.

30 He must become greater; I must become less.

(John 3:25-30)

Conclusion:

God was sovereign in the birth and life of John the Baptist. He was sovereign in the timing of the birth of Jesus' too. There was an enormous revival that broke out under the preaching of John, and that was God's doing, too. We may try to schedule "revivals," but revival in the Church is really in the hands of God.

John the Baptist was the greatest prophet, because his message was the greatest message. He was faithful to his calling. May God help you and me to faithfully use the gifts and opportunities God has put into our hands.