1The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2As it is written in the prophets,
“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you:
3the voice of one crying in the wilderness,
‘Make ready the way of the Lord!
Make his paths straight!’”
4John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. 5All 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. 6John was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. 7He 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. 8I baptized you in water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.”
9In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10Immediately coming up from the water, he saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11A voice came out of the sky, “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
12Immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness. 13He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals; and the angels were serving him.
14Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Good News of God’s Kingdom, 15and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and God’s Kingdom is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News.”
16Passing along by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you into fishers for men.”
18Immediately they left their nets, and followed him.
19Going on a little further from there, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets. 20Immediately he called them, and they left their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him.
21They went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught. 22They were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes. 23Immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, 24saying, “Ha! What do we have to do with you, Jesus, you Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know you who you are: the Holy One of God!”
25Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!”
26The unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 27They were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching? For with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him!” 28The report of him went out immediately everywhere into all the region of Galilee and its surrounding area.
29Immediately, when they had come out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30Now Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31He came and took her by the hand and raised her up. The fever left her immediately, and she served them.
32At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by demons. 33All the city was gathered together at the door. 34He healed many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons. He didn’t allow the demons to speak, because they knew him.
35Early in the morning, while it was still dark, he rose up and went out, and departed into a deserted place, and prayed there. 36Simon and those who were with him searched for him. 37They found him and told him, “Everyone is looking for you.”
38He said to them, “Let’s go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because I came out for this reason.” 39He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons.
40A leper came to him, begging him, kneeling down to him, and saying to him, “If you want to, you can make me clean.”
41Being moved with compassion, he stretched out his hand, and touched him, and said to him, “I want to. Be made clean.” 42When he had said this, immediately the leprosy departed from him and he was made clean. 43He strictly warned him and immediately sent him out, 44and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anybody, but go show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.”
45But he went out, and began to proclaim it much, and to spread about the matter, so that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but was outside in desert places. People came to him from everywhere.
Baptized in the Holy Spirit
Baptized in the Holy Spirit
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 strap 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."
The Gospel of Mark is unique because it introduces Jesus through a unique character named John. We call him John the Baptist. Mark writes that the beginning of the "good news" of the Messiah coming was the appearance of John. He was an odd guy. He wore robes made out of rough brown camel hides, with a big leather belt around his waist, and he lived off the land out in the wilderness. He ate honey and grasshoppers. Some scholars think the "locusts" referred to were a type of bean, but I'm sticking with grasshoppers. It makes John seem all the more wild and woolly, like the prophet Elijah. The scriptures tell us that "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." (v.5) John preached a message of repentance. Repentance is when you change your mind about something, and you move in a different direction. It had been four hundred years since the words "thus saith the Lord" were heard in Israel. That is a LONG TIME to wait for a word from the Lord. But there was something about this guy that seemed real. This was because He WAS real and he had been sent by God.
People made their way out not only to see John but also to hear him. The Jewish people had grown very tired of a religious system that had become rote. It was just the same thing over and over, and most knew and recognized that many of their leaders were corrupt. They lorded over the people. Many enriched themselves from the tithes and offerings that were given. The leaders lacked spiritual power and integrity. More importantly, the people coming out to hear John could sense that something was missing in their own spiritual lives. They knew that they couldn't keep up with all of the rules and regulations the priests spoke of for holiness and daily living. They felt guilty for things that they had done that they knew were contrary to God's law. So they came out into the wilderness, heard John's voice, and repented. I am sure they must have made confessions as they submitted to John taking them under the waters of the Jordan River in a ritual of baptism. But John's baptism came with a much greater promise.
Some of us find ourselves out in the wilderness at some time in our lives. We might not even know for sure how we got there. We know that we are lost without a word from God, and we have come to the end of ourselves. We realize that things have to change. Things really do need to move in a new direction in our lives. If you are not a believer, you can take hold of John's promise this day. If you are a believer in Jesus, at some point, someone spoke the gospel message into your heart. You were taken by it. You repented, and just as what happened to Jesus happened to you. When you were born again, the Holy Spirit of God fell on you, indwelling you and baptizing you. You have been baptized in the Holy Spirit. You have been made a new creation by this same Messiah who went out to be baptized that day. You've received what John the Baptist promised on that day. Now choose today to listen to what Jesus has to tell you and follow Him. John just knew it was coming, but I have to say you have experienced it. Now walk in Him in newness of life!