Mark 1:2-8 CSB
[2] As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. [3] A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way for the Lord; make his paths straight! [4] John came baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. [5] The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. [6] John wore a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. [7] He proclaimed, “One who is more powerful than I am is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals. [8] I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

I heard a story of an evangelist that was proclaiming the Word in remote villages in Africa.  He was traveling by foot and he was wholly discouraged as his efforts seemed fruitless from his perspective.  He’d been walking for most of the day and his feet had blisters on their blisters.  His shoes had been stolen weeks before.  So, discouraged, exhausted, heartbroken, weary, and barefooted he stumbles into the last village he would visit that day.  He walked straight to what he assumed was the most central point in the village and raised his voice proclaiming the Gospel.  Villagers gathered and began to protest.  He continued and they escalated.  Some began to throw rocks.  Some spat and others threatened him with violence.  Eventually they chased him from the village but not before one man got a good look at him.  After he was away from the village the despair of yet another failure took its toll.  Completely exhausted he collapsed by a tree and sank into sleep.

Suddenly he’s awakened by a hand on his foot.  Pulling back as he opens his eyes and he sees the entire village surrounding him.  Groggy, scared, and not sure what’s going on.  He prayed silently for a quick death, thinking they’d come to finish what they’d started back in the village.  But then he noticed the Shaman.  He had been the one looking at his feet.  The Shaman sat and stared at him for a time.  The silence was awkward but then the Shaman spoke.  As you left the village I noticed your blistered feet.  I told the village that anything that’s important enough for you to get blisters on your feet so that you could tell us must be important indeed.  He then leaned in pulling some supplies from his bag beginning to clean and bandage his feet.  As he did, he asked would you tell us again? 

The evangelist shared the Gospel and the whole village believed.

I tell this story not because it’s like our text from Mark but because of the imagery of Gospel importance and  Gospel preparation it portrays.

When we share the Gospel we are doing more than just placing the Word in people’s hearts and minds.  We are preparing everyone within earshot for acceptance of the Gospel, or for the next evangelist to come, and the return of Jesus.  There is no difference in what John was doing then, than what we need to be doing now.  Let’s look at it.

Vs. 2 “he will prepare your way”. The message that Jesus is bringing is vastly different from the message that the people have been taught by the leaders of their time.  There needed to be a preparation to receive it so that they could truly absorb it’s impact.  I mean think about it.  

[7] He proclaimed, “One who is more powerful than I am is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals. [8] I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Messiah is coming.  Repent for the forgiveness of sins.  Like I immerse you in the water and you confess sins, you have to immerse yourself in repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  Messiah is going to take that to a whole new level.

John stood out.  This was by design. 

[6] John wore a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.

He needed to be seen.  As you crest the hill over the Jordan you look at your friend and look over the crowd.  You see all those people down there in robes and sandals? Yeah.  The one that’s not, yeah the hairy one,  that’s John.  Dude!  Is that a locust leg in his beard?  Of course I can’t say that’s the way it was.  But the idea is the same and the thought made me chuckle.  I thought a little creative license might help make the point that everyone knew who John was.

We’ve talked about the need to prepare, about the message, and about being seen and heard.  Now let’s talk about the results.

[5] The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.

John got attention and everyone heard.  He spoke boldly, honestly and probably loudly.  But most importantly he spoke the truth even amidst the danger.  John would eventually lose his head and thus his earthly life for this message.  But he knew and preached the Gospel because he had eternal life in Jesus.  He changed lives.  That word “whole” in the Greek πᾶσα (pronounced pas) literally translates to all or everyone.  This was a message to the leaders of the time.   We see that in other places in the gospels.  This was an exodus of people radically changing the way they thought. 

So what’s the take away?  What’s practical application for us?

There is a lot.  I’ll give you a few and let you dig or ask for the rest

1. We’re called to go.  Vs. 2 “I am sending” He hasn’t stopped sending out messengers yet.  We’re not John but we’re being sent with the same message. 
2. We can’t be afraid of the wilderness.  This is a crazy world.  As Americans we have it easy for the most part.  We’re not always going to be in America though and even America can be rough at times.  We have to have faith though.  Faith that all things work to the good of those who love God, who are called to His purpose.  (Ref. Romans 8:28)   Jesus said in Mark 8:34 let him deny himself, pick up his cross and follow Me.  Jesus was going to Golgotha with His cross. Golgotha isn’t a suburb of Jerusalem.  It’s outside the walls.  It’s a dangerous place.
3. We need to be different.  As I said, this world’s crazy.  It’s also ugly.  We are ambassadors for Christ. (Ref. 2 Corinthians 5:20).  I’m not saying we should go out wearing camel hair. (Unless of course that’s really your thing.  If it is please warn me first.) I am saying though that we shouldn’t look anything like this world.
4. We need to speak the Gospel with Love, Truth and boldness, compassionately.  If we love Jesus we need to speak as He did.  It doesn’t matter what you think or perceive about your results in the end because His Word will not return void.  You have no idea who may hear you.  You may change the lives of people you’ll never meet this side of heaven.  Just speak.  Prepare the way.  Go make disciples.  (Ref.  Matthew 28:19).

Our business is not to entice a fish to swallow the bait but to cast the net all around us and lift sinners out of the element in which they lie, into the boat where Christ is.

– Charles Spurgeon

Love in Christ,

Colby