The Great Sending
Chapter 13
God’s Commission Prophesied
pages 95-97
Reverand Dr. Paul Maier
Mark 1:1-8
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, 2 as 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 wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”
4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, 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 baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
God’s Commission: Prophesied. Mark’s gospel plunges directly into how God’s Divine commission was fulfilled not only in Jesus Christ, but in the unique individual who was his forerunner, John the Baptizer… Clearly, in our text, Mark has Isaiah referring to John the Baptist, a direct prophecy as are most such prophecy- fulfillment couplets in the New Testament. Mark’s writing is a supernatural forecast across seven hundred years, showing that the details involved in Christ’s commissioning were clearly on the mind of our timeless God.
Prayer
Our commissioning Lord, in communicating the faith today, we wish that we, like Your Son, Jesus Christ, could have forerunners like John the Baptist, who could prepare the way for our messages about Yours, which would seem to make the task easier. And yet in Your Holy Words, we can always rely on the power of your Holy Spirit to assist us in our witness, as John did for Jesus. We thank you for assisting us yet today, sending and once again enabling us, to fulfill what you command. Amen.