Mark 1:1-8
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2 As it is written in the Prophets:
3
“Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.”
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make His paths straight.’ ”
4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
5 Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.
6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.
7 And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose.
8 I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Context
- How does John Mark show us the power of 2nd chances? (Mark 1:1, Acts 12:12, 25, 15:37-39, Colossians 4:10, 2 Timothy 4:11, Philemon 24, 1 Peter 5:13)
Reflection
- How does the 1st verse define the whole book? (Mark 1:1, Romans 1:1, 16, 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4)
- Why was the purpose of John’s baptism & message of ‘repentance’? (Malachi 3:1, Mark 1:15, Luke 3:4, 7-18, John 1:22, 23)
- What was the point of his dress and diet? (Leviticus 11:21, 22, 2 Kings 1:8, Malachi 4:5, Matthew 11:1-5, 17:10-13, Luke 1:13-17)
- What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit? (Acts 1:5, 8, 2:1-4, 8:14-17, 10:34-38, Romans 8:2, 1 Corinthians 12:13)
Testimony Time
- How has Jesus given me a 2nd chance? (Jonah 3:1, Luke 15:20-24, 2 Corinthians 5:17)
- How passionate am I about introducing others to Jesus? (Mark 1:17, John 3:25-30, 2 Corinthians 5:29, 20)