Sunday 07:01:12

In the summer, when the weather is hot day after day, it makes us long for a break. Our bodies grow tired of the heat. We grow tired of being hot and thirsty. Everything around us grows tired of the heat – grass yellows, flowers wither, trees droop. Everything around us needs relief. We need the summer doldrums broken up by a day of cool, rainy weather – a day of renewal. This is how our lives can be spiritually too. Sometimes we go through seasons when it seems like there’s been no relief, just doldrums of summer. Sometimes it can seem like it has been a long time since the Lord has done anything new in our lives. We need renewal, revival, refreshing, restoration. We need the Lord to move again, to lead us again, to show us something of himself afresh. This was where Israel was in Mark 1. Malachi was the last prophet sent by God to the people of Israel, to speak words of the Lord. But that was 400 years ago. The people were ready for a new word. Mark 1:1-15 v. 1 – “Son of God” – written to Roman Christians, proves that demonstrate Jesus is the Son of God, with power and authority over disease, the natural world, and the spiritual realm. vv 2-3 – Malachi had prophesied that a messenger would come ahead of God’s Messiah. Notice: Prepare the way, and make straight paths vv. 4-5 – John the Baptist was that messenger. To prepare the way for Jesus the Messiah, John preached a new word from the Lord: that people needed to confess their sin individually. He was a herald who told people ahead of the Messiah that there would be a new way to relate to God. He used baptism in a new way. Before John, people who were converted into Judaism were baptized. But John used baptism as a sign of repentance from sins. John preached you need to confess and repent of sins, you need of forgiveness. Isn’t it interesting that in God’s plan he would send a man ahead of the Messiah? You would think that Jesus on his own would be all that anyone needed. It is interesting that John is sent to prepare people for Jesus. But that is how it was in your life when you first came to Christ. Someone helped you see your sin. Someone helped you see your need for forgiveness. Someone helped you see your need for Christ. Someone made a straight path for Jesus to come into your life. Thank God for them, they were like John sent to you to prepare you to received Christ. It was all orchestrated by God, but carried out by a very common man or woman. People need someone to prepare them for Christ. Your family member, friend, classmate, neighbor, business contact, if they have not believed in Jesus, they need someone to prepare them. How can you “prepare the way?” 1. Explain their need for forgiveness. Explain how we all need to turn from sinful temptations and attitudes and from dead-end worldly pursuits. 2. Tell them how you found forgiveness in Christ. Tell them how you knew you were sinful and found forgiveness in Christ. 3. Tell them how it has changed your life. To be free from sin, shame, guilt. New meaning. People need our help to prepare them to receive Christ. In his grace, God lets us be a part of him changing lives. What about you and me? Do we need still need to be prepared to meet Christ? We do. We need to continually confess and repent. Confession of sin and repentance is not a one-time event. We need to ask the Lord to search our hearts and to help us see sinful attitudes and disobedience. Then we need to take them to Christ and ask him to cover that too and cleanse us. Are you stuck in the summer doldrums spiritually? Are you preparing your heart for Christ? Are you making a straight path for him into your life? Be ready to receive his grace by remembering your need for it. Thirst for his forgiveness, hunger for his presence. If he came to you with a new word or new direction or new revelation, would you be ready? God is ready with an endless store of refreshing, renewal, restoration, revival. But he waits until we have been obedient with what he’s already given. He won’t refill your cup until you’ve taken a drink of what he’s already given you. Mark 4:24-25 Greater obedience leads to greater revelation. Have you been obedient to what God’s already given you? Step out in faith to do or believe what He’s already said. Lord, help us prepare the way in other’s lives. Help us continually prepare the way in our lives through confession and greater obedience.