Today, we return to our study of the gospel according to Mark who leaves out quite a bit of the Old Testament prophecies that would prove the Lord Jesus to be the promised Messiah and the fulfillment of all of those prophecies. Unlike Matthew who wrote to reveal the Lord Jesus Christ as the King of the Jews, Mark portrays the Lord Jesus as the Servant of the Lord. Mark wrote this gospel in such a way that his Roman audience would be introduced to the Lord Jesus.
In v.6 of today's text we read, "John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey."
This text begins with John the Baptist who was the last of the Old Testament prophets. John was no fashion statement, with his camel's hair clothes, leather sandals, and leather belt around his waist. His diet consisted of locusts and wild honey. John's clothing and diet were symbolic of his ministry, one of simple beginnings with a straight forward message of repentance.
Repentance involves recognizing that we have thought wrongly in the past and we are now determined to give safe haven in our souls to God's trust. The repentant person has second thoughts about the mindset he formerly embraced. There is a change of disposition and a new way of thinking about God, sin, holiness, life, and salvation. True repentance is prompted by godly sorrow, and it leads to salvation.
Repentance and faith can be understood as two sides of the same coin. It is impossible to place our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior without first changing our minds about our sin and about who the Lord Jesus is and what He has done on the cross for our salvation.
Repentance is when we give up on our attempts to measure up before God. It also is when we turn away from our way of doing life and we turn to the way of the Lord. John's message describes the place where we begin our personal relationship with God.
In v.7-8 John says, “Don't look to me for answers beyond what I have already told you about repentance. Anything beyond that must come from this One who is coming right after me. He is so much greater than I that I am not even worthy to untie his shoes."
John could only take us to the place of outward cleansing, water baptism, but only the Lord God can do surgery on our hearts. John could bring people to God, but he could not take us beyond that. It is only God who can do the work necessary for us to come to know Him as our Father. When the Lord Jesus came, He baptized with the Holy Spirit so that people could live on the basis of the eternal in a personal relationship with Him.
In the remainder of v.7 John said, "Anything beyond that must come from this One who is coming right after me. He is so much greater than I that I am not even worthy to untie his shoes."
In the remainder of v.7 John said, "Anything beyond that must come from this One who is coming right after me. He is so much greater than I that I am not even worthy to untie his shoes."
John the Baptist was the older cousin of the Lord Jesus. He said, "I am not even worthy to untie his shoes." No wonder John was used of God to be the Herald of the Messiah. This enabled John to preach a hard message that people would find soothing. John could do this because he had learned humility.
Now, humility is not a trait that many want today. Yet, if we are to know God for ourselves and if we desire to be useful to Him, we must be humble. The problem with humility is that it often arrives in our lives on the heels of humiliating experiences. It takes humility to be taught humility. And, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." And, humility will always bring us to the end of self. Humility will always usher us back to the Lord broken of self.
John brought people to Christ by the only way man can come, through the acknowledgment of guilt. When people come this way, God meets them, cleanses them, and forgives them. John demonstrated these truths by the baptism he performed. And, the moment we admit we need help and we stop defending ourselves, it is at that place that God meets us. And, it is from that place that God uses us best in this world for His glory.
Augustine once wrote, "Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the skies? Lay first the foundation of humility." We do well to learn from John the Baptist, the older cousin of the Lord Jesus, when it comes to growing in humility. John was rugged, tough and strong. He was a man's man. He had to be. Yet, John knew what it meant to bow his will before the Almighty. This is the disposition that enables us to be useful to God in this world. Like John the Baptist, it is our ultimate calling to point others to the Lord Jesus Christ.
