According to MARK.
Mark 1: 1 The beginning of the gospel of JESUS CHRIST, the SON of GOD.
notes from my bible:
The GOSPEL here refers not to the Whole book but to the content of the early Christian proclamation, which in turn centers on A Person. JESUS is his given name: CHRIST is both a name and HIS old testament TITLE. The SON Of GOD.
MARK 1: 1- 7
JOHN THE BAPTIST:
Mark 1: 2 As it is WRITTEN in the PROPHETS:
Behold , I SEND my messenger (JOHN) BEFORE thy face, which shall PREPARE THY (JESUS) way before THEE.
Mark 1: 3 The VOICE of ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, PREPARE YE THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS "PATH STRAIGHT"
MARK 4 JOHN did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the "BAPTISM of REPENTANCE" for the remission of sins.
NOTES from my bible:
John breaks a centuries-long prophetic silence in Israel. Other JEWISH groups PRACTICED RITUAL water cleansing, but JOHN CALLED ALL ISRAEL to REPENT.
HERE are my thoughts on these 4 passages:
1. John did BAPTIZED with Water, however the WATER BAPTISM was SYMBOLIC to a REPENTANT HEART, A heart that was PREPARED for the COMING Of the LORD JESUS, the MESSIAH the LORD and KING.
NOTES on 1: 5 The whole of JUDEA and JERUSALEM is rocked by JOHN'S presence. The tense of BAPTIZED stresses that it took place continually over a lenght of time. The condition for BAPTISM (by water) was a PUBLIC RESPONSE, by which and in which one CONFESSED his sins.
That was the MESSAGE that JOHN was "SENT" to do.
1. PREACH REPENTANCE
2. PREPARE the WAY for the COMING of the LORD.
(My understanding that JOHN'S CALLING WAS: to PREPARE the HEARTS of the people to REPENT, because they were about to come FACE to FACE with the MESSIAH, their hearts had to be ready to TURN TO FACE GOD, and reject their TRADITIONS and WICKEDNESS)
Mark 1: 7 And PREACHED, saying. There is one mightier than I "AFTER" me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.
That is Quite a TESTIMONY to WHO JESUS CHRIST was.. not even JOHN in all of His sacrifice and calling felt WORTHY to even TIE the shoes of JESUS CHRIST. YET, he was obedient in his mission and his calling.
To be honest, when I read that it truly makes me SHIVER in PRAISE and REVERENCE the LORD JESUS. How ONE so AWESOME, could LAY DOWN HIS life for one SUCH as me.
A LITTLE TESTIMONY about JOHN THE BAPTIST:
We know JOHN was PROPHET, SENT before the MESSIAH. JOHN was PROPHESIED to COME.
EVIDENCE of HIS CALLING was revealed by the TESTIMONY and POWER of the HOLY SPIRIT, ie: during the pregnancy of Elizabeth, when the HOLY SPIRIT LEAPED within her belly.
John also lived his life out in the wilderness, wearing camels hair. he did eat locusts and wild honey.
Probably the most SELF-DENIAL position one can be in.
This is ONE Of the MOST PROFOUND SCRIPTURES to me:
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS VERSE, perhaps only through a REVELATION of GOD, but THROUGH this VERSE. I found "WHO" JESUS CHRIST REALLY was, is from the BEGINNING to the END.
THE TESTIMONY of WHO HE REALLY IS and What HE REALLY has done for "ME" The WORK, the obedience, the REVERENCE and the HUMILITY I have found BEFORE HIM. as a man in the flesh and as the VERY SON OF GOD.
MARK 1: 8 I indeed have baptized you with Water: (symbolic of repentance)
BUT HE SHALL BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.
The BAPTISM of JESUS CHRIST is the BAPTISM of the HOLY SPIRIT!!!!!
Those that are BAPTISM ED by JESUS CHRIST:
1. ARE Members of the BODY OF JESUS CHRIST, HE is the head, we are the body.
2. It is with "HIS BAPTISM" "HIS SPIRIT", that one is brought into the REBIRTH and REBORN state and enters into the "KINGDOM OF HEAVEN"
3. IT is ONLY through HIS NAME that this BAPTISM comes, and through NO OTHER NAME.
4. IT was through HIS BIRTH and CONCEPTION by the HOLY SPIRIT, that gives TESTIMONY that it is HIS SPIRIT, and that HE was the only one worthy to be the SACRIFICE for my CONDEMNATION.
5. IT is Through HIS NAME, HIS SACRIFICE, that the VEIL falls from our eyes that we can now go BOLDLY to the THRONE OF GOD.And I SAY HALLELUJAH, PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME for there is NO OTHER NAME in which to be SAVED.
JOHN 3: 5 JESUS answered:
VERILY I say unto thee, EXCEPT a man be born of WATER/REPENTANCE and of the SPIRIT/HOLY SPIRIT, he can not ENTER INTO the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
ALL of that just EXCITES ME MOVE ME, brings me GREAT JOY... MOVES the SPIRIT within ME.. HUMBLES ME, THAT HE IS SO AWESOME, and WORTHY, that THROUGH HIM I am SAVED and brought to NEW LIFE and INTO a NEW KINGDOM.
That is my MOTIVATION to move as the LORD CALLS, to be OBEDIENT to the CALL, To find the strength of self-denial.. FROM the LOVE I have for HIM, because HE FIRST LOVED ME. FOR HE laid down IT ALL: HIS RICHES, GLORY and HONOR, to RESTORE this wretched LOST sinner, that I WOULD BE FOUND and have an ABUNDANT LIFE with HIM as MY LORD and KING FOREVER AND EVER, AMEN and AMEN.
EP 4: 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
I SEE LOVE:
GLORIOUS DAY
ONLY through HIS NAME, HIS DEATH, HIS RESURRECTION am I justified..
FOR IN HIS BLOOD I am forgiven, and I live.
MY LIBERTY, MY LIFE, MY SALVATION, COST HIM EVERYTHING.
Matt 26:For this is my (JESUS CHRIST) blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins
Hbr 9: 22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
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