Simple Man, Simple Message: John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Mar 1:5 And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. Mar 1:6 And John was clothed with camels hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; Mar 1:7 And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. Mar 1:8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. Good morning. The simple directions John the Baptist gave are found in these verses. John was a simple man with a very simple message. I doubt very seriously he would get a hearing if he showed up in America today? His message and his mannerisms would likely exclude him from a large majority of the churches and many would laugh at him and mock him just like many of the well established religious leaders of his day did. So what was his message? Repentance. A novel idea? Not really. But as religion had muddied the waters so much it was needful that John the Baptist clear and clean things up a bit in order to prepare for Jesus. Thats the thing about religion, it doesnt always prepare us for Jesus. Religion can err by trying to tell us what we can get by with and what we really have to do in order to get into heaven. The bigger the religion the less it tends to press the subject of repentance. Repentance simply being a change of mind and heart and direction in regards to sin. John was sent to turn a peoples hearts toward the LORD. Hearts caught up on rules and regulations arent focused on Jesus. Certainly there are some things involved in relationships but one can never really have a relationship with a religion while we very much can and should have a relationship with Jesus. But, sin gets in our way and we cant see Jesus or dont even want to see Jesus so its easier and we think better to just be religious. Repentance clears all that religious stuff away. Confession of sins is healthy and cathartic and very much needed. One of the greatest aspects of recovery programs is the forced aspect of confessing your sins to God, yourself and someone you know and trust. There again we find the corruption of religion. Confession is not done so the church can forgive me and tell me what I need to do to atone for my sins. Confession is not done so some unknown individual holds my dirty laundry as a constant threat to my reputation. Repentance and confession are two sides of the same coin. It helps me to come clean so that I can in fact go in a different direction without all that weight of sin on my shoulders. Religion seems to want to keep us carrying just enough weight that we have to keep coming back to pay for what we did wrong. John knew people couldnt pay for their sins. Generations had tried and failed. Religion had succeeded in making the way crooked and confusing and profitable, at least for the religion. John, well he wasnt in it for the profit and his message was simple and his directions easy to follow. Repent and be baptized, Jesus is coming! Very quickly his message took you from your sin to the Savior. Baptism at Johns hands was cleansing and a public confession and profession that you were a sinner in need of a Savior. It was public and it was embarrassing and it was very much needed by all, even the most religious person in Israel. Many scoffed and many mocked but many more were cut to the heart by Johns simple message of repentance and baptism. Sadly the Christian religion of today seems to have lost most of the meaning of both parts of his simple and yet very effective message. Have you repented of your sins? Have you been immersed by a local church? Love, Brother Randell
Posted on: Fri, 21 Mar 2014 11:42:03 +0000
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