prepare mark 1:1-8. christmas focus family traditions vacations heralding
TRANSCRIPT
PrepareMark 1:1-8
Christmas Focus
Family
Traditions
Vacations
Heralding
Heralding
The angels
The star
Gabriel
John
Mark 1:1-8 (NRSV)
1The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way;
Mark 1:1-83the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’” 4John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for
Mark 1:1-8
the forgiveness of sins. 5And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
Mark 1:1-86Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me;
Mark 1:1-8
I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
John
Sent to prepare and proclaim the coming of Jesus
Prepare
What to expect from Jesus
Attitudes and minds
Hearts and souls
Situations and places
Proclaim
The coming of Jesus
Good news for the poor
Release for the oppressed
Hope
John
The one who prepares and proclaims
Not the one who saves the world
The Need
The world is losing hope
In each other
In systems
In God
The Need
Violence, greed, hatred, oppression, corruption, disease, warfare, and despair are everywhere.
The Need
So where is John?
Bringing hope
Bringing repentance
Bringing good news
The Church
The Church is John today
Proclaiming hope
Preparing for Christ
The Church
But do we feel the urgency, the passion, the necessity of doing John’s work?
The Church
We see the needs
Too big
Too far
Too powerful
The Church
But we are not the solution
Jesus is the good news
John just prepares people for Jesus
The Church
Our Role
Identify the needs
Identify the hope
Prepare the people
This Christmas season, let us prepare the world
for the savior.