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Prepare the Way

Mark 1:1-8

By Robert D. Pace

John the Baptist was no psychologist but he understood human nature.  Being a prophet he didn't prescribe his counsel through psychotherapy or clinical psychology, he prescribed his remedy through a "thus saith the Lord" approach. And he was quite effective in his methodology.

That's because John understood the nature of sin and what it did to men.

 

He knew the burden it laid on men's heart.

 

He knew how it plagued the conscience.

 

He knew those that lived a double-life were conflicted and like the tossing sea that could never find rest.

 

And he understood the emptiness people felt when they left God out of their lives.

 

Human nature doesn't change; this is what people struggle with today.  In order for the soul to be free people must overcome their struggle against sin.  As long as sin dominates our life there is no relief for the heart, no peace for the mind, and no comfort for the soul.

 

For years modernism and pop psychology have scoffed at the theology of sin and contended it didn't exist or that it was more of a nuisance than something that should be dealt with.  And yet the psychiatrists have counseled and medicated a steady stream of people trying to deal with guilt and shame.

 

Even though man denies sin the burden of his heart betrays him.  In fact, sin has driven many people to suicide.  And contrary to the secularists (who delight in deleting God from the equation), it is human instinct for man to appeal for a heavenly savior to deliver him from the pain of sin.

 

John the Baptist understood this.  And he said the reason the human heart was burdened and the conscience felt guilt is because man is guilty!  John wouldn't let people shift the blame and become the victim, he told the rich and poor, kings and peasants, and soldiers and tax collectors they were to blame for their sin.

 

But he was quick to offer his hearers a remedy for their sin.  He assured them that the answer was in repenting and turning to Christ.

 

(Transition)  I want to look at John's message for a moment because when you investigate it, it's quiet remarkable.

 

John's Message—Repent!

 

John was handpicked by the Lord to announce the dawning of the Kingdom of God and its Messiah.  The sick would be healed, blind eyes would open, the dead would rise, and good would triumph over evil.  John announced the coming of One greater than all the kings, prophets, and sages that had ever lived. This Messiah, whose shoes John wasn't worthy to untie, was coming with transformational power.

 

But first, the way had to be prepared so that men could receive this King; there was a prerequisite.  But I want you to notice the course of action John didn't suggest in order to "prepare the way" for the Messiah.

 

John didn't suggest civil disobedience.

He didn't order a coup to depose Caesar from Rome or Herod from the Holy Land.

 

He didn't try to form a separate State that would isolate itself from Roman authority.

 

John's message to "prepare the way of the Lord" had nothing to do with a political insurgence, although he did use an axe as a weapon.  The Bible says John "laid the axe at the root of the tree," which was the heart of men, and commanded men to repent.

 

(Emphasis)  John said that the path to a new beginning, the path that would lead to a transformed life, was not overturning external powers it was dealing with internal values.

 

John's message was: "Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, [and] the rugged places a plain."

 

But what does all this imagery mean to "raise the valleys, level the mountains, and smooth the rugged places"? How do we translate that into everyday living?

 

John calls us to rise from the valleys of bitterness and treat people with respect.

 

He calls us to flatten the mountains of personal pride and self-centeredness.

 

He calls us to straighten the crooked places where we have hurt or belittled others or even dealt deceitfully.

 

He tells us to smooth the offensive edges of our character and allow the fruit of the Spirit to govern our behavior.

 

This is how we "prepare the way" for Christ to impact our life, and it's called "Repentance!"  It's changing our mind, our thoughts, our direction, and our actions that are contrary to God's ways.  Repentance is the starting point for claiming a new beginning and a spiritual transformation.

 

And this is true for Christians as well as sinners.  God calls everyone to deal with matters that are offensive and contrary to His ways.

 

How do you think people felt when John the Baptist arrived with his message of repentance?  I think they were nervous, uncomfortable, and terribly convicted.  But being nervous, uncomfortable, and convicted isn't necessarily bad.  In fact, it's what leads people to healing and wholeness.

 

(Transition)  Many Christians want God to move in demonstrable ways in their lives.  They want God to answer their prayers and even work supernaturally if the occasion calls for it.  But they won't deal with the part of their untamed character they think is necessary to survive the rat race.

   

Christians Must Thrive not Merely Exist

 

(Illustration)  I remember a "Christian" man telling me something that astounded me.  He said, "Sometimes you have to use an obscene gesture to survive the ratrace when you drive in heavy traffic."  And yes, he was serious!

 

You and I are going to have to decide something.  Do we want to survive or thrive?  We can hold onto our unbridled nature and probably survive in the world.  But if you want to thrive with God and enjoy His presence and peace and joy then you'll have to "prepare the way" and let go of some things.  It's the only way the King, with all of His glory, will come in.

 

Unfortunately, the Church and many Christians have learned how to merely exist but not how to thrive with God! I want you to examine yourself right now and ask yourself: Am I merely existing or am I thriving with Christ?

 

The Lord said: "The kingdom of heaven is at hand" and within that kingdom there is joy and peace and comfort and happiness.   Do you merely exist or are you thriving with these blessings?

 

The Lord said that He came to "give us life and give it to us more abundantly."  Do you merely exist or are you thriving with this promise?

 

The Lord said that He would make our lives meaningful and use us to accomplish His purposes. Do you merely exist with your own agenda, or are you thriving in the perfect will of God?

 

 Repenting and changing your direction is the key to unlocking your life from merely existing to thriving with God.

 

There's a challenging passage of Scripture in Hosea 10 that discloses how God rains His spiritual refreshing on our lives.  Hosea 10:11 says:  "Judah must plow, and Jacob must break up the ground."  Doesn't that sound exciting?

 

But if we want God to rain on our desert and pour His Spirit upon us we have to thresh, plow, and break up the ground of our heart!  What good would it do for God to rain His blessings upon a hard, stubborn heart?  A hardened heart wouldn't be able to soak in the blessings!

 

Hosea 10:12 says: "Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you."

 

(Illustration)  Awhile back I watched a thirty-year-old man seek a closer walk with God. Kevin attended the men's Wednesday Morning Prayer Meeting and it was evident that the plowing process had begun.  At one of those prayer meetings the Lord impressed me to "pray for the Spirit's gifts to be loosed in Kevin's life." In only a matter of moments Kevin was noticeably touched and praying in the Spirit.  While I was grateful for what happened I didn't understand how significant that moment was.  When we finished praying Kevin said, "That's the first time I've prayed in the Spirit since I was twelve years old!"

 

God's pattern for spiritual refreshment never changes.  The Holy Spirit will transform our lives when we humble ourselves, ‘level the mountains, raise the valleys, and straighten the crooked places.'  God wants to approach us in power and glory, but to do that we have to prepare the way; we have to prepare a highway.  And when that highway is prepared He will rush in.

 

(Illustration)  (NASCAR races are stopped when the slightest obstacle or piece of debris falls on the track.  God wants you to remove the trash so He can run full throttle in your life.)

 

(Illustration)  In the 1800's America's greatest revivalist was Charles G. Finney.  He won thousands to the Lord and was known for carrying a tremendous presence of the Holy Spirit wherever he went.  I've read where factories closed when he came to town and conducted evangelistic crusades.  It's recorded that even on the streets people would fall under the power when Finney stood by them.  But he confessed that occasionally the power would slip away.  Here's what Finney said about it:  "Sometimes I would find myself, in a great measure, empty of   . . . power.  I would go out and visit and find that I made no saving impression.  I would exhort and pray with the same result.  I would then set a day for private fasting and prayer, fearing this power had departed me.  I would inquire anxiously after the reason of this apparent emptiness.  After I humbled myself and cried out for help, the power would return upon me with all its freshness."[i]

 

When we lose God's special touch upon our lives it's time to repent and return to the basics!

 It's time to remove the practices that hinder spiritual effectiveness.  And it doesn't matter what those practices are; if they hinder your spiritual growth and power they should be removed!  

It's time to pray the 51^st Psalm and ask God to disclose the secrets of your heart and see if there is any wicked way that needs to be renounced.

 

It's time to reclaim a prayer life or your devotion to studying God's Word.

 

We can't assume we can bypass repentance and live the abundant life.  Christ is standing at the edge of Heaven's balcony ready to descend with His blessings, but He's not going to pour out His blessings on a stubborn, prideful, unrepentant heart.

 

We have a responsibility to "humble ourselves and pray and seek God's face and turn from our wicked ways" if we want to hear from heaven!

 

The Condition of the Church

 

In the book of Revelation Jesus pointed out a serious problem with the church at Laeodicea.  Christ said that church didn't understand how wretched, miserable, deceived, and powerless it was—which greatly resembles today's mainstream church.

 

Much of the traditional American church has little spiritual power because it operates with computers and programs and professional administrators and it's duped into thinking it's healthy.

 

As long as there is a preacher to make us feel good, musicians and singers to entertain us, and a functional youth program we think everything is OK.  And when the faintest shadow of something supernatural appears we're ready to declare, "Bible days are here again!"

 

We're only deceiving ourselves to act like we're healthy when we're not!  Today's church needs to come face to face with who we really are and deal with it. I know that's a heavy order, but it prepares the way for revival and a spiritual transformation!

 

Conclusion

 

When you open the Gospel of Mark in chapter 1 you'll notice the phrase, "the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ." And then Mark proceeds to unveil what the beginning of the Gospel/Good News is.  And it's repentance.

 

God wants us to know that the Good News begins with repentance.  It prepares the way for Christ to come and bless His people.  That's why we can't ignore the issue of repentance.