Mark 1:7-8 - The Forerunner's Message

Mark 1:7-8
7 And he was preaching, and saying, “After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals. 8 I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Message: The Forerunner's Message

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word immediately used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying:

Mark's Gospel begins with the address that this is the gospel of Jesus Christ. John the Baptist will prepare the way for the Lord. John was dressed as a prophet and started with the subject of water baptism, confessing sin, and forgiveness. His purpose in speaking was not to elevate himself, but instead to elevate the One who is coming. 

The One Coming
He begins to describe the One who is coming after him. He says he is mightier - in nature, in his office, in mission, in works, in deeds and in words. Mark speaks of the magnitude of this man by stating how unworthy he is to even untie his sandals. To stoop down and loosen the sandals was commonly the act of the servant who afterwards carried them. In essence, John is saying that he is not even worthy to be this man's servant. Mark I believe wants us to understand the greatness of this One coming. He has been baptizing people, but this One will baptize with the Holy Spirit. Again, he is so much more. 

The Holy Spirit
I picked up a book recently by Francis Chan called Forgotten God. It is about the Holy Spirit and his concern that the church today and Christians today, at least in the circles he is involved in, don't have a strong emphasis on the Holy Spirit. And as I look at this verse from Mark, I wonder the same thing as he points out the baptism or the picture of renewal is brought forth by the Holy Spirit. 

These verses speak of the significance of the pouring out of the Spirit: 

• Isaiah 44:3 - I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring and My blessing on your descendants; 

• Joel 2:28 - It will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; 

• Acts 1:5 - for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now; 

• Acts 2:4 - And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit;  

• Acts 2:17 - ‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says, ‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind;  

• Acts 10:45  - All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also;  

• I Corinthians 12:13 - For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit

1. The Spirit of God is promised by the Savior to convict the world of sin: John 16:8 - And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. 
2. The Spirit of God will enlighten or teach: John 14:26 - But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. John 16:13 - But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.
3. He will comfort in the absence of the Savior: John 14:18: I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. John 16:7 - But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
4. He will change hearts: Titus 3:5 - He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

Promise: That John in the wilderness foresaw the Spirit coming again also points to Jesus as the leader of a new exodus, one that will accomplish an even greater work of salvation on behalf of His chosen servants. 

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for the way in which you orchestrated the coming of Your Son and the sending forth of Your Spirit. Help me Lord to further embrace and understand the work of the Spirit in my life. Thank you that the Spirit works continually, convicting the world of sin, enlightening and teaching, comforting, and changing hearts, my heart. Thank you for being active and that you aren't waiting on me to be receptive. But, help me to acknowledge and praise You in the way you are meant to be praised. Keep me humble and deeply in Love with you each day. 

Study Question: Do you think your understanding of the Spirit of God or the Holy Spirit has changed over the years since you trusted in Christ as Savior? That he comes to convict the world of sin, enlighten or teach, comfort us, and change hearts. Have you thought about the fact that right now, today, the Holy Spirit is speaking to you and teaching you in your life?