Breaking The Silence (Advent 2 2023)

BREAKING THE SILENCE

Text: Mark 1:1 - 8

Mark 1:1-11 The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. (2) As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; (3) the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,'" (4) John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (5) And 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. (6) Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. (7) He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. (8) I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

All four of the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John speak of the ministry of the John the Baptizer who is the messenger who prepares the way for Jesus. A second reason that John’s arrival is such a big deal is because there had not been any prophets for 400 years. Famous theologian Henry Sloane Coffin, once said “[God] … cannot allow it to be said that those who were called to be His people turned out such a disappointment that He had to abandon them”. (George A Buttrick. ed. The Interpreter’s Bible Commentary. “Isaiah Chapters 40 - 66 Exposition.” Nashville: Abingdon Press, thirty eighth printing, 1987, p. 481). Can you imagine 400 years of silence? Would you think that God had given up on His creation?

Today we can take a look at John as the messenger, the hearts of the people and their response.

MESSENGER

If someone appeared in your midst, dressed like John the Baptizer, would it get your attention?

1) Appearance: Keep in mind that John did not show up looking like a GQ model wearing a stylish sport coat made of camel hair. No. John’s look was rustic as well as prophetic. Why? John wore a garment of camel's hair, and a leather belt around his waist. That is the very description of the raiment which Elijah had worn (2 Kings 1:8)”. (William Barclay. The Daily Study Bible Series:The Gospel of Matthew. Volume 1. Revised Edition. Philadephia: Wsetminster Press, 1975). I’m sure John’s belt was not made with a buckle but one that he likely had rustically tied around his waist. John’s clothing was an indicator of who he was and why he had come.

2) His diet: ”Locust and honey were a common diet for wilderness regions”. (Life Application New Testament Commentary). You can pass me the honey but please withhold the locust.

3) Message: John the Baptizer was coming in the power and the spirit of Elijah “... to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord" (Luke 1:17 NRSV). This is a big deal because “Paternal love had died out. This is one of the first results of conversion, the revival of love in the home”. (Word Pictures in the New Testament (A. T. Robertson) . Isn’t that kind of reconciliation needed in every age? How many families are divided or alienated because of conflicts or disagreements? How is true reconciliation possible without repentance? How could we ever be restored without the Lord Jesus Christ?

What was the messenger’s mission?

1) Mission: The Messenger John the Baptist had a mission was not only to come in the “spirit of Elijah” , but also to make a way for the Savior, Jesus Christ. Both Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3 connect to the dots of John the Baptizer’s ministry converging on the point of “making a way for Jesus” as is mentioned by all four Gospels (Matthew 3: 2, Mark 1:2, Luke 3:4 and John 1:23).

2) Investigation: John’s Gospel tells us that the Pharisees started asking John the Baptizer questions about who he was? Was it because there had not been a prophet on the scene for 400 years? As religious leaders shouldn't they have been aware of the prophecy of the forerunner of Jesus the Messiah mentioned by both Isaiah and Malachi? Were they asking because they were truly curious or because they were playing the role of the gate-keeper ?

HEARTS

Don’t we all use the heart as a metaphor for emotion?

1) Hearts: In scripture, the heart is used as a metaphor for the seat of our emotions. Jesus speaks of the heart as a type of reservoir ---the source of the speech that overflows from the heart which speaks of both the good and the evil stored within our hearts (Matthew 12:34).