Slices
Prepare
Have you ever seen a demolition site? Not pretty. What might God want to clear away in your life so that he can get to work this New Year?
Bible passage
John the Baptist prepares the way
1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way’ –
3 ‘a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
“Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.”’
4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptised by him in the River Jordan. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt round his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: ‘After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptise you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.’
Explore
Mark gets straight to the point: God is up to something big. He’s been planning this since before the dawn of creation. He is not sending a message, but a messenger. He is not waiting for humankind to be ready; he is going to make us ready. He is taking the initiative and that is good news!
The world is about to come under new management. The transition will not be smooth or peaceful. The old regime will not quietly surrender and the new supreme leader will not meet normal expectations. There will be demolition before there is a new building. This will not be easy.
So Mark introduces us to John the Baptist, the demolition specialist whose role is to clear the site for the works to come. John is obviously a charismatic personality who can draw crowds out of the cities and towns into the wilderness with a very disturbing warning about the human condition. Alerting people about sin and its consequences gains John his notoriety, but it will also cost him his life. In so many ways John makes a straight path for Jesus.
Respond
Like John, we are called to point others towards Jesus in awkward or costly ways. Is there a path Jesus is asking you to straighten? It may be to a person, a community or in response to injustice. Ask for strength to do this
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Genesis 1,2; Matthew 1
Pray for Scripture Union
Pray for Chris Clark, village worker for Mission Partner Coniston Christian Fellowship. Ask for God’s help as he seeks to share the good news of Jesus through clubs, schools work, and community involvement, working alongside the Parish Council to support warm spaces and to respond to the needs of villagers.
