Introduction to Mark’s Gospel - JESUS THE MESSIAH, THE SERVANT, Ron Ward
MAKE STRAIGHT PATHS FOR HIM
Passage: Mark 1:1~8  
Key verse: 3
John the Baptist Prepares the Way(A)
1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah,[a] the Son of God,[b](B) 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way”[c](C)—
3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”[d](D)
4 And so John the Baptist(E) appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance(F) for the forgiveness of sins.(G) 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist,(H) and he ate locusts(I) 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.(J) 8 I baptize you with[e] water, but he will baptize you with[f] the Holy Spirit.”(K)
Footnotes
Cross references
- Mark 1:1 : 1:2-8pp — Mt 3:1-11; Lk 3:2-16
- Mark 1:1 : S Mt 4:3
- Mark 1:2 : Mal 3:1; Mt 11:10; Lk 7:27
- Mark 1:3 : Isa 40:3; Jn 1:23
- Mark 1:4 : S Mt 3:1
- Mark 1:4 : ver 8; Jn 1:26, 33; Ac 1:5, 22; 11:16; 13:24; 18:25; 19:3, 4
- Mark 1:4 : Lk 1:77
- Mark 1:6 : 2Ki 1:8
- Mark 1:6 : Lev 11:22
- Mark 1:7 : Ac 13:25
- Mark 1:8 : Isa 44:3; Joel 2:28; Jn 1:33; Ac 1:5; 2:4; 11:16; 19:4-6
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
This messenger was John the Baptist. He was a messenger of Jesus to prepare the way for him. He appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The way to prepare our heart for Jesus is by repentance. We can see that people were thirsty for Jesus, the Messiah. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem came to John. They came out and confessed their sins and were baptized. They were ready to receive the messiah in their hearts. By repenting, they made a straight path for Jesus to their hearts.
Jesus cannot come into a heart cluttered with many sins. When we repent of our sins before Jesus and make straight paths for him in our heart, Jesus is ready to come in.
Prayer: Lord, please help us to repent of all our known and unknown sins so that Jesus may come into our hearts.
One Word: Repent, and make straight paths for Jesus