MARK 1:1-8
Therefore, he denied himself; he actually practiced self-denial. What a lesson for all believers, preachers, and
laymen alike! (Ro.14:17).
“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross, and follow me” (Mt.16:24).
“And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple”
(Lk.14:27).
“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the
deeds of the body, ye shall live” (Ro.8:13).
“And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts”
(Gal.5:24).
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1:7-8) Preaching: the message of God’s messenger was twofold.
1. The preeminence of Christ and the nothingness of self. John said he himself was less than a slave. Slaves were
the ones who loosed the sandals of guests and washed their feet. John said the One coming was so mighty, he was not even
worthy to untie His sandals, much less wash His feet.
2. The power of Christ. John said he could minister only physical substance: water baptism, a baptism that could only
point toward God. But the One coming, the Messiah, would minister spiritual reality, the baptism of the Spirit of God Himself.
Thought 1. The message of the messenger is to point to Christ and to Him alone.
Thought 2. The glorious message of the gospel is twofold.
1) The “One mightier than I” has come, the One who rises above all men and holds the answer for all men.
“He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh
of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all” (Jn.3:31).
“Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am” (Jn.13:13).
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Je-
sus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36).
“For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of
the dead and living” (Ro.14:9).
“But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and
one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him” (1 Cor.8:6).
“And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the
dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence” (Col.1:18).
2) The One who can “baptize [immerse] us with the Holy Spirit” of God has come. The One who can fill us with
“the divine nature” and save us from “the corruption that is in the world” has come (2 Pt.1:4).
“And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Je-
rusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high” (Lk.24:49).
“He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of
living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive:
for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified” (Jn.7:38-39).
“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide
with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth
him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in
you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you” (Jn.14:16-18).
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not
away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you”
(Jn.16:7).
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be
witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the utter-
most part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of
Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts
2:38).
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