This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. It began 2 just as the prophet Isaiah had written: “Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
Mark 1:1-8 (NLT)
and he will prepare your way.
3 He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the LORD’s coming!
Clear the road for him!’”
4 This messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven. 5 All of Judea, including all the people of Jerusalem, went out to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. 6 His clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey.
7 John announced: “Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!”
Have you ever seen the TV show “The Voice?” That show where the famous singers have chairs that turn around. They face the crowd as they listen to the voice of a singer trying out. If they like the singer’s voice they turn around. If they don’t like the voice they stay facing the opposite direction. It is the voice that makes them turn around.
The Gospel of Mark begins by describing “The voice” of one crying out in the wilderness, “Prepare the way for the Lord.” This voice of John the Baptist turned people around.
Your Voice Matters Today
It would have been easy for John to think, “What difference can I make?” and simply quit! He could have focused on the crowd instead of God who gave him a message that Jesus was coming! Maybe you are surrounded by people at your school or at work that do not follow God and you feel like your voice does not matter. John used his voice to change his generation. Your voice matters! You have a unique voice that will reach people. Use your voice today!
Your Message Matters Today
The question is what are you using your voice for? We all raise our voice for something. We all feel pressure to join in with someone raising their voice for some cause. Over the last few years there has been so many issues to raise our voice about. There were undoubtably many causes in John’s day as well, but he choose to make his message simple. His message was all about Jesus!
Let’s make our message all about Jesus today! If you are going to post something, post about Jesus. Before you share that news story, share something about Jesus.
If I asked the people in your life what you talk about the most what would they say?
Let us speak to the people in our lives about Jesus. Let’s make Him the topic of our conversations today! Let’s use our voice to let our world know the Jesus is greater than everything. #JesusOverEverything
-Brandon
"Lord, I pray that you would use us today to share who You are with our world! Show us opportunities to use our voice to turn our world around. Help us to speak about you to the people in our lives. Use use to be a voice in the wilderness today. In Jesus Name. Amen"
