Mark 1:6-8

There is much to be learned by these passages. 

The fact that the outward appearance of someone should not matter to any of us.

 It is the world that tries to dictate how we view people….and we are not to be under the control of this world. Each person is formed from the womb by the Almighty, uniquely made by Him and has intrinsic value to us in society as a whole and especially in the Body of Christ, His Church!

We are all sinners. All unrighteous. All unworthy. 

Without the salvation of Jesus we are alone. We are bereft. We are without hope. 

Without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit we are unable to understand the spiritual things of the Christ.

The angel Gabriel (the name means “mighty one of God”) announced to Zacharias that his son John would “go before Him [Christ] in the spirit and power of Elijah.” John’s characteristic message was to promote expectancy and acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ. He said he was not worthy to loosen the Messiah’s sandal strap. Students often performed menial tasks for their rabbis, but even they were not expected to remove someone’s sandals. That task was left to slaves. John humbly understood and accepted his own role in the coming Kingdom.

The prediction that Christ will baptize you with the Holy Spirit appears in each Gospel and was repeated by Christ in Acts 1:5 as being “not many days from now.”

Mark 1:6-8

⁶ Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷ And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. ⁸ I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

¹¹ I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 

Matthew 3:11

²⁷ It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.” 

John 1:27

⁵ for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 

Acts 1:5

²² And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 

John 20:22

⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 

Acts 2:4

¹³ For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 

1 Corinthians 12:13

³For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring; 

Isaiah 44:3