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1:2 正如先知以赛亚（注：有古卷没有以赛亚三个字）书上记着说：“看哪，我要差遣我的使者在你前面，预备道路。” 1:3 “在旷野有人声喊着说：‘预备主的道，修直他的路。’” 1:4 照这话，约翰来了，在旷野施洗，传悔改的洗礼，使罪得赦。1:5 犹太全地和耶路撒冷的人都出去到约翰那里，承认他们的罪，在约旦河里受他的洗。1:6 约翰穿骆驼毛的衣服，腰束皮带，吃的是蝗虫野蜜。1:7 他传道说：“有一位在我以后来的，能力比我更大，我就是弯腰给他解鞋带也是不配的。1:8 我是用水给你们施洗，他却要用圣灵给你们施洗。”
约翰的事工很奇怪，但很有效。他没有在耶路撒冷的城镇或街道上讲道。他没有去找以色列百姓，而是百姓来找他。我认为这是有好处的。这就像是停下手头的事情，休息一会儿。我们常常试图在忙碌的生活中加入一点点信仰。但这样并不好。即使在周日早上，我们也迫不及待地想回家看足球比赛，或者做其他我们排在日程表上的事情。当神对我们说话时，需要我们停下来，也需要一颗专心的心来仔细聆听。
施洗约翰甚至穿的也很奇怪，吃奇怪的食物。他穿着粗糙的衣服，骆驼毛制作的，应该不太舒服。你有没有想过他吃的蝗虫是烤的还是煎的?他是一个生活在野外的人，他的衣着和饮食都很相称。他一点也不装腔作势。也许这就是为什么人们一开始觉得他很有趣。
听众真正感兴趣的是施洗约翰所传达的信息。也许他奇怪的穿着和饮食，以及他在旷野的讲道，帮助人们把注意力从他身上，转移到他所宣讲的那一位身上。施洗约翰来把他们指向耶稣，神所应许给他们的那位弥赛亚。施洗约翰来向百姓传讲悔改和赦免的信息，是为了让他们为耶稣的到来做好准备。实际上，施洗约翰的信息与我们今天所宣扬的信息并无不同。我们能做的最好的事，就是传讲悔改和赦免，并把人指向耶稣基督。
祷告：主耶稣啊，在我们学习圣经时，求你帮助我在每一处都看到你，因为整本圣经都是关于你的见证。在我的教导和分享中，让我展示你和你所做的一切。祷告奉你的名，阿们。
Mark 1:5-8: 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, 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 baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” NIV)
John had a strange, but effective, ministry. He did not preach in the towns or the streets of Jerusalem. Instead of going to the people, the people came out to him. I think there was an advantage to that. It was like taking a time out. Too often, we try to sandwich a little religion into our busy lives. It just doesn’t work that way. Even on Sunday morning, we can’t wait to get home for the football game, or for whatever else we have packed into our weekly schedule. It takes time, and it takes an undivided heart to listen carefully when God speaks to us.
He even dressed strangely and ate strange food. He dressed in rough clothing, like blue jeans and flannel but much less comfortable. Did you ever wonder if he baked or roasted or stir fried his grasshopper treats? Hmm. He was a man of the wilderness, and his clothing and diet matched. There was nothing pretentious about him. Maybe that’s why people found him so interesting—at first.
What really interested his listeners was the message. Perhaps his strange clothing and diet and his preaching in the wilderness helped to direct people’s attention away from himself to the One whom he came to proclaim. John came to introduce them to Jesus, their promised Messiah. John came to prepare them for Jesus by preaching repentance and forgiveness. His message is no different, really, than the message we proclaim today. We can do no better than to preach repentance and forgiveness and to introduce people to Jesus.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, in my learning, help me to see you in all of Scriptures, because they testify about you. In my teaching and sharing, let me showcase you and all that you have done. I ask this in your name. Amen.