During this period of Lent we will follow the life and ministry of Jesus as Mark portrays it for us in his Gospel.

Monday March 1st The birth and Preparation of Jesus- the Servant
I will send my messenger ahead of you who will prepare your way…Mark 1 v2
Mark begins his narrative by quoting 2 O.T. prophets, Mal.3 v1 and Is. 40 v3 . He wants his hearers to know that what he is about to say has its basis firmly set in the teaching of the O.T.  God had made a promise to His ancient
People that He would send a Redeemer & that a messenger, ‘one calling in the desert’ would prepare the way for him. Although there had been no prophet in Israel for 400 years, there was a rising tide of excitement and expectation that God was about to fulfil that promise.
Father, thank you for your great and precious promises. Help us to know that nothing gives you greater joy than to see your people placing their trust firmly in your Word and refusing to give up hope.

Tuesday March 2nd                                                                          Mark 1 v 4
And so John came, baptising in the desert region & preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins…
To baptise a Jew as a sign of repentance was a radical departure from Jewish custom. It was a visible sign that a person wanted to change his /her life, giving up a sinful & selfish way of living & turning to God. By doing this John signalled the start of a new way to relate to God. God values a reformed heart above religious ritual.
Reflect- Is change needed in your life before you can hear & understand Jesus’ message?  You have to admit that you need forgiveness before you can accept it.
Wednesday 3rd March                                                                    Mark 1 v 7
And this was John’s message,’ After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down & untie.
John’s preaching was to prepare people to accept Jesus as God’s Son. He is careful to point out how insignificant he was compared to the One who was coming. Yet in Luke 7 v 28 Jesus said that John was the greatest of all prophets. What a lesson in humility we see here-no sense of pride or arrogance, only a total commitment to God’s call on his life.
Lord, give us a true perspective of who you are. Enlarge our vision of you so that we may cultivate that same attitude of humility that John had of himself

Thursday 4th March.                                                                        Mark 1 v 8
I baptise you with water, but He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.
John’s baptism was to demonstrate repentance, humility & a willingness to turn from sin. When Jesus baptises with the Holy Spirit however, the entire person is transformed by the Spirit’s power.  Jesus offers to us both the forgiveness of sin & the power to live for Him evidenced by a changed life.
Reflect-John condemned the religious leaders of his day because they had a form of godliness but denied its power. The power comes when you make Jesus the Lord of your life.

Friday 5th March                                                                                Mark1 v 9
At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised by John in the Jordan…
If John’s baptism was for the forgiveness of sin, why was Jesus baptised since he was sinless?  In Matt. Ch.3 we see how surprised John was at Jesus’ request for baptism. Jesus response was,’ it is proper for us to do this to fulfil all righteousness.’ Jesus baptism was one step in fulfilling his earthly mission of identifying with our humanity & sin. But it was also a very public demonstration of his consecration & commitment to be totally obedient to his Father’s will.
Reflect- For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. John 6 v 38.

Saturday 6th March                                                                          Mark 1 v 10-11
As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open & the Spirit descending on him like a dove.  And a voice from heaven came; ‘You are my Son, whom I love, with you I am well pleased.’
This moment was the culmination of John’s ministry- he had been sent to prepare the way for God’s Messiah.  What now for John?  In John’s Gospel ch.3 we hear him say, ‘He ( Jesus)  must become greater, I must become less.’
Reflect- It is easy to grow jealous of the popularity of another person’s ministry. But we must remember that our true mission is to influence people to follow Christ- not us.

Sunday 7th March                                                                             Mark 1 v 12
At once the Spirit sent Jesus out into the desert & he was there for 40 days, being tempted by Satan.
Jesus ministry was about to begin.  What was his next step?  A time of preparation, solitude, prayer & fasting- communion with his Father.   It was then, seeing Jesus at his most vulnerable that Satan mounted his challenge. We all know that when we are under physical/emotional stress , that temptation is hard to resist. Jesus demonstrates for us here the inner strength that comes  to help us at these times of testing, when we can draw on our relationship with the Father & our knowledge of God’s Word.

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Please visit the following links for inspirational daily meditations.

Word for Today - UCB daily devotional
http://www.ucb.co.uk/word_for_today

Word 4U 2Day - Youth daily devotional
http://www.ucb.co.uk/index.cfm?itemid=92