<html><head></head><body><div><div><div><div>Mark 1;1-3</div><div><br></div><div><b>1. &nbsp;The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.</b></div><div><b>2. &nbsp;As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way;</b></div><div><b>3. &nbsp;the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight—“</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div>Prophets speak what God commands them to speak. &nbsp;To whom is the prophet Isaiah speaking?</div><div><br></div><div>Isaiah is speaking to the pre-incarnate Christ, the Logos, the Word which would become flesh.</div><div>Notice Isaiah says, <i>“thy face…thy way”. </i>The Word of God (through Isaiah) is speaking to the Word of God (not yet conceived) about the Word of God!</div><div><br></div><div>He will have a <i>“face”,</i>&nbsp;a <i>“way”, </i>and&nbsp;be given the divine title, <i>“the Lord”.</i></div><div><i><br></i></div><div>To whom is the Word of God commanding, <i>“make his paths straight”</i>? &nbsp;This is usually preached as to mean all people should repent, and this is certainly correct.</div><div><br></div><div>However, if we consider that Jesus himself is hearing the Father’s voice through the prophet Isaiah, then the phrase, <i>“make his paths straight” </i>takes on additional meaning. &nbsp;This phrase concerning <i>“straight paths” &nbsp;</i>becomes an exhortation and a command&nbsp;from the Father to the Son to be dedicated, devoted, unswerving, committed, destined, appointed, unchanging, and&nbsp;unwavering in the body he will receive.</div><div><br></div><div>Jesus heard his Father speaking to him through Isaiah. &nbsp;He&nbsp;receive his commission&nbsp;and answers&nbsp;back to the Father, <i>“when Christ came into the world, he said, </i>(to the Father) <i>‘Sacrifices and offerings thou has not desired, <u>but a body thou hast prepared for me;</u>&nbsp; in burnt offerings and sin offerings thou hast taken no pleasure. &nbsp;Then I&nbsp;</i><span>(Jesus) </span><i>said, ‘<u>Lo, I have come to do thy will</u>, O God, ‘ as it is written of me in the roll of the book.” &nbsp;</i><span>(Hebrews 10;5-7)</span></div><div><br></div><div>Of course we know that the will of the Father was for&nbsp;our own salvation, but, animal sacrifices only foreshadowed the ultimate perfect and final sacrifice for sin, the precious, holy, innocent, blood and death of Jesus the Son of God. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Jesus was given a body so that the Son of God, the Word, the Logos, could suffer and die for us. &nbsp;He was to be our Savior who would rescue us from sin,&nbsp;death, and our enemy Satan.</div><div><br></div><div>The <i>“straight path” </i>for Jesus to walk was directly to the cross and tomb. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>How does this understanding of the preaching of John and Isaiah shed light on the 23rd Psalm,</div><div><i>“He leaders me in the&nbsp;paths of righteousness.” </i>? &nbsp;Is there a ‘death’ appointed for us too? &nbsp;Yes!</div><div>Christ’s own death becomes ours to share in through our baptism into Christ. &nbsp;(see, Romans 6;1-4)</div><div><br></div><div>Prayer: &nbsp;Merciful Father, as the Son listened and obeyed your holy will, bless us to as well, for we are now in Christ. &nbsp;In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.</div><div><br></div><div>Love,</div><div>Dad/Baba/Eric</div><div>Grandpa Pickle Pastor</div><div>“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word. &nbsp;God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”</div><br><br><div><a href="https://mail.onelink.me/107872968?pid=nativeplacement&amp;c=Global_Acquisition_YMktg_315_Internal_EmailSignature&amp;af_sub1=Acquisition&amp;af_sub2=Global_YMktg&amp;af_sub3=&amp;af_sub4=100000604&amp;af_sub5=EmailSignature__Static_" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><br></div></div></div></div></body></html>

Mark 1;1-3
1.  The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.2.  As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way;3.  the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight—“
Prophets speak what God commands them to speak.  To whom is the prophet Isaiah speaking?
Isaiah is speaking to the pre-incarnate Christ, the Logos, the Word which would become flesh.Notice Isaiah says, “thy face…thy way”. The Word of God (through Isaiah) is speaking to the Word of God (not yet conceived) about the Word of God!
He will have a “face”, a “way”, and be given the divine title, “the Lord”.
To whom is the Word of God commanding, “make his paths straight”?  This is usually preached as to mean all people should repent, and this is certainly correct.
However, if we consider that Jesus himself is hearing the Father’s voice through the prophet Isaiah, then the phrase, “make his paths straight” takes on additional meaning.  This phrase concerning “straight paths”  becomes an exhortation and a command from the Father to the Son to be dedicated, devoted, unswerving, committed, destined, appointed, unchanging, and unwavering in the body he will receive.
Jesus heard his Father speaking to him through Isaiah.  He receive his commission and answers back to the Father, “when Christ came into the world, he said, (to the Father) ‘Sacrifices and offerings thou has not desired, but a body thou hast prepared for me;  in burnt offerings and sin offerings thou hast taken no pleasure.  Then I (Jesus) said, ‘Lo, I have come to do thy will, O God, ‘ as it is written of me in the roll of the book.”  (Hebrews 10;5-7)
Of course we know that the will of the Father was for our own salvation, but, animal sacrifices only foreshadowed the ultimate perfect and final sacrifice for sin, the precious, holy, innocent, blood and death of Jesus the Son of God.  
Jesus was given a body so that the Son of God, the Word, the Logos, could suffer and die for us.  He was to be our Savior who would rescue us from sin, death, and our enemy Satan.
The “straight path” for Jesus to walk was directly to the cross and tomb.  
How does this understanding of the preaching of John and Isaiah shed light on the 23rd Psalm,“He leaders me in the paths of righteousness.” ?  Is there a ‘death’ appointed for us too?  Yes!Christ’s own death becomes ours to share in through our baptism into Christ.  (see, Romans 6;1-4)
Prayer:  Merciful Father, as the Son listened and obeyed your holy will, bless us to as well, for we are now in Christ.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Love,Dad/Baba/EricGrandpa Pickle Pastor“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.  God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”

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