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repentance

Mark 1:4&5
"4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
5 And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins."

You and I know the Gospel events, and we have the word of God to read and study. All of us can read and appreciate the words of the Apostle John we read yesterday. "Behold, what manner of LOVE the Father hath bestowed upon US, that WE SHOULD be called the SONS of GOD: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not."

The world doesn't know our Lord and Savior. Much of it is willful ignorance. When someone wants to know Jesus there are plentiful places to help them. And, there are several times during the year when it's right to get to know Jesus. One of them is the Epiphany.  Observed on January 6, it is the OLDEST of the Christmas festivals and ORIGINALLY the MOST important. It is also a season that lasts until the beginning of LENT. During these weeks it's right and proper to remember the events that revealed the divinity of Jesus Christ. 

This week we will study Jesus's Baptism from the verses of Mark's Gospel. Today's verses "John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of REPENTANCE for the REMISSION of sins. And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins." The Baptizer is the voice calling out in the wilderness making way for the Messiah. He is telling everyone who will listen that the Savior is about to arrive. John offers them the chance to repent of their sins and turn their hearts and minds towards GOD!
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