I wanted to start by sharing with you the tale of an idiot—an idiot who threw away everything: his education, his career, his home. An idiot who did so in spite of good counsel, stern admonition, and even full-throated rebuke. An idiot who pursued his own destruction with reckless abandon, somehow believing it was a good thing.
You might be thinking, “Pastor, who is this idiot? Do you know him?” And in the words of Old Ben Kenobi, “Of course I know him. He’s me!”
It’s funny—when Wayne Alguire, the outgoing Transitional Pastor, told me SunRidge was doing an “Our Stories” series that would end just before I arrived, I couldn’t have been more excited. From my second interview, I knew that if the Lord saw fit to trust me with SunRidge, I wanted my story to be the first message I gave. So thank you for letting me bring this series to a close with mine.
Rebellion, Not Wilderness
Some 23 years ago, I was living in my pastor’s spare room, attending Bible college, and working as a church intern. Then it all fell apart. Sin was crouching at the door, and I swung it wide open and said, “Come on in!”
What brought me down? Scripture describes three categories of sin: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.
- Pride of life: reputation, influence, glory — we’ll call that Power.
- Lust of the eyes: greed, materialism, money — we’ll call that Possessions.
- Lust of the flesh: gratification, indulgence, sex — we’ll call that Pleasure.
If we’re honest, we’re all weak in at least one of these areas. For me, it was pleasure. It was a girl. And—to my shame—I engaged in a sexual relationship (not with the woman who would become my wife) and hid it from the church for several months. Then, because I wanted to see just how quickly I could destroy my life, I started seeing a second girl at the same time. The second one—whom I met at Bible college—quickly found out about the first and, rightly, reported me to the school leadership. My pastor was brought into a meeting, and all of my misdeeds were laid out. I tried to deny it, but I could no longer hide.
So I ran. I left the church, the school, my home, and even my faith. For years I called this my wilderness experience—aimless, directionless, probably sinful, and far from God. Just floatin’, driftin’, spittin’ in the wind. General waywardness.
But church, the wilderness has gotten an undeservedly bad reputation. I now contend that what I experienced then was not wilderness; it was rebellion. And the story of how God called me out of rebellion and into the wilderness is incredible—but we’ll tuck that into our pockets and return to it later.
Scripture
Now, let’s read Mark 1:1–8 from the New Living Translation (NLT):
(Mark 1:1–8, NLT) 1 This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. It began 2 just as the prophet Isaiah had written:
“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way.
3 He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’”
4 This messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.
5 All of Judea, including all the people of Jerusalem, went out to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.
6 His clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey.
7 John announced: “Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals.
8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!”
Verse by Verse Study
This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. It began—
A Brief Tangent on Translations
What an opening salvo! To modern ears it may sound ordinary, but to Romans it was bold and declarative. Quick tangent about translations: anyone who speaks more than one language knows translation is as much art as science—it requires interpretation and editorial choices. Here, my beloved NLT, in my considered opinion, misses the nuance.
Most other translations, including my preferred New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition (NRSVue), render it:
(Mark 1:1, NRSVue) The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ.
This rightly keeps “the beginning” up front. Is the NLT wrong? No—but I think the editors made a less helpful choice here. Should you throw out your NLT for an NRSVue? No. I love the NLT for daily and devotional reading. But if you want to study, there are stronger options. Having multiple translations helps with difficult passages. Should you get an NRSVue? Absolutely. Replace your NLT? No—keep both.
What Does “Good News” Mean?
Back to the beginning. When Mark says, “The beginning of the good news (euangelion) of Jesus Christ,” does he mean the first line of his record? The prologue about John? Or something bigger?
“Gospel” (euangelion) means “good news,” but it wasn’t originally a Christian word. In the Roman world, good newsoften referred to imperial announcements—like the birth of the emperor. But Roman good news was backward-facing—a past, finished event remembered and celebrated.
You might ask, “Didn’t Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection happen 2,000 years ago? Isn’t that past? Didn’t Jesus say, ‘It is finished’?”
- Jesus’ birth: a singular event—done.
- Jesus’ death: a singular event—done.
- Jesus’ resurrection: a singular event—done.
Here’s the controversial bit: those facts by themselves aren’t the gospel. If a distant, indifferent deity came, died, and rose just to display power—would that be good news for us? No.
The good news is why Jesus did these things: to pay the price for our sins, to redeem us, to grant salvation. No longer doomed to death and separation from God, we’re called to eternal life with the King of Kings. That is the Gospel. Amen.
Mark reclaims and reframes the imperial “good news” and applies it to Jesus of Nazareth. He’s saying, “The true God-King you’ve been looking for? Listen up!”
And I believe Mark means that his whole account is the beginning of the gospel—not its conclusion. The resurrection isn’t the end of the story; it’s the beginning of a new creation reality.
Prophecy Fulfilled: A Messenger in the Wilderness
(Mark 1:2–3, NLT) just as the prophet Isaiah had written…
This is actually an amalgam of passages—Isaiah being the most prominent:
- Malachi 3:1a / Exodus 23:20 — Behold, I send My messenger…
- Isaiah 40:3 — The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord…
Exodus speaks of an angel; Malachi points to Elijah as the forerunner. Jewish tradition expected Elijah to precede the Lord’s return. Mark elevates John the Baptist to this role—God’s messenger, preparing the way for the LORD Himself.
From Exodus to Isaiah, history was moving toward this moment. John is the last stop before the destination. And what does he call the people to do?
Prepare the way!
John’s Work: Preparation in the Wilderness
(Mark 1:4, NLT) This messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented…
Here we are again—in the wilderness. Israel in Exodus, Elijah in Malachi, the prophet in Isaiah, and now John. What is John doing there? Preparing.
A new day is coming—a new covenant. Not animal sacrifice and ritual, but grace in Jesus. He will bear our sins and pay the price forever. Our standing with God comes through repentance and turning to God.
(Mark 1:5, NLT) All of Judea… went out to see and hear John… and he baptized them in the Jordan River.
Notice: the people went to John. Where was John? The wilderness. He went there, called them there, and in the wilderness they confessed, turned, and were baptized.
It’s like there’s an echo in the room: Wilderness, wilderness, wilderness!
Redefining Greatness
(Mark 1:6–7, NLT) His clothes were woven from coarse camel hair… he ate locusts and wild honey… “Someone is coming… greater than I am.”
To us, John might look eccentric: desert, camel hair, bugs, shouting about sin, and then claiming someone greater is coming. But John knows his role—preparer. He likely lived simply, even in poverty. (And yes, locusts are kosher—see Leviticus 11:22. You can have some after church. I won’t. No judgment.)
When John says “greater,” he’s not using our envy-driven ranking of wealth, beauty, and influence. He’s speaking of spiritual greatness. We chase Power, Possessions, Pleasure, but Jesus calls us higher.
Some of you remember the 90s brand No Fear: “He who dies with the most toys still dies.” As Mark says later (8:36), what does it profit a person to gain the whole world and lose their soul?
Spirit or Fire?
(Mark 1:8, NLT) I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!
Matthew and Luke add: “and with fire.” Growing up Pentecostal, that phrase got us excited—Holy Spirit and fire! But the preparation matters. Time with the Lord, prayer, and listening clarifies that Matthew and Luke present a contrast, not a combo: Spirit unto salvation or fire unto judgment. That helps explain why Mark omits “fire” here.
Preparation is so vital that Jesus Himself prepared—40 days and 40 nights—before launching His public ministry. And where did He prepare? The wilderness. Not because He’d sinned, but because wilderness is for formation.
The Wilderness Is Formation, Not Failure
I was saved the summer I turned 15, but I never had a dramatic “come to Jesus” moment. I went from agnostic to Christian after a sermon in 1997 thinking, “Yeah, why not? This God guy sounds okay.” I didn’t grasp the depth and gripof sin. I shared a gospel of positivity, purpose, and “smart odds”—and while those things are true, they are not enough.
The Gospel isn’t “God came to give you a positive outlook.” The Gospel is that Jesus the Messiah died on a cross for our sins.
We did this. [point to the cross] Our choices made this necessary. Without my time in the wilderness, I might never have appreciated that.
We’ve equated wilderness with rebellion because Israel died in the desert. But Scripture shows the wilderness as a place of punishment and pruning, yes—but also restoration, transition, and preparation.
A (Brief) Biblical Survey of the Wilderness
- Genesis 16 — Hagar flees to the wilderness; God sees, comforts, and speaks.
- Genesis 21 — Hagar again in the wilderness; God provides water.
- Genesis 37 — Joseph in a wilderness pit; God redirects his life’s course.
- 1 Kings 19 — Elijah flees; God feeds him and strengthens him.
- Ezekiel 19 — Israel “planted” in Babylon—rich land, but slavery; yet God preserves His people.
- Hosea 13 — In the wilderness, God leads; after leaving it, Israel deserts God.
- Revelation 12 — The woman (Israel) flees to the wilderness where God has prepared a place for her.
Conclusion: The wilderness is not primarily rebellion; it is preparation.
Back to My Story: From Rebellion to Wilderness
My rebellious phase wasn’t my wilderness. God sent a man to save my life.
I’d given up on church and God and worked at a pizza place. One day a wild-eyed guy came in looking for a job—“Big Ben.” Off-putting at first glance (a bit like John the Baptist), but magnetic. He was hired. On our first shift, he stared into my eyes for a few seconds, leaned back, laughed from his belly, and said, “You know Jesus!”
“I used to,” I replied.
A few days later, my pastor’s wife popped in to say hello, as she sometimes did. Big Ben spotted her and boomed, “You know Jesus!” His catchphrase, apparently.
It shook me. God was working through this man in my pizza shop. Ben prayed for me, invited me to church and Bible studies, and played my worship CDs over the store speakers. One song, in particular, pierced my soul—“Scarlet” by Jars of Clay:
If I was your love I would want only you.
I’d lay at this altar, give all I am, all that is true.
This old scarlet letter won’t keep me from holding you.
And there is nothing you can do.
Nothing you do.
If you know The Scarlet Letter, it’s about a woman forced to wear a scarlet “A” for adultery. Hearing that song again and again, it was like God was saying, “This old scarlet letter won’t keep Me from holding you.”
I fought as long as I could, but the Holy Spirit broke me. I called my pastor in tears: “I’m so sorry. How can I make it right?”
That was the moment I left rebellion and entered the wilderness—confessing, repenting, seeking forgiveness. That wilderness changed me: refining, humbling, praying, preparing. It was learning and growth.
Practicing Wilderness Moments
Let’s redeem the word wilderness. It means “uninhabited place”—bare, alone, solitary. Alone isn’t bad. We need wilderness moments:
- Before worship — prepare your heart for what God wants to say.
- Before the sermon — prepare your mind for what God wants to teach.
- Before prayer — prepare your spirit for what God wants to do.
There are three reasons God calls us to the wilderness: To Turn, To Return, or To Refocus.
Invitation 1: To Turn (First-Time Surrender)
Please stand if you’re able and close your eyes out of courtesy to those around you.
If you don’t know Jesus, but you know that the pursuit of Power, Possessions, and Pleasure has left you empty—perhaps God has led you through the wilderness to this room today, calling you to repent and turn to God for forgiveness. Romans says: If you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
With every head bowed and every eye closed, raise your hand if you want to take the next step and receive Jesus as your Lord and Saviour.
Prayer (Salvation)
Heavenly Father, we come before You in this wilderness moment, drawn by Your grace from empty pursuits to the truth of Jesus. We confess our sins, turn from them now, and believe in our hearts that You raised Christ from the dead. We declare with our mouths, “Jesus is Lord!” Wash us clean, forgive us fully, and baptize us with Your Holy Spirit into new life. Mark this as the beginning of our good news—the start of walking with You forever. In Jesus’ saving name, Amen.
Invitation 2: To Return (Recommitment)
For those—like me—who tried to run from God, but He refused to let go: you’ve heard the Spirit’s still, small, persistent voice calling you back. Power, Possessions, and Pleasure promised much and delivered little. If that’s you, raise your hand and recommit your life to Jesus. Let us walk with you in restoration.
Prayer (Recommitment)
Gracious God, You who pursue us relentlessly through our rebellions, we raise our hands in surrender. We’ve chased hollow mirages of power, possessions, and pleasure; now we see our need for You. Forgive our wandering, restore our steps, and rekindle the joy of our first love. Like prodigals returning home, we recommit our lives to Jesus and step back into Your embrace. Prepare us anew in this wilderness for the way You’ve laid out. In Christ’s restoring name, Amen.
Invitation 3: To Refocus (Preparation)
And for those who simply need to get away from noise, distraction, and responsibility—go to the wilderness, the uninhabited place, and let God do His crucial work. Hebrews 12:1 calls us to strip off every weight and the sin that so easily trips us up, and to run with endurance the race set before us.
Let’s take a moment now—set aside the weights, step into stillness, be refined, reflect, repent, and ready ourselves.
Prayer (Refocus)
Lord of the still places, we enter this wilderness not in defeat, but to be refined and renewed. We lay aside the weights and sins that slow us—distractions, noise, self-reliance—and fix our eyes on Jesus, the author of our faith. Quiet our hearts, sharpen our spirits, and grant us endurance for the race ahead. As John prepared the way, help us strip down to basics, repent, and ready ourselves for Your fresh work in us. Empower us to run unhindered. In the name of Jesus, our Focus and Strength, Amen.
Amen. Let’s worship our God together, church!