David Bahn – Reflections

Jesus and his companions went to the town of Capernaum. When the Sabbath day came, he went into the synagogue and began to teach. ²² The people were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike the teachers of religious law.

²³ Suddenly, a man in the synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, ²⁴ “Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

²⁵ But Jesus reprimanded him. “Be quiet! Come out of the man,” he ordered. ²⁶ At that, the evil spirit screamed, threw the man into a convulsion, and then came out of him.

²⁷ Amazement gripped the audience, and they began to discuss what had happened. “What sort of new teaching is this?” they asked excitedly. “It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey his orders!” ²⁸ The news about Jesus spread quickly throughout the entire region of Galilee.

²⁹ After Jesus left the synagogue with James and John, they went to Simon and Andrew’s home. ³⁰ Now Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. They told Jesus about her right away. ³¹ So he went to her bedside, took her by the hand, and helped her sit up. Then the fever left her, and she prepared a meal for them. – Mark 1:21-31

At first, I really liked Lane’s insightful commentary. He knew things about every subject: From sports to technology, and science to art, Lane had things to say. Insights to share. Facts to offer. Opinions based on facts…for the most part.

But once I caught him. He told me about a supposed function in a high-end Canon camera that actually didn’t exist. He insisted that you could focus the camera by where you looked in the viewfinder. I was a “Canonite” at that time, and I knew that what he was claiming wasn’t true. I told him as much, but he insisted. After a while his “I know something about that” attitude and bluster wore a bit thin.

Do you know a blowhard? He’s someone who knows all the answers and isn’t afraid to tell you about it. She can quickly outrun her knowledge and your patience. Worse than a know-it-all in things worldly is a know-it-all in things spiritual. That is only God’s prerogative.

God is not a blowhard. He speaks only truth. And when he speaks, that which he speaks becomes real. When God said, “Let there be light,” there was light. And it was good. He says, “Be quiet! Come out of the man,” and the demon is cast out. 

The people of Jesus’ day recognized this. He was different. He didn’t rely on bluster or cleverness to make his point. He is the Word of God incarnate and the embodiment of truth. And when he speaks he speaks of his own. He has nothing to prove. He has everything to offer. The only question is whether we will listen to him.

I’ve also had the privilege to hear from teachers who express the truths of God out of God’s authority. They may speak boldly or quietly. They may be great orators or very soft-spoken. But when people let God’s word speak through them, they can be a powerful force for good. When we try to bend the truth of God to our own arc we are imposters and will soon be found out.

Psalm 12:6

The words of the Lord are pure words,
    like silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
    purified seven times.

Psalm 42:1-2

As a deer pants for flowing streams,
    so pants my soul for you, O God.
² My soul thirsts for God,
    for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?

Psalm 72:18-19

the God of Israel,
    who alone does wondrous things.
¹⁹ Blessed be his glorious name forever;
    may the whole earth be filled with his glory!
Amen and Amen!

Psalm 102:1-2

Hear my prayer, O Lord;
let my cry come to you!
² Do not hide your face from me
    in the day of my distress!
Incline your ear to me;
    answer me speedily in the day when I call!

Psalm 132:1-5

Remember, O Lord, in David’s favor,
    all the hardships he endured,
² how he swore to the Lord
    and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
³ “I will not enter my house
    or get into my bed,
⁴ I will not give sleep to my eyes
    or slumber to my eyelids,
⁵ until I find a place for the Lord,
    a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰ And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. ¹¹ And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

¹² The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. ¹³ And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

¹⁴ Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, ¹⁵ and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

¹⁶ Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” ¹⁸ And immediately they left their nets and followed him. ¹⁹ And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. ²⁰ And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him. – Mark 1:9-20

I had an opportunity years ago to serve in the national headquarters of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. I say opportunity, although it was perhaps more of a potential opportunity. I was considered as a candidate for a position there. It would have been in support for a significant leader in the church. I would have been happy to have served there, but realized the needs of the position were not really in my wheel house of gifts and skills. I was willing to play “second fiddle” because I greatly respected the person to whom I would report. He was a leader I’d be willing to follow.

About that time Diane was serving as worship director of our church. During a performance of a Christmas cantata, there developed a technical issue and the supportive accompaniment track got out of sync, and the AV tech got hopelessly confused. The production was at a stand still. Diane took the bull by the horns, went from the director’s podium to the nearby piano, played the music and directed from the piano. After the performance a member of the choir came to her and said, “I’d go to war with you.” Diane later learned that meant he considered her a leader worth following.

Jesus is a leader worth following like no other. He is worth following. He knows the way. He has the mission well in hand. He is unequivocal, directed, focused, and dedicated to the mission of God. He calls Simon and Andrew, James and John to follow him and they do. Immediately. They heed the call.

Funny thing about that, however, is that they don’t have any idea of what lies ahead. They are what we call unconsciously incompetent. They know Jesus has called them, but they don’t even know what they don’t know. They don’t really even know who this man is, and how totally worthy he is to follow.

They will learn in the time to come that Jesus is a leader like no other. He is more worthy of following than any other. He is more dedicated, gifted, and focused than any other leader. Ever.

Jesus calls us all to follow him. It may not involve leaving your nets. It may not mean that you become a full time church worker. But it does mean that you look to him as the One who is most worthy of following, listening to, believing in, and honoring. He will bring you to places you never imagined and provide opportunities for service and sacrifice, blessing and joy that you can not even imagine.

There are a number of choices whom you may follow on a daily basis: the world, the devil, or your own flesh. Or, you could go to war against these evil forces and follow Jesus. He is truly a worthy leader!

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰ And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. ¹¹ And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

¹² The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. ¹³ And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

¹⁴ Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, ¹⁵ and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

¹⁶ Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” ¹⁸ And immediately they left their nets and followed him. ¹⁹ And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. ²⁰ And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him. – Mark 1:9-20

I was teamed with my good friend, Jerry, making evangelism calls on fellow college students. We made the appointment, got to the place, were welcomed warmly, and began a good conversation. Jerry was leading the process. But I was not convinced that he was going anywhere with the conversation. I recall there being a awkward pause. Not exactly crickets, but I felt that the person we were visiting was wondering why we had come to visit. The conversation seemed aimless. So I jumped in.

“May I ask you a spiritual question?”

“Yeah. Sure. OK.”

“Have you come to the point in your spiritual life that if you were to die tonight you know for certain that you would go to heaven?”

And we got the conversation going. I don’t recall exactly how it ended up, but I do recall jumping in because I felt the need to move forward.

Such is my life. I am a move forward kind of guy. People consider me to be a leader. I love framing the question, having the first word (not necessarily the last word!), and…well, leading. It may not always be a good thing though. Sometimes discretion truly is the better part of valor. I may sometimes act or speak more out of my discomfort than a clear sense of direction and purpose. I may sometimes miss the roses along the way as I travel down the road of life to the next goal.

Jesus, on the other hand, always kept the end in view. He always sought to do those things that honored God and furthered the Father’s will. He was a perfect leader.

And, at least on this occasion, he lets no grass grow under his feet when the time comes to begin his public ministry. For 30 years he had been preparing for these days and the months that would follow. Now that he’s been baptized, faced down Satan, and announced that the time had come, he begins in earnest to gather his disciples. He calls Peter, Andrew, James and John. And they follow him.

Mark’s gospel is a gospel of action. Jesus is a man of action. Jesus is on the move. He has begun his ministry. He will gather other disciples. He will teach. He will heal. He will serve. He will save. He is not all talk and no walk. He is both. Hat and cattle. Talk and action. Sizzle and steak. Smile and kindness. Grace and truth.

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰ And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. ¹¹ And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

¹² The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. ¹³ And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

¹⁴ Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, ¹⁵ and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

¹⁶ Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” ¹⁸ And immediately they left their nets and followed him. ¹⁹ And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. ²⁰ And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him. – Mark 1:9-20

Mark’s gospel account is the most brief of the four accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry in the New Testament. But it reminds me of a saying I treasure: We know precious little about God, but the little we know is precious. I believe that is such a humbly-healthy attitude. While admitting the limited knowledge we have of God, it does not give way to agnostic reductionism. We know little. But we do know.

That same thought can be applied to Jesus’ first recorded words in Mark. They are few, but powerful words. He speaks in the context of learning that John, his cousin and fore-runner, has been put into prison. And his words speak of hope, truth, and grace.

Jesus’ words announce the presence of the reign and rule of God in the face of John’s imprisonment. That gives us hope, for in the case of even the most dire situation we are reminded of God’s rule and reign over all. Furthermore the fact that Jesus announces that the time has come, points to this moment as a signal of God’s reign and rule. We might think that is a reality only when all good things are evident in our lives. But when things are good, we are less likely to hold fast to hope. Jesus gives us an announcement that brings hope. He shows that his heart is fixed on God’s kingdom. His hope spans all of eternity.

This is also a message of truth: we need to repent. We need to think about God differently. We need to think about the events going on around us differently. We need to think about God’s reign and rule differently. We have so much wrong. That’s not just a matter of sin, but also a matter of understanding. In other words, we may not be sinning in any particular way when God’s kingdom breaks in, but we may need to think differently about how we are living or what God is doing.

But this is also a moment of grace, for Jesus points us to the Good News, the Gospel. Mark uses this term (εὐαγγέλιον, good news) more than any other gospel (εὐαγγέλιον) writer. It’s the third word of his account. And it shows up here 14 verses later. God is looking for us, seeking to bring us to himself. He is showing up. He will be connected with people’s lives. He will heal diseases. He will teach the truth of God. He will die for our sins. This is Good News! God’s grace has broken into our world.

Some say, Preach the gospel. If necessary, use words.” I say preaching the gospel requires words. But these few words speak volumes and can begin a great conversation about God, faith, hope, truth, and grace. Few, but powerful: these words are just that.

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰ And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. ¹¹ And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

¹² The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. ¹³ And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

¹⁴ Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, ¹⁵ and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

¹⁶ Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” ¹⁸ And immediately they left their nets and followed him. ¹⁹ And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. ²⁰ And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him. – Mark 1:9-20

You never know when a word will get someone sideways. It happened a several years ago when Rick Warren published his book, The Purpose Driven Church. The word driven apparently drove home a point that was utterly unacceptable to some. We should not be driven, they asserted.

Note here, however, that Jesus is driven by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness. He was there for 40 days, being tempted by Satan. To make this even more stunning, Matthew tells us that Jesus was “led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil” (Matthew 4:1). God deliberately sent Jesus – drove him! – into the wilderness to be tempted. That was the purpose of Jesus’ temptation.

It reminds me of sending our sons off to the armed forces in time of war. That is not done lightly. Nor is it done without training and backup. Even Special Forces groups have people behind the scenes to support them in their mission.

Jesus is prepared for this mission by his training in the temple. Luke records Jesus’ visit to the temple when he was 12 (Luke 2) and his declaration that he must be in his father’s house. We also learn in Luke 4 that it was Jesus’ custom to go to the synagogue. Jesus was not some ill-prepared over-confident hayseed marching off to war. This is the Son of God, fortified by God’s word throughout his life, sustained in the faith through the years through the habit of worship, and given a clear identity and remarkable vote of confidence just now, “You are my beloved son…”

There is a sad but comical scene recorded in Acts 19 where Sceva’s seven sons try to take on Satanic forces with a borrowed faith. It didn’t work so well. They left the encounter wounded and bleeding.

Jesus does not borrow faith. He is clear in his own identity. He will take on Satan. Here he will win. Three years later he will win in a different manner, and he will be left battered and bleeding – but victorious in his mission.

He’s begun that mission now. Soon he will teach his followers the Lord’s Prayer. In it he instructs us to pray, “Lead us not into temptation.” I believe that is an earnest prayer, of grave importance for us to offer. For Jesus knows what it is like to be tempted. He’s been there. He is now able to provide comfort to us in our times of temptation, for he has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin.

Jesus was driven to a place of extreme temptation, and overcame it so that his love and forgiveness may be the driving force in our lives.

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰ And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. ¹¹ And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

¹² The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. ¹³ And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

¹⁴ Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, ¹⁵ and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

¹⁶ Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” ¹⁸ And immediately they left their nets and followed him. ¹⁹ And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. ²⁰ And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him. – Mark 1:9-20

One of the greatest lingering wounds people carry is the unfulfilled desire to hear a word of affirmation, approval, or love from their fathers. Deep yearnings bore holes of discouragement, shame, and resentment in the hearts of children when dads don’t say things like, “I love you. I’m proud of you. I think you’re doing well.” Often those holes are not discovered until much later in life. Both women and men will admit to these wounds. Dads can have a powerful impact on their children.

Jesus’ dad – the heavenly Father – left no such hole in Jesus’ heart. You can almost see the proud papa bursting the buttons on his chest as his Son is baptized. He rips the clouds open and declares his delight and love toward his Son on this occasion.

And this is not the only time it happens. He speaks similar words on the mount of transfiguration: This is my beloved Son. Listen to him (Mark 9:7). He’s one proud papa. At Jesus’ baptism the Father speaks directly to his Son, “You are my Son…” On the mountain with Moses and Elijah, the Father speaks about his Son, “This is my Son…” He is willing to let Jesus know it personally, and willing to let others know about his delight in Jesus as well. This is one proud papa.

It’s not difficult to see why this is so. Jesus is set to begin his ministry, and even before he speaks the first words Mark records, he subjects himself to John’s baptism. This baptism is for sinners. It’s for people to express their repentance and be assured of God’s forgiveness. Jesus has no sin to confess. He needs no forgiveness. Yet here he is. He will take away the sins of the world. To do so, he will take on the sins of the world by stepping into these waters of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

This makes his papa very happy. For although it will cost them both greatly, this was their plan from all eternity. Jesus had come to fulfill God’s will, to be all that Israel or Adam were unable to be. The Good News begins to unfold here and now.

If the Father is well pleased with Jesus, what would be his opinion of those who are clothed in Jesus’ righteousness – through baptism, no less! Imagine this: God calls us his sons and daughters. He is well pleased with us on account of Jesus’ righteousness. That makes him our proud papa as well. Kinda hard to believe, isn’t it? But oh so sweet to the ears of those are Jesus’ brothers and sisters. Oh so sweet! We have one proud papa afterall!

Psalm 5:1-3
O LORD, hear me as I pray;
pay attention to my groaning.
Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God,
for I pray to no one but you.
Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD.
Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.

Psalm 35:10
With every bone in my body I will praise him:
“LORD, who can compare with you?
Who else rescues the helpless from the strong?
Who else protects the helpless and poor from those who rob them?”

Psalm 65:1-3
What mighty praise, O God,
belongs to you in Zion.
We will fulfill our vows to you,
for you answer our prayers.
All of us must come to you.
Though we are overwhelmed by our sins,
you forgive them all.

Psalm 95:1-7
Come, let us sing to the LORD!
Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come to him with thanksgiving.
Let us sing psalms of praise to him.
For the LORD is a great God,
a great King above all gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth
and the mightiest mountains.
The sea belongs to him, for he made it.
His hands formed the dry land, too.
Come, let us worship and bow down.
Let us kneel before the LORD our maker,
for he is our God.
We are the people he watches over,
the flock under his care.

Psalm 125:1-2
Those who trust in the LORD are as secure as Mount Zion;
they will not be defeated but will endure forever.
Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the LORD surrounds his people, both now and forever.

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 your face,
who will prepare your way,
³ the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’”

⁴ John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵ And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. ⁶ Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷ And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. ⁸ I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” – Mark 1:1-8

Perhaps you have heard of the idea of the last 10%. The last 10% is the difficult and sometimes abrasive part of a truthful message. It’s what a friend can tell a friend, but must be done in a humble and respectful manner. It’s a bit more personal and challenging than telling a friend that he has broccoli in his front teeth.

The last 10% takes courage to tell, but you determine to speak it because you love the other person. It’s not the harsh truth that you spew because you’re angry and want to hurt your sister or brother. It’s the “Wounds of a friend can be trusted” (cf. Proverbs 27:6) kind of truth. It is truth from a friend, spoken in humility and gentleness. 

Sometimes, however, we need the more urgent wake-up call. If the house is on fire, a kind and gentle warning would be out of order. If you’re about to run a red light it’s probably a good thing to be yelled at by your carpool riders. If there’s a copperhead snake in your path, better to be warned sternly than gently encouraged to be careful where you walk.

John does not speak in a gentle or humble manner when you look at his preaching recorded in Matthew’s gospel: 

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. ⁹ And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. ¹⁰ Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. – Matthew 3:7-10

An urgent call to repentance is very much in order if we’ve blinded ourselves to our need for a Savior. Maybe someone will help you see that last 10% of your need for a Savior. Maybe you already know this. Thank God we have a Savior. That’s good news, and he is the way, the truth, and the life.

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 your face,
who will prepare your way,
³ the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’”

⁴ John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵ And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. ⁶ Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷ And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. ⁸ I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” – Mark 1:1-8

I’m not a clothes horse. I have some nice shirts I really like. I have some suits (that don’t fit as well as they once did). I have serviceable shoes. But I’m near the other end of the spectrum from a GQ model. I’d like to think that I take after Lyle Schaller, a keen observer of church life and author of many books on ministry and church leadership. I attended one of his conferences and was really surprised at his appearance. He wore a one-piece cotton overall – somewhat popular in the 1980’s, I guess, but hardly haute couture. Nothing about his appearance engendered confidence. He was not charismatic in style or appearance.

But when Lyle Schaller opened his mouth and began to teach us it was as though springs of truth and insight were let loose from deep inside. He spoke about his “version of reality,” for example, dealing with the way most church members thought about the church life, financial support, and pastoral leadership. His was not so much a theological perspective, though he was a Christian. His was a this-is-the-way-the-church-actually-works perspective. It was insightful and encouraging. But you wouldn’t know it by his physical appearance or manner of dress.

John’s message, on the other hand, is deeply theological and profoundly true. And his manner of dress actually added to his legitimacy. One commentator speaks of it this way:

The dress was probably deliberately adopted by the Baptist as reviving the outward appearance of Elijah, who was “a hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather” (2Kings 1:8); and the “rough garment,” that had been characteristic of the prophet’s life even at a later period (Zechariah 13:4), as contrasted with the “long garments” of the Pharisees (Mark 12:38), and the “gorgeous apparel” of the scribes who attached themselves to the court of Herod (Luke 7:25). The Nazarite vow of Luke 1:15 probably involved long and shaggy hair as well (BibleHub.com).

More important than his manner of dress, however, was the truth he spoke. “Prepare the way of the Lord,” he said, echoing the words of Isaiah. God is coming. Time to lower the mountains and raise the valleys. That means that we who are inclined to be too self-important need to take ourselves down a step or two. But it also means that we who are too inclined to remain down in the dumps of pessimism or woefulness, need to lift up our eyes and see what good things God is up to – even in these dire times.

I need to be reminded of the harsh realities of life more than of the sunny side of things. But God’s call is constant. He calls us to faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and the embodiment of truely and eternally-Good News. That’s true no matter what kind of clothing the messenger might wear.