Jan 18th
Mark 1:4-11
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[a] water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!”
The Baptism and Temptation of Jesus
9 One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River. 10 As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him[b] like a dove. 11 And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.”
In today’s scripture we learn details about the day that Jesus was baptized. John was there, others were likely there, there was a vision of the Holy Spirit, and an audible voice from God.
Have you ever had a vision of a spirit descending on you? Or on another person? If so, what happened to the person? Did they change? Did they speak differently?
To expand this metaphor, “Have you ever seen someone transformed by the HS? Have you ever been transformed by the HS? What happened?”
Another question to consider is “Have you ever heard God’s voice?” If you have what did God say?
To expand this metaphor, “If God were to speak audibly to you today, what would God say?”
Well, we can learn a lot from this scripture about what God may say.The scriptures helps us understand God’s relationship with humanity. Jesus shows us the way. So it’s likely that God would say the same thing to you that he said to Jesus. It is important to also note that this scripture was written so that you can study the details and then integrate them into your own life. With that said let’s dive in a little bit.
John tells the people that there was a baptism of repentance. But when Jesus comes there will be a baptism of the Holy Spirit. And so automatically we learn that there is a transition that happens in the individual from a believer who is focused on repenting from their sin and one who follows Jesus with joyful obedience. So what God may be trying to teach us comes in the form of a question, “Have we lived a Christian life only focused on repentance and neglected the part about imitating Jesus? Have we really not made faith “our own,” and have focused only on the logistics of faith?
Our faith is more than just repenting. Our faith is about being led by a spirit that does and experiences things that are other worldly. Our faith is about dedicating yourself to repenting from sin and living joyfully with God and others.
Final lesson that we learn from this scripture is that God is pleased with Jesus. Even before he starts his ministry. Even before he changes the world. Even as a young whipper snapper who if he was fully human did some fully human type things. This is a lesson for us too. A lesson that helps us deal with shame.
God, the greatest good in the world, the only one who should judge, the creator of the universe, the sustainer of your life, loves you as you are. Keep repenting, keep serving, keep encouraging, and don’t let shame get in the way.
You are his child, who God loves and who God is well pleased with.