Prayer: In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
On Christmas day I spoke about the good news of the birth of the Messiah, declared by the Angels to the shepherds.
Mark opens his gospel announcing it as the “good news” about Jesus the Messiah, …this whole book and all the gospels are about Jesus. Mark however doesn’t begin with Jesus’ birth, but rather his baptism. Jesus is firstly introduced by the herald John the Baptist, then by God himself at his baptism.
John is recorded as preparing the way for Jesus, he was the “herald” announcing his imminent arrival. In those days if a King or important person were coming to visit a city, a “herald” would be sent ahead to announce their coming. Great efforts would be made to clean up the city, pick up the rubbish, make the paths smooth – fill in the potholes, remove the rocks. Great care and attention would be given to preparing for the regal visit.
The prophet Isaiah had said that a messenger would be sent ahead of the Messiah. Mark quotes –
I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way- “a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”
Like the heralds announcing the coming of a King, John cried out concerning the coming of the Messiah – the King of Kings! He called on people to get ready, but their preparation was not straightening up the streets, not cleaning up the outside, but the inside. They were to repent – to turn from sin. They were to be spiritually prepared, for the King and his kingdom were at hand.
Many, many people heard John’s cry and responded. Mark says the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptised by him in the Jordan River.
That is an amazing response. I wish we could have that sort of response for a call to baptism!! God had gone ahead and was preparing people’s hearts.
John was also careful to ensure that people knew that he was just the messenger, the one preparing the way for one much more powerful than him. John humbles himself, saying; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie his sandals. I baptise you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.
So how do you think John felt when Jesus turned up wanting to be baptised?! Mark keeps his descriptions brief but in Matthew’s version we read that John tried to deter Jesus, saying that he should be baptised by him. But Jesus insisted, saying that it was proper for him to do this to fulfill all righteousness.
John knows that Jesus has nothing to repent of, why is he seeking this baptism?
There are possibly a few reasons. Firstly, Jesus is an example for us. He acknowledged that John’s preaching of repentance was a valid standard to be followed. Later Jesus would be instructing his disciples to baptise people in his name.
Also, John’s baptism was a signal of preparation for the coming of the Kingdom of God. Jesus was signaling his own readiness to do the work of the Kingdom. We could view it like a commissioning. This is his first public appearance in Mark and after a time of testing he goes on to begin his ministry in the power of the Spirit.
Most importantly, in being baptised Jesus was humbly identifying with humanity. John didn’t expect Jesus to be baptised. John was fulfilling a prophesy from Isaiah, but so was Jesus. He was the suffering servant – the one to bear the sins of the world. Jesus is saying, I’m ready to be identified with sinful humanity – while I have no sins to repent, I’m ready to bear their sins. Isaiah 53 says it like this; He poured out himself to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he himself bore the sin of many and interceded for the transgressors.
In his baptism we see Jesus humbly accepting his role of identifying with us, later he would go to the cross, taking on our sins so that we could receive his righteousness.
After the heralding of Jesus by John, Mark now introduces us to Jesus. He comments that ‘at that time’ Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised by John (the time that John was out preparing the way, calling people to repentance, and baptising them). As I said Mark gives no birth narrative, just Jesus arriving as an adult from Nazareth. Nazareth was a town of no real significance, so it confirms this King’s humble beginnings.
So, we have Jesus, the Messiah, the King of Kings, having been heralded by John the Baptist, arriving from a small town in Galilee and does what everyone else is doing and is baptised by John.
But then comes the real introduction of who Jesus is.
Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
While Jesus was baptised to identify with humanity, the reality was that he was indeed the one that John had been telling everyone about. He was the Messiah. Both human and divine.
He is introduced to all by his Father – God – letting everyone know that this was his Son! And he loved him and was proud of him. This is such a warm moment we can perhaps identify with. The love and pride of a parent for a child.
God had sent Jesus down from heaven to live as one of us. Jesus was being a faithful and obedient child, and God announces his love for his son.
If you were here on the first Sunday of Advent you might recall I spoke on Isaiah 64 with the opening line Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down! And I said that is exactly what God did to rescue his people – he opened the heavens and sent Jesus to rescue them. As Jesus came out of the water, we read that Jesus saw the heavens torn or rent open as the Holy Spirit descends on him like a dove. God sent the Spirit on Jesus from heaven to equip and empower him for his earthly ministry. The Holy Spirit would be with him in all that he did…giving him strength even to face the cross.
It is that same Holy Spirit that John says Jesus will baptise people with. As Jesus ascended into heaven, he promised to send the Holy Spirit to be with his followers always. His power and presence in us.
There was a difference between John’s baptism and baptism in Jesus. This is evident in the reading of Acts 19 that we heard earlier. The believers in Ephesus had been baptised by a man called Apollos. We read in chapter 18 that he taught accurately about Jesus, but he only knew about the baptism of John. When he went to Corinth, Priscilla and Aquila took him aside and explained the way of God more adequately. They no doubt told him about the Holy Spirit.
In the meantime, Paul had gone to Ephesus and met the people that Apollos had baptised and obviously could tell that something was missing. They had had a baptism of repentance, which was a good beginning. But Jesus also wanted to fill them with his Spirit giving them power for ministry. This was symbolized by the fact that they spoke in tongues and prophesied after Paul placed his hands on them, which is what happened when the Holy Spirit first came on the disciples at Pentecost.
Some people may have an experience of speaking in tongues and prophesying today, many may not. The vital point of being filled with the Holy Spirit is that we are living our lives full of Jesus. That we live and move and have our being in the power of the Spirit. It is Jesus living and growing in us and empowering us to minister to others in his name. It is the Holy Spirit that will transform us to be more and more like Jesus. He baptises with the Holy Spirit and with fire, a refining fire to bring power and purity into our lives.
Finally, I would like to reflect on the most wonderful aspect of the good news of the gospel and another introduction we have in Mark’s gospel. And that is how Jesus introduces us to his Father at the end of this gospel. As Jesus breathes his last on the cross, we read of something else being torn. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. (Mark 15:38) Behind that curtain was the sacred place where the priest would go to offer sacrifices to God for forgiveness for the people. Jesus’ death did away with that system – it was through him that we can now have direct access to the Father.
And the Centurion who was standing by the cross when Jesus died, confirmed the Father’s introduction at the beginning of Mark as he says; “Truly this man was the son of God!”
When Jesus was introduced, the heavens were torn apart, and the voice of God was heard, “You are my beloved Son”. Let me introduce you to Jesus. When Jesus died, the veil of the temple was torn in two, granting us access to the Father –Jesus says… let me introduce you to the Father.
So, as we reflect on Jesus’ baptism today, may we be mindful of how Jesus identified with us at his baptism, and went on to bear our sins on the cross to bring us into a close relationship with God, our heavenly Father. We are also reminded of the importance of Jesus sending the Holy Spirit to live in us and to empower us to minister in his name and to be transformed into his likeness.
As I’ve reflected on introductions, think about how God would introduce you; as we are filled with the Spirit we are adopted into his family, he introduces us like this…This is my daughter Jane, Chris, Barbara, Rina, Kathryn or son Trevor, Roger, Robin, Phil, Gordon…whom I love very much.
Let us pray: Father God, we thank you that you tore open the heavens to send Jesus, and to send the Holy Spirit to anoint Jesus for his ministry and later to fill and empower us. Thank you that when Jesus died the temple curtain was torn in two enabling us to have direct access to you through Jesus, restoring us to be your children. Thank you for being our loving Father. As Jesus identified with us, may we be quick to identify with you as being a member of your family and to introduce you to others that they also may have a relationship with you both now and for eternity. In your precious sons’ name we pray. Amen.