Mark 1:8-11 Baptism of Jesus

Passage Reading and Prayer

Mark 1:8–11 NIV

I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 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.”

Introduction

Today’s passage we examine three critical doctrines on Christianity. The doctrine of deity of Christ as fully God and fully man

The doctrine of Christ being our righteousness

The work of the Holy Spirit

These doctrines define further the Christian faith to which have, and without these doctrines we don’t have Christianity, we loose the doctrines of Christ.

In today’s world there are so many denominations, false churches, and cults. There are with it many Christians who just want to be nice and accept differences. Yet Christ would not have accept doctrines that speak against Him and the salvation He offer us.

There are many Christians who have a spent a lifetime in the church and can’t explain what a Christian believes and dare I say probably have never been born again. Age is not an indicator or salvation, nor is length of church membership.

What does this have to do with these doctrines that will speak on today? It has everything to do with Christ and Christ who is the author of salvation.

Doctrine also have implications for how we live out our Christian faith. The Christian faith is not come to Church on Sunday, that is but the smallest portion of the Christian faith. That is one day (a crucial day) but one day of the week.

How do these doctrines apply to your Christian faith? This will be our application of these doctrines.

Doctrine One the Baptist of Jesus

The doctrine of Jesus baptism is an interesting one. First this baptism was a baptism of repentance, not a baptism of believers and their off spring receiving the sign of the covenant.

The question is why would Jesus need a baptism of repentance if He is without sin? It is not because Jesus sin but rather to be the mediator of one without sin who would bare the sin of the elect.

In this baptism is the righteousness of Christ, as one who identifies with His bride.

It is the baptism of Jesus that we see through Christ our righteousness. That Christ took on our sin, Christ gives us repentance, Christ cleans us from sin, and Christ is our righteousness.

Listen to the teaching of the 1689 London Confession Chapter 11

Those God effectually calls he also freely justifies.1  He does this, not by infusing righteousness into them but by pardoning their sins and accounting and accepting them as righteous.2 He does this for Christ’s sake alone and not for anything produced in them or done by them.3  He does not impute faith itself, the act of believing, or any other gospel obedience to them as their righteousness. Instead, he imputes Christ’s active obedience to the whole law and passive obedience in his death as their whole and only righteousness by faith.4  This faith is not self-generated; it is the gift of God.

How does the righteousness of Christ apply to you?

First: Any doctrine or church that teaches you must work for your salvation is not of Christ, is not the gospel. It is anti-Christ. Christ finished work upon the cross is the very finished work.

His righteousness becomes yours not based on anything you have done, but solely on the work of what He has done.

No longer are you having to ask the question am I saved, but rather if in Christ you can say I am saved by His work alone.

Applying this to the work of Mission

If you understand this message which is the very good news of the Gospel; how does the righteousness of Christ apply to the mission of Christ?

I was a Pastor in NJ ministering to many different souls, one particular soul was very troubled. I remember after having a phone call this soul was so distraught over his sin, he say himself as sin.

I spent sometime ministering this very truth of the righteousness of Christ unto this saint. Releasing him of inner turmoil, bringing the peace of Christ.

Now if you have never had those encounters, my prayer is the Lord will give them to you. For the life of a Christian is to bring the gospel into the world making Christ known. This is the very core of Christian living, to glorify God.

The Spirit at Baptism

The lexham Context Commentary puts this so powerfully that I will quote from it.

The Spirit’s descent is for the purpose of empowering the human nature of Christ for the work of ministry (Isa 11:2; Luke 4:18). It prepares Jesus for all he will do. Of all the Gospels, Mark alone describes the descent of the Spirit by alluding to Isa 64:1, in which Isaiah longs for God to “tear open” the heavens and come down. The coming of the Spirit in this dramatic way testifies to the momentous occasion of Christ’s appearance on the scene.

This goes into the doctrine of Christ as much as it applies to the doctrine of the third person of the trinity. The spirit of God belongs with Christ, because all three parts of the trinity are one God in three persons.

Each part of the trinity with their role. For the Father is not the son, the son is not the Father, and the Spirit is neither Father or Son. But all three are God. This is the foundational truth of who God is and how God has revealed himself in scripture.

The trinune nature of God works together for the salvation of man, and we see the triune nature of God within the very baptism of Jesus.

The Father sending the Son to be the atonement, Jesus being our righteousness, and the Spirit giving us new life to see truth and empowering us for the work of pleasing God.

All three persons of the Holy Trinity at are full display within this very passage and are three is God.

The Spirit preps Jesus for Ministry

Notice the spirit of God will equip for Jesus who is both fully God and fully man for the work of ministry. This important because Mark’s gospel and Lukes after the baptism of Jesus will go to the mountain where Jesus is tempted.

It will be the Spirit that comforts Christ and gives Him strength; not only at the temptation of Jesus but through out his work of ministry.

The Spirit and your work

Many of you sitting still have plenty of years to live and my encouragement to you is to not stop living and doing for the glory of God.

Your Christian life is still present on this earth, just as it will be even more present in eternity. Do not waste your retirement.

The very spirit that equipped Jesus for the work of ministry in human flesh, is the very Spirit that does equip you today.

Pastor I am sick and tired, you are too young to understand.

Here are two stories for you;

The late Rev. RC sproul (he is just one of many preachers who has done this) preached weeks prior to his death having been ill for a while. He was still at conferences teaching while breathing through oxygen tank.

David Parson’s not that much younger than many of you, and some of you are younger than he is. Is still out there playing games with kids at apartments, doing homeless ministry preaching Christ on the back of the God loves you bus.

Most of all Jesus who was beaten and lead to a cross, still gave the good news not only to theft on the cross but to the men who pierced his hands. Father forgive them. Wow!

Friend’s your flesh is weak, I know it is. My flesh is weak. Yet the same Spirit that gave Jesus the ability to do His ministry is the same Spirit that is with you.

To say I am too weak or too old, is to say well God your just not strong enough to give me the ability on my death bed to bring you glory. Id rather sit and wait until my last day.

Do not finish that way, wake up dear Christian. Many of you are asleep, as your Pastor I see this, have spoken against this both passively and directly.

Many of you today need to wake up and remember your first love of Christ. You love each other, but do you love Christ?

The evidence of a soul that loves Christ, is a soul that is worshiping Christ and doing the works He has prepared for you even in your retirement.

I do not know what work of ministry Jesus has for you; but I do know while you have breath live it for the glory of God.

Time and time again, I want to hear these stores I have encourage you to mentor a younger person, bring them into your home, feed them, listen to them, teach them the ways of Christ.

The same spirit of Christ is sent to you the Church. The Spirit of God has the power to overcome your weakness, as he does mine.

Conclusion

Remember this today;

A. Jesus baptism points us to His righteousness that He gives us upon faith in Him alone.

B. The trinue nature of God is at full display in the baptism of Jesus.

C. The Sprit of God will and is equipping you for the life of a Christian which is contrary to the life of the world.

The world will tell you retire old person and die; the life of the Christ says live with purpose for tomorrow is eternity and you are called to give God glory in all things.

The baptism of Jesus is the starting point of His ministry and points us to the gospel message. If the Lord wills you to be here next week we will examine the temptation Jesus had.