Mark 1:9-11

Grab a bible Open to Mark chapter 1

Introduction:

This series in the Gospel of Mark:

Who is Jesus? How do I respond (actions)?

Mark was a follower in the Jesus movement, and he is simply retelling what happened

Asking the listener (original audience + us to consider who Jesus really is)

Keep flipping the rock over (in a meeting)

… is it cake…

This is the questions that should burn in our mind the whole series….

Matthew 16:15 ESV

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Religous Leaders…

Not what I think but what do you think?

What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. - AW Tozer

Everything we think or do flows out of this.

Transition: So this is what we are doing this entire series. Lets look at Jesus and firm our belief in who he is.

This morning we will:

Place ourself at the scene of Jesus baptism

What does it tell us about Jesus?

How do we respond in faith?

May the Lord prepare our hearts.

I have been praying all week that some of us in this room would respond in faith today!

Big Idea: Through the baptism of Jesus, we see Him as God’s Beloved Son, committed to the Father’s will.

Stand/Read/Pray

Mark 1:9–11 ESV

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 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. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Recap:

Mark 1:9 ESV

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

Those Days: First Century about 2,000 years ago.

Nazareth: Place where Jesus grew up

John the Baptist: listen to last weeks sermon jk… a prophet telling of the coming messiah.

The Jordan: site of of where John is baptizing.

Transition: So this is where we are at and who is there, but what is happening.

What is Baptism?

Jews being Baptized.

Jesus being Baptized.

Followers of Jesus to later be Baptized.

What is baptism? why is Jon doing it? Why does Jesus do it, but Jon is reluctant, does this relate at all to baptism we do today?

Three things true of all three of these:

1. Public:

I am willing to let the world know.

here in the Jordan

2. Ritual (catagory):

Physical act with significance (most often spiritual) behind the actions.

a submersive bath

symbolizing the need for cleansing of the heart.

A need for repentance

3. A declaration

Need for repentance.

until the Messiah comes

Transition: These are the things that are similar Now lets talk about about what makes Jesus baptism Unique.

What is significant about Jesus baptism?

Mark 1:10–11 ESV

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. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Recorded in all 4 Gospels.

fifty-three words in the original Greek

It is clearly different: ( Jesus does not need to repent, John is reluctant)

Matthew 3:15 ESV

But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.

How is Jesus baptism unique?

I could break this down into many smaller categories but to save us time I am going to summarize it in two larger buckets that I think are easy to remember.

I want you to think of this like an act of a place and you are trying to interpret what is happening.

1. Heavenly Presence (The Scene)

Isaiah 64:1 ESV

Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence—

The opening of the heavens at the baptism thus inaugurates the long-awaited return of the messiah.

The Coronation of the King.

This prophet is so much greater than any who have came in the past.

They have been waiting for one to come. (it reminds me)

The Sword and the Stone: After the King of England, Uther Pendragon, dies without an heir to his throne, a sword magically appears inside an anvil atop a stone, with an inscription proclaiming that whoever removes it will be the future king. Many have unsuccessfully attempted to remove the sword, and the sword becomes forgotten, leaving England in the Dark Ages. Years later, an 11-year-old orphan named Arthur removes the stone

What a speaker line up: The Three persons of the trinity represented: Jesus in the water, the Father Speaking, The spirit descending.

God is about to do what he has promised, and it is through this individual in the water.

This is a heavenly event.

Transition: He is the messiah …. but he is so much more than that. Secondly why makes Jesus baptism unique is the presence of the voice of the Lord.

2. The Audible Voice of God (The Script + Cameo)

Only 3 occurrences of the audible voice of God in all of the NT

What does God declare? “You are my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased,”

In this context “Son” is not a messianic title, but is to be understood in the highest sense, transcending messiahship.

Royal Sonship greater than a messenger, greater than a deliverer God has sent of himself

It signifies the unique relationship which Jesus sustains to the Father.

2. the son is submitting to the will of the father in baptism.

Jesus does it all willingly.

These People have something to repent of he does not.

Yet in love he has come to offer himself.

Here I am to do something about it.

3. Jesus is identifying with these people… I am one of them.

Jesus comes to John as the true Israelite whose repentance is perfect.

We need to understand Jesus is here to atone for our sins.

But he does this as a representative in our place, a substitute.

This means that all that Jesus does is the greatest example of how man can like.

So in Baptism Jesus….

Public: The world now knows who Jesus is.

Ritual: He is here to take away the sins of the repentant heart.

a declaration: He is the son of God.

Obedience to the will of the father

Transition: Alright in many ways the exegesis of the text ends right there but i want to end this sermon, bringing it to a discussion about our Baptism.

I want to close the morning with this question.. I will be honest it is adjacent to the message, but not direct application this text is about all that we have said but I do believe we need to discuss what Baptism means for us.

Mark will get there, and Mark knows the whole story but there is a reason Baptism is spoken of so many times… so heres the question.

Where are you at with Baptism?

Christians who have not been baptized

Those ready to be baptized.

Those who have been baptized?

I am going to be more direct for a moment to the Christians in the Room

Christian if you are not baptized why?

I think most of our reasons come back to things that at their root are not God honoring.

at the center of most of them is pride.

I am not talking about Why in the past… I am addressing where you are at right now.

Do not hear me saying that I believe baptism is required of Christians… but I think it is instructed, and a step of obedience.

We bring nothing to the table of Salvation. It is a work of the Lord.

Yet when God moves in our hearts we respond in faith.

Our statement on Baptism: We believe that Christian baptism is a public declaration of the believer’s salvation in Christ. identifying with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection symbolized by immersion in water.

If you are a Christian today, I would encourage you in love to strongly consider being baptized.

Submit yourself to Gods path for the believer, there is no reason to avoid it.

On your connect card there is a box. I would encourage you to check it, and lets have a conversation.

Prayer Prompt:

Praise God for sending his son?

How do you respond in faith?