The Way of Jesus – Sermon #2,

“The Beloved Son Who Walks Our Way”

Text: Mark 1:9–15

Mark 1:9–15 ESV

9 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.”

INTRODUCTION — Jesus Steps In

Last week, we saw how God prepared the way for Christ. John preached repentance. He pointed beyond himself. He faithfully prepared hearts for the coming of the Lord.

Now, something unexpected happens.

The One John has been preaching about… The One who needs no repentance… The One who is the Son of God…

steps into the water Himself.

Before we go with Jesus to the Jordan River, lets learn about where He has been.

1. Jesus Had Been Living an Ordinary, Faithful Life in Nazareth

Nazareth was:

a small, insignificant village

not a religious center

not politically important

not respected

John 1:46 ESV

46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

From the Gospels we learn:

Luke 2:51 ESV

51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.

And:

Luke 2:52 ESV

52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

What this tells us:

Jesus lived under parental authority

He grew normally—mentally, physically, spiritually, socially

He embraced obscurity without resentment

He honored God in everyday faithfulness

Pastoral insight: Before Jesus preached publicly, He lived faithfully privately.

That matters deeply for our congregation here at SS

2. Jesus Likely Worked as a Craftsman (τέκτων)

Mark 6:3 ESV

3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

The Greek word tekton means:

builder

craftsman

worker with wood and stone

This was hard, honest, manual labor.

Jesus:

worked with His hands

earned a living

served customers

showed up day after day

This means the Savior of the world:

knew fatigue

knew routine

knew responsibility

knew faithfulness without recognition

This is huge for your sermon:

Jesus did not rush to ministry.

He was not idle while waiting.

He glorified God in ordinary work.

3. Jesus Lived in Obedience, Waiting for the Father’s Timing

At age 12, Jesus already knew who He was:

Luke 2:49 ESV

49 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

Yet He waited another 18 years before public ministry.

Why?

Because calling does not negate submission.

Because zeal does not replace timing.

Because obedience includes waiting.

Theologically important point: Jesus never acted independently of the Father.

John 5:19 ESV

19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.

So when Jesus comes to the Jordan, it is not impulse. It is perfect obedience at the appointed time.

4. Jesus Comes to the Jordan at the Right Moment, Not the First Moment

John’s ministry is already underway. Repentance is being preached. Hearts are being stirred.

Then—and only then—Jesus appears.

This tells us something profound:

Jesus did not seek a platform. He entered the moment the Father prepared.

The Jordan is not a shortcut. It is the doorway into obedience, suffering, and the cross.

The timing was right, now Jesus must leave Nazareth and began His journey to the Cross

Let me set the scene:

Jesus Journey to the Jordan

Now to the Jordan was 60-70 miles from Nazareth, which would have taken 3-5 days on foot.

The terrain:

Hilly Galilee walking was not easy, the area is very rocky.

Mark 1:9 ESV

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

And with that single sentence, Mark shows us something deeply comforting about Jesus:

He does not remain distant from us. He comes near.

I. JESUS IDENTIFIES WITH US BEFORE HE CALLS US

(Mark 1:9)

“Jesus came… and was baptized.”

Jesus did not come to the Jordan because He needed cleansing. He came because we did.

A. The Sinless One Stands with Sinners

This is the wonder of the gospel:

Jesus steps into our place

Jesus enters our condition

Jesus walks our road

Before He ever calls anyone to follow Him, He first chooses to stand where we stand.

Illustration: It would be like a king stepping off his throne and standing shoulder to shoulder with his people—not to observe them, but to identify with them.

This is not weakness. This is love.

B. Our Assurance Begins with His Nearness

Some of us struggle to believe God understands us.

This moment says otherwise.

Jesus knows:

obedience

weariness

submission

humility

And because He has walked among us, we never walk alone.

Transition: And as Jesus comes up from the water, heaven itself responds.

II. GOD SPEAKS ASSURANCE BEFORE THE MISSION BEGINS

Mark 1:10–11

“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.”

This is a rare, holy moment:

The Father speaks

The Son stands

The Spirit descends

A. Heaven Is Torn Open

Mark uses strong language here—torn open.

It tells us something powerful:

God is not distant. God is breaking in.

The separation between heaven and earth is being undone.

B. The Most Important Words Jesus Hears

“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Notice something crucial:

God says this before Jesus preaches, heals, or performs a miracle.

Jesus is affirmed not for what He does, but for who He is.

This matters deeply for us.

God’s love is not earned by performance. It is received by relationship.

For faithful believers who serve quietly and tirelessly, this is a word of rest.

III. THE WAY OF JESUS INCLUDES BOTH AFFIRMATION AND TESTING

(Mark 1:12–13)

“The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.”

The same Spirit who descended in affirmation now leads Jesus into testing.

A. Obedience Does Not Exempt Us from Difficulty

Sometimes we assume hardship means we’ve missed God’s will.

But here, Scripture shows us:

Jesus was exactly where God wanted Him to be.

The wilderness is not punishment. It is preparation.

B. Jesus Faces What We Face

Mark tells us Jesus:

was tempted

was alone

was with wild animals

Yet:

“The angels were ministering to him.”

Even in testing, God’s presence never leaves.

This assures us:

God does not abandon us in trials

He sustains us through them

Transition: And after testing comes proclamation.

IV. JESUS PROCLAIMS GOOD NEWS — AND INVITES RESPONSE

(Mark 1:14–15)

“Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God.”

Before we can respond to the gospel, we must be clear about what it actually is.

A. The Gospel Is Not Advice — It Is News

The word gospel means good news.

That distinction matters.

Advice tells you what you must do. News tells you what has already been done.

The gospel is not:

“Try harder”

“Do better”

“Be more religious”

“Fix yourself”

The gospel is the announcement that God has acted on our behalf.

Christianity does not begin with our effort. It begins with God’s grace.

B. The Gospel Is the Story of What God Has Done in Christ

At its heart, the gospel is this:

God created us for Himself

Sin separated us from Him

We could not repair that separation

So God came to us in Jesus Christ

Jesus lived the life we could not live. Jesus died the death we deserved to die. Jesus rose again, conquering sin and death.

The gospel is not that God helped us save ourselves. The gospel is that God saved us when we could not save ourselves.

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

C. The Gospel Declares That the Kingdom Has Come Near

Jesus says:

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.”

That means:

God’s rule has broken into this world

Hope is no longer distant

Forgiveness is now available

Restoration has begun

The gospel is not merely about going to heaven someday. It is about God reclaiming lives right now.

Where Jesus is:

mercy reigns

grace is offered

new life begins

D. The Gospel Always Invites a Response — But Never by Force

Jesus says:

“Repent and believe in the gospel.”

That invitation is gentle, not harsh.

Repent — turn toward God

Believe — trust what God has done

Repentance is not earning forgiveness. Belief is not intellectual agreement.

Together, they mean:

“Lord, I turn from trusting myself, and I rest in what You have done for me.”

For long-time believers, this is not a one-time act. It is the posture of a faithful life.

E. Why This Matters for Faithful People

Many of us know the gospel so well that we forget how freeing it is.

We still serve. We still give. We still show up.

But sometimes we begin to relate to God as though we must maintain His pleasure.

This moment reminds us:

We are not loved because we are faithful. We are faithful because we are loved.

That is the gospel Jesus proclaimed.

Transition Line (into Conclusion or Invitation)

And when that gospel is truly heard— not as pressure, not as demand, but as good news—

it doesn’t crush the heart. It lifts it.

That is why Jesus invites us, even now, to repent and believe—not in ourselves, but in the gospel of God.

A. The Kingdom Has Come Near

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.”

This means:

God’s reign is breaking in

Hope is no longer distant

Redemption is present

B. A Gracious Call

“Repent and believe in the gospel.”

This is not a harsh command. It is a loving invitation.

Turn toward God

Trust the good news

Walk the way of Jesus

For seasoned believers, this is not a rebuke. It is a renewal.

CONCLUSION — The Way We Walk Together

Before Jesus called anyone to follow Him:

He stood with us

He was affirmed by the Father

He endured testing

He proclaimed hope

This is the way of Jesus.

And it is the way He invites us to walk:

grounded in assurance

honest in struggle

confident in God’s nearness

faithful in obedience

CLOSING ASSURANCE

If you belong to Christ, hear this clearly:

You are loved. You are not forgotten. You are not walking alone.

The same God who said,

“You are my beloved Son,”

now says through Christ,

“Come, follow Me.”

And by His grace, we will.

Next Week Preview

Sermon #3: “Follow Me” — Mark 1:16–20 The call of ordinary people to walk an extraordinary path with Jesus.