Baptism of the Lord

Mark 1:4-11

Baptism of the Lord - Mark 1:4-11

Questions:

What does baptism mean for Jesus in Mark 1:4-11?

What does baptism mean to you?

Who should be baptised?

What is the effect of baptism?

Baptism unique to the Christian faith. For Methodists, as it is for many other denominations it’s a community act.

What does baptism mean for Jesus in Mark 1:4-11?

Baptism inaugurated the ministry of Jesus.

OT Witness

Psalm 2:7

The New Revised Standard Version God’s Promise to His Anointed

7 I will tell of the decree of the LORD:

He said to me, “You are my son;

today I have begotten you.

Isaiah 42:1

The New Revised Standard Version The Servant, a Light to the Nations

42 Here is my servant, whom I uphold,

my chosen, in whom my soul delights;

I have put my spirit upon him;

he will bring forth justice to the nations.

Jesus is called by the Father to be the Messiah

Jesus is the beloved Son

The Spirit rests on him: Isaiah 11:2 or 1 Samuel 16:13

The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,

the spirit of wisdom and understanding,

the spirit of counsel and might,

the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. 1

1 The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Is 11:2.

The New Revised Standard Version David Anointed as King

13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.

Jesus is the obedient Son - to death

Jesus announces the rule of God - Kingdom - Good News to Israel, Good News to the World

Jesus was the expected King, and being in fellowship with Jesus was to be in the kingdom, for he was who would reconstitute Israel, who would offer forgiveness and healing.

Does your baptism inaugurate your ministry to participate in announcing the Good News to your community.

John the Baptizer mentions two baptism - baptism of water and baptism of Spirit

How did the early church perceive baptism?

Baptism as inauguration or initiation.

It does not save a person from sinfulness.

It is an invitation into a community formed by Jesus, where the baptized abides in Christ, as Christ abides in them, and thus they live a life different than the world. We live how Jesus lived his life in obedience and service to the Father.

We are one with them, as they are one in the Trinity, part of a community that is built on mutual love and caring.

What does baptism mean to you?

inaugurated or initiated into a community that is in fellowship with Christ Jesus

Your identity is directly tied to Jesus - and no other

You cannot serve two masters

You live in community that is sent to a place and time to reflect God’s community of mutual love and caring

You are called to be in that community with the people as Jesus is with you.

What does baptism in water and spirit mean for the church?

John 20:21 Jesus says he was sent by the Father, now he sends the Disciples, thus Jesus sends the church by the power of the Spirit. [Oden]

the Spirit enables, works, supplies, challenges

The Body is indwelt by the Spirit

The Spirit enables each member to respond in unity, witness, and service

1 Cor. 2:4, 5; 14:19, 20

Thomas Oden “There can be no Christian duty or action apart from Christian life. Bringing the community of faith to life is the work of the Spirit” (Rom. 8:1–11).1

1 Thomas C. Oden, Life in the Spirit: Systematic Theology, Vol. III (San Francisco, CA: HarperSanFrancisco, 1992), 287.

What does baptism mean to you?

inaugurated or initiated into a community that is in fellowship with Christ Jesus

Klyne Snodgrass - Baptism and the faith it represents are such a deep participation with and joining to the death and resurrection of Christ that a radical ethical transformation is by necessity required. Baptism is about dying by being incorporated into Christ’s death in order to participate in his life

Your identity is directly tied to Jesus - and no other

You cannot serve two masters

You live in community that is sent to a place and time to reflect God’s community of mutual love and caring

You are called to be in that community with the people as Jesus is with you.

This week I was reminded that in my baptism are the roots of my identity.

I was baptized into a community and my identity is in Christ - nothing else

I died to the person who I was, and I was raised a new person into a community created in the Spirit to look like the Trinity - a place of mutual love and caring.

I remembered that my Lord - was killed by a mob full of hate, anger, and self-rigteousness.

And he forgave them from the cross that they killed him on

I remember that he was called weak, but he prevailed, and he was raised on the third day, and now sits on the throne and is the king of the kingdom to which he has invited me to participate as his witness.

My identity is in that man and that God - Jesus, the beloved Son of God, the Messiah, who was killed but raised again on the third day overcoming death and sin for the sake of the Israel and the nations.