Mark 1:4-11 ESV
4 John appeared, baptizing
in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism
of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And
all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being
baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now
John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his
waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And
he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap
of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I
have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy
Spirit.”
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.”
Heaven Opens – God Speaks
Wow! It was just a few weeks ago we heard a lesson about John
the Baptist. And here he is again. Yet each lesson of John the Baptist is
actually a lesson pointing to Jesus. John the Baptist, like all disciples of
Jesus, are here to point outward to Jesus the Messiah. We point to God, not to
ourselves. Remember that! I have to remember that daily. Life is not about me.
Life is about God. Life is about an eternal communion with Creator, Redeemer,
Giver of all Life.
The work of John the Baptist is often viewed as the
beginning of Christianity. John announces Jesus, in the flesh. John announces
that God is with us. In preparation for the presence of God in the lives of you
and me and all people; John calls us to an act of repentance. Repentance
prepares us for God’s rule in life. Repentance turns us to God. But notice,
that turn to God, is not an act of our own. No, God calls out to us through the
words of John the Baptist and points us to look towards Jesus. So, in some way,
God really repents us, God turns us around. God shows himself to us as one of
us in flesh and blood. God repents us and turns us to see Jesus.
Do we ever proclaim Jesus? Do we ever remind people of
Jesus? Are we bold, in our own skin, to speak of Jesus to the world? Look at
John the Baptist, he didn’t try to be anything special at all. He called out to
the world just like he was… crude… dirty… dressed in his own clothes… eating
humble food… living his life for God… true to God’s call for him in his time.
As we see John, I’m reminded how Christianity is not first
DO and GO!
No! Christianity is first COME and RECEIVE.
I look to my baptism. In fact, daily I must turn to my baptism.
God turns me to him and my life turns OUTWARD and never INWARD. God turns me to
him and those he gives to me, each and every day. God turns me away from my
daily sin towards his love and grace. All in the reliving of my baptism each
and every day.
Now… back to John…
John the Baptist is a “Messenger of the Covenant.” This is
God’s promise to always be with us. God comes to us, and we can’t take it. It’s
just too much. I know my sin. I know that I cannot save myself from death. As I
live in my sin, I know that I deserve death. In the presence of God, and now in
the presence of Jesus, like John, I’m not worthy of even the job of a slave, to
untie the sandal of Jesus for him.
Yes, I’m a sinner. No doubt about it.
In the Lord’s Prayer we pray, “forgive us our trespasses as
we forgive those who trespass against us…”
As Luther says… What does this mean?
To paraphrase Luther…
We pray that God would not hold our sin against us and deny the
things that we pray for in the Lord’s Prayer. I know that I have not earned or
done what needs to be done for God’s grace, in all that I pray for. I deserve
death and punishment for my sin. You as well. After all, the Lord’s Prayer is a
community prayer of “us” and “our,” so we’re all involved. But we ask that God
would give us his grace and forgive our sins, just as we gladly forgive the sins
of those who sin against us.
So, along comes Jesus. Jesus comes to John’s baptism, not as
a sinner. No! Jesus comes to John’s baptism to fully identify himself with our
need to be saved from sin. Only through Jesus can we be saved from sin. We can’t
do anything to save ourself from sin. We can’t even repent without God turning
us to see him in the glory of Jesus.
Jesus is our example. Jesus is called out of Nazareth by John.
Likewise, God calls us out from ourselves. God calls us out of our home. Jesus
comes to my door each and every day and says, “Can Billy come out to play?” (there’s
another whole personal story to this question for me… maybe another time…
actually the story is in this blogsite somewhere). Jesus calls you as well.
Jesus calls us out of our home, out of the comfort of “Mon and Dad” to a world
in need of love and grace and care.
So, as Jesus was called out… as Jesus was baptized… Jesus
saw the heavens open. I don’t know if anyone else saw the heavens open… the
passage says Jesus did though. God opens heaven for all to see his glory in
Jesus. Jesus coming out of the water… the heavens torn apart… God is disclosed…
and the Spirit descends on Jesus.
Once again God will open heaven to all people. Upon Jesus
death on the cross the curtain of the Temple in the Holy of Holies section is
torn open. Ripped open. God reveals himself before the world in the death of
Jesus. God saves all of us and comes to us. God wants to be with his people
forever. And… God will do anything needed to make this happen.
And then the Word! God speaks… “You are my Son!” Yes! Jesus
is God!
I’m drawn to remember the Transfiguration. Look it up. God
speaks to us and the disciples. This IS my Son! We are called to listen to
Jesus. Listen to the Word. Seek the Word…. Turn to the Word… Follow the Word…
even in our sinful life in the here and now. This Word? This Word that was from
the beginning, even before the beginning and is forever? This Word is Jesus.
So, here in this passage of scripture, we witness the start
of a new creation. In this passage is the Divine announcement of who Jesus already
IS! This announcement is not hidden in time or knowledge. This announcement of
God is for all the people.
Mark 1:11 ESV
And a voice came from heaven, “You are my
beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
Dear Father, in creation was the Word and the Spirit swept
over the waters. The voice of God is over the waters. In baptism, sweep over
the waters and draw your people out of the dead of sin to life in you through
Jesus, gifted and called by the Holy Spirit to eternal life with you… today…
tomorrow… and forever. --- Amen
As God turns us...
Enjoy this YouTube music video...
God Bless...
No comments:
Post a Comment