DATE: 10TH JAN, 2021
THEME: BAPTISM OF THE LORD
SCRIPTURE READINGS
Genesis 1:1-5
Acts 19:1-7
Mark 1:4-11
Psalter: Psalm 29 (Response V.2b)
PREPARED BY: OSOFO YAW DODD
INTRODUCTION
Today is the first Sunday of Epiphany, the day in the church year when we celebrate the Baptism of Our Lord. This is the day we remember that event when our Lord Jesus Christ was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. So today is, in effect, JESUS’ BAPTISMAL BIRTHDAY. The word “epiphany” is a Greek word which we have taken into the English language. It means MANIFESTATION or APPEARANCE. And during this season of Epiphany, we’ll be looking at the several ways which the arrival, identity, and mission of Jesus were manifested, or made known to us and to the world.
The Baptism of Our Lord is an event recorded in all three of the synoptic gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and also referred to in the Gospel of John. The accounts are very similar, except here and there one writer may include a detail that another leaves out, or one writer may use slightly different wording to describe the same event. So it is in our text today from the Gospel of Mark. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all mention that when Jesus was baptized the heavens were opened, but only Mark uses the exact word choice that we find today. He says: “And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opening.” “The heavens opening,” but more literally it says: “THE HEAVENS BEING TORN OPEN.” “The heavens being torn open.” That’s an interesting way to put it, isn’t it? The word that’s used here in the Greek is the word, “schizo.” It’s the word from which we get our English words “SCISSORS ” and “SCHISM,” etc. “SCHIZO ” means to “split,” to “rend,” to “tear apart” or “rip open.” It has almost a violent connotation. So the heavens were being “split wide open,” “torn apart,” when Jesus was baptized.
John proclaimed Christ’s superiority by distinguishing between his own baptism with water and the baptism that Christ would provide with the Holy Spirit. Several Old Testament passages speak of the Holy Spirit being poured out like water. Jesus’ baptism with the Holy Spirit supplies us with supernatural power just like the Holy Spirit revealed its supernatural power at Jesus’ baptism. All three members of the Trinity-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-were present at Jesus’ baptism. The parting of heaven was a foretaste of both Jesus’ statement in Mark 1:15 that the kingdom of heaven was near and the tearing of the veil of the temple when Jesus died on the cross. Jesus’ birth ended the separation of God and man that was created when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden.
BODY
I. THE APPEARING OF THE SON
This is the first recorded appearance of the Lord Jesus in eighteen years. When He appears, He comes to John the Baptist to be baptized by John. God was working through John the Baptist in those days and Jesus wanted to identify Himself with everything that was of the Father.
▪ He Appeared In Declaration – When Jesus presented Himself for baptism, He was making a public declaration of some important facts.
- Jesus came to John to place His divine seal on what John had been saying.
- Jesus was baptized so that John would know that Jesus was the Messiah, John 1:33; Mark 1:10.
- He was baptized to signal the beginning of His public ministry.
▪ He Appeared In Dedication – In His baptism, Jesus was willingly and publicly accepting the mission He had been given by His Father. Jesus had entered this world for the sole purpose of carrying out God’s plan to redeem sinners.
▪ He Appeared In Demonstration – The baptism of Jesus also served to allow Him to identify with the very people He came to save. Every one of those people who came to John for baptism was looking for a new life. They were looking for forgiveness of their sins and for a relationship with God. Jesus Christ came to give those very things to lost people.
II. THE ANOINTING OF THE SPIRIT
Through this tear in the heavens the Holy Spirit descended on the Lord Jesus in a visible form. We need to take a moment to consider the Holy Spirit and what He did in the life of Jesus.
▪ A Picture Of Sacrifice – The Spirit came in the form of a “dove”. The dove was the offering of the poor man, Lev. 5:7. Two “turtledoves” were the offering given by Mary and Joseph when they presented Jesus as a baby, Luke 2:24. In the minds of the people, doves were associated with sacrifice. Thus, when Jesus came into this world, He came to live a life of self-sacrifice. He did not come to live for Himself, He came to live and die for others. The Spirit of God anointed Jesus for a life of self-sacrifice.
▪ A Preparation For Service – Jesus needed the power of the Spirit because He did not come into this world to live as God, but because He came into this world to live as a man. He was anointed for service.
▪ A Perfection Of The Scriptures – The Spirit came on Jesus to fulfill the ancient prophecies concerning the Messiah. The Old Testament prophets said that the Messiah would be a Spirit-filled man, Isa. 11:1-5. The Jews were looking for the Messiah. Their teachers had told them that His inauguration would be spectacular.
III. THE APPROVING OF THE FATHER
The third event that occurred when Jesus was baptized was the voice of the Heavenly Father coming out of Heaven. When God spoke, HE VOICED HIS APPROVAL OF JESUS AS HIS SON.
▪ It Was A Public Approval – The Father was letting John the Baptist and everyone else who heard Him speak know that He was pleased with His son Jesus. He was placing His divine seal of approval upon the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus.
▪ It Was A Personal Approval – When God spoke that day He was also speaking for the benefit of the Son. For thirty years, the Father had been watching Jesus as He grew and matured. The Father had watched Jesus every day of His life. Now, after thirty years of observation, God passes His verdict on the earthly life of Jesus. God looks at Him and says, “I AM WELL PLEASED!”
▪ It Was A Profound Approval – When God pronounced His approval of the Son, He was also voicing His approval of all those who are in the Son. When a person is saved, the righteousness of Jesus is “imputed” to them, Rom. 4:22-24. In other words, when God looks upon a redeemed saint of God, He does not see our vile sins and wicked ways. He sees His Son and His holiness.
IV. APPLICATION
a. The Holy Spirit changes things.
He worked through Jesus to bridge the gap between us and God. Reconciliation with God was possible because of Jesus’ birth, ministry, death and resurrection. Not only was this gap first bridged at Jesus’ baptism when the Holy Spirit descended from heaven like a dove, He also bridged at his death when the veil in the temple was torn in two.
b. God claims us through baptism.
In the waters of our baptism, God speaks our name, unites us to Christ and grants us the promise of new life. He says that he loves us, he claims us and he is proud of us. Nothing else is needed. No one can take our new identity in Christ away from us. No matter what other names we are called, by others or even by ourselves, we are now beloved children of God.
c. Baptism tells us that we are deeply rooted in the possibility toward goodness.
Jesus and John the Baptist spoke of the need for repentance, and repentance is the first step in a journey that leads us to baptism by the Holy Spirit. It requires us to change our direction. In other words, we have to “turn or burn.” Baptism is the second step in the journey. It means a burial and resurrection to a new life in Christ. Baptism with water is a symbol of the washing away of the dirt of our old, sinful life. Forgiveness of sins is the third step. It is ushered in by our baptism and our repentance. When God forgives us, he wipes our record clean.
Baptism with the Holy Spirit allows us to see ourselves as gospel peacemakers in our world.
It allows us to be merciful to those who ask for forgiveness.
It allows us to speak for those who can’t speak for themselves-the poor, the hungry, the oppressed, prisoners and so on. It allows us to spread God’s love to everyone.
Baptism means that God has broken through the barrier between him and us. In return, we are to break through the challenges and problems of the world with everything we have been given by the Holy Spirit.
Saying, yes, to our baptism means saying yes to facing the challenges of our world and yes to a life torn open by God’s love. Saying yes to our baptism means that our sins have been forgiven and we have been given a new start in life through Jesus Christ.
CONCLUSION
Precious One! Let’s us prepare ourselves to receive this baptism of our Lord. The Holy Spirit should fill us for good works for the Lord. Enjoy the Service. Stay BLESSED
PREPARED BY
OSOFO YAW DODD
CALVARY METHODIST CHURCH
ADABRAKA-ACCRA
