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| Mark 1:9-11 Pleasing Father |
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Jesus lived a life on this earth that pleased the Father. It is our hearts desire to please the Father through living in Jesus. We can glean and learn much in the example that Christ gave us as He walked this earth as the Son of Man full of the Spirit while heading to the cross to die for our sins as the Son of God.
In Mark 1:1-8 John the Baptist appears on the scene as a messenger sent by God to prepare people’s heart to receive Jesus as the Son of God and the Messiah. It had been 400 years since the voice of a prophet had been heard. There had been a famine of the Word of God. People were hungry for a Word from God while at the same time worn out by the Roman oppression that they lived under. This hunger and oppression drew them from the comforts of their city dwellings to travel into the wilderness to hear John speak about the Christ to come. As they listened to John point them to the One to come, they responded by repenting of their sins. Repenting is turning from sin and going the opposite direction. Jews had practiced ritual washings since their time in the wilderness with Moses. They were familiar with the idea that washing made pure and they were baptized in water by John as a sign indicating that they truly had repented of their sin.
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."
(Mark 1:9-11 ESV)
As John was baptizing all of the people who were repenting of their sins, Jesus appears on the scene. This is the most unlikely time for the Son of God to show up. Jesus had no need to repent of sins because He was sinless. But yet, He allowed John to baptize Him. His baptism was not for sins, but was to identify with people in their sin showing His willingness to submit to God’s judgment of their sin.
Jesus’ submission to the Father’s will, which meant certain death on a cross, was pleasing to the Father and demonstrated by the Father’s words and the Spirit’s descent upon Jesus. Notice that all three persons of the Trinity was present – the Father, the Son and the Spirit.
It is hard for us to comprehend what is taking place. Jesus came into our world to die for our sin. He was sinless and had no need to die for Himself. It was all about us. The Father loves us and wants to spend eternity with us so much that He sent Jesus. The Father wants us to experience life in Him and not death. And Jesus submitted to the will of the Father and He came. He left the glory of heaven and the splendor of the Father’s presence to come into our world to live and to die. He came as the son of man and He came as the son of God. He was 100% human and 100% God. As the son of man, he lived his life as an example for us to follow. As the son of God, He died for our sin taking God’s judgment for it upon Himself. And here at His baptism He, as a man, is indwelt by the Spirit just as all those who are born into God’s Kingdom would be.
There is much here for the Christ follower to glean and learn. One of my favorite Scripture is “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. (1 Peter 2:21 ESV)” This brings us to ask the question, “what can we learn from Jesus here in Mark 1:9-11?” I hope it is a question that you will continue to ask as we study the Gospel of Mark together.
First of all, we are to submit to God and His plans for our life. As we do, we will experience the Father’s pleasure as Jesus did. I have found out in life that our plans are not always God’s plans. We will make our plans for our life and we have a choice to either follow those plans or allow God to direct our steps. If we allow God to direct our steps, we will find that the way He takes us is not the way that we would have gone. We have the tendency to take the easy and the comfortable way that will cause us less pain. God’s way takes us into and through difficulty. As we allow Him to direct our steps, we will learn to trust Him totally with our life and everything that we have. Our rewards on this earth may not be much, but we will have rewards waiting for us in heaven. Beloved, always remember that rewards on earth are temporary. Rewards in heaven are eternal.
Secondly, we are to follow Christ in water baptism. In the early church, people were baptized as soon as they denied self, took up their cross and started to follow Jesus. In the modern church, baptism is often put off for weeks, months and even years. I’ve pastored some people through the years that came to church every Sunday, but were never baptized. They didn’t see the need for it. Maybe, they just didn’t want to get their hair wet. I don’t know the reasons why people put it off, but I have found out that while it may be possible to be a Christian without experiencing water baptism, it is impossible to be a Christ follower without following Christ in water baptism. And if one can not follow Christ in water baptism, what can they follow Him in? Well, I choose not to be a Christian only. I choose to be a Christ follower. There is a big difference. Follow Christ today Friend. Follow Christ.
Thirdly, we are indwelt by the same Spirit that indwelt Christ. Christ walked this earth as the Son of Man, full of the Holy Spirit, heading to the cross as the Son of God to die for our sins so that we can have fullness of life in Him now and for all eternity. It is the Spirit that births us into the Kingdom of God. The church does not birth us into the Kingdom, nor does church membership. Walking an aisle and repeating a prayer does not birth us into the Kingdom. Being religious does not birth us into the Kingdom. The Spirit and the Spirit only births us into the Kingdom of God. And as we deny self, take up our cross and follow Jesus, the same Spirit that indwelt Christ will indwell us.
Beloved, submit to God and His plans for your life letting him direct your every step. Follow Christ. Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Him. And be assured that you are baptized into the body of Christ by the Spirit that dwells within you.
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