Good Wednesday January twelfth as we open God’s word to study the true gospel.
You are My Son-
John a prophet sent by God for the purpose to direct mankind to see Jesus as the Christ the messiah, who would come and take away the sins of the world and forgive all mankind for rebellion, disobedience and sins against God. Today many false religions have taken baptism and removed the truth and purpose for the act and added their own laws and regulations for baptism. People were baptized in John’s day signifying that they wanted everyone to know that they were going to live for God. God took the act demonstrating to the world the choice to live fully for God and placed meaning in the act. Now non-Jews that converted to Judaism were baptized as Jews but John’s baptism took on something new, something personal. John asked those he baptized to come and repent from their religious traditions and unbelief’s. This stimulated the teachings of John as one must prepare to come into the presence of God. When John said one must first repent this was new to the people because this was a new way in which mankind would relate to God. Mark 1:4-5 “John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” Today as believers when we approach the Lord this same attitude is asked of us before we come to the Lord which by the way is not a new act. Psalm 32:5 “Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.” and you forgave the guilt of my sin.” Jesus did the work that allows us all to approach the Lord then confess and be in the Lord’s presence. Now Mark tells us that John entered this world with the purpose to prepare mankind for the coming of the Lord. John went to the Jordan river saying we must prepare ourselves to come into the presence of the Lord, let us confess our sins and ask forgiveness in the act of repentance, meaning we will stop living in disobedience, stop doing things we know are wrong and change our behavior to live rightly before God. As one entered the water this symbolized the washing of our old lives coming from the waters cleaned and renewed. This still is the act of baptism this day. Let’s read together from Mark 1:9-11 “It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Mark documents Jesus’ baptism, why did Jesus need baptism? Jesus entered this world to carry mankind’s sins away from us so He needed to show us that He was doing just that. Coming out of the waters the voice of the Father said “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” From God the Father to the world this is who you follow and believe. 2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” The dove the voice from heaven was the sign that Jesus was truly the Messiah. People ask for signs well here it is, Jesus went on and healed and did great miracles for people and was raised from the dead. Are these signs enough for you? Remnant
