At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
Introduction
In religion, we do everything by our own power and strength and exhaust ourselves with our limitations, but in the gospel, we live our lives by God’s power and strength. In God’s word, we find our vision and navigation. Let’s look closely at the word and investigate its personal connection with our lives.
1. The Symbol of Jesus’ Baptism
Why was Jesus baptized? Jesus did not have sin, and doesn’t need to be forgiven. This baptism was a proclamation to the world that God kept his promise and the inauguration of Jesus as Christ. It also symbolized the humility with which Jesus came to the world. Through his baptism, all of our sins were transferred to him, and his righteousness was transferred to us in return. His baptism symbolizes our sin and curses being washed away, foreshadowing Jesus’ role as the Priest. Simply, it means God loves us, knows all of our life circumstances and, as evidence, he sent his one and only Son, exactly as he promised. When we realize this Jesus, we experience a turning point in our lives.
2. The Blessing of Triune God
There’s nothing in this world that we can compare to the Triune God, but in verse 10 and 11, we see God the Father and the Spirit both at work. God is one, and three. They are each fully God, yet distinct from each other. All three persons are related eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We cannot comprehend God with our finite minds but God the Father foreordained his Son to come down, die for us and resurrect, and for the Holy Spirit to come within us, sanctifying us and enabling us to pray. For us, our relationship with God is that of a Father and Son. God the Son has access to the throne of the Father, and is constantly interceding on our behalf. In verse 10, the Holy Spirit is in the form of a dove, referring to the dove that Noah found on the Ark, symbolizing a new beginning for us.
3. Jesus Overcame Satan’s Temptation
The Book of Mark is quite fast-paced and full of action, especially compared to the other gospels. Jesus, according to Paul, is the second Adam. The first Adam was tempted by Satan and fell to sin, but Jesus came as the second Adam to reverse what the first Adam had lost. Just as Satan attacks Jesus, Satan attacks us too. He tempts him with food and fame, but Jesus overcomes them through the Word of God. Satan knows and uses our vulnerabilities to prevent us from completely concluding our lives in only Christ, because that is what he’s most fearful of. To fight the spiritual battle, we need to prioritize worship, and then everything else in our lives fall into place. When we worship, our spirits are revived and our eyes are open to see the spiritual reality. Just as Jesus had victory over Satan’s temptations with the word, let’s cling to God’s word for spiritual victory.
Conclusion
If you fall, it’s okay. Just get up and continue to run the race towards God’s kingdom by holding on to only Jesus Christ.