Mark 1:4-13 "Our Lord Gets Soaking Wet"
Mark 1:4-13 "Our Lord Gets Soaking Wet"
4 And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."
12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, 13 and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.
PROP- pitcher of water (bring in and pour the water out). Today is a day of water. Today is the day we celebrate and remember Our Lord’s baptism-
Our Lord Jesus was baptized
Our Lord Jesus was baptized.
He stepped into the water and he let John take him below the surface of the river Jordan.
He was in the water. [Pour out some more water]
As he comes up from the water- he can see heaven itself being torn open- and the Spirit of God- whom he has been physically separated from for 30 years- lands on him, peacefully- as a dove. Then a gentle reminder from Father God, who is in a sense saying, hey- "I know its been a while- but just remember this: you are my Son, I love you and am pleased with you."
Jesus doesn’t start his ministry in the Temple- he starts it in the desert- a good drenching in water followed by a time of spiritual challenge and fasting in the dessert is Jesus’ final act of preparation for ministry and his first acts of his ministry. He is both preparing himself and teaching US at the same time. He was convicted to be baptized- his conviction and action teaches us that we too should be baptized to honor him.
Father God doesn’t meet Jesus at a sacrifice at the temple- he meets him in a humble act of personal devotion and worship.
Nature was Jesus’ temple that day- his priest was John the wild man and his baptismal was the River Jordan.
He doesn’t seek approval of the high priest, he seeks baptism from the wild-prophet of the desert.
What a scene, what a story.
Our Lord Jesus getting baptized- getting soaking wet. Why? For what purpose?
What is baptism?
Baptism is an act of devotion
- You put your life in another’s hands
- It is a statement that says I believe that God has called me to be His servant
- The water symbolically seals a deal with God
- Parents and grandparents long to see their children baptized- because they know how God works. They know that their children and grandchildren can look back at this special event- this concrete-solid moment in time- and remember the love of God and that God has saved them and that their life has a meaning and a purpose. That they have devoted their life to God. No matter what may come, the troubles, the sorrows, the doubts of our faith- one can look back and say with confidence- "I was washed clean. The deal has been sealed. God loves me and I love God." Baptism crushes all evil lies:
Lies such as: You are not worthy of God’s love- You are not worth God’s time
Your sins are unforgivable- you are too dirty, too troubled
Friends baptism reminds us the truth is this: God created you to love you- there fore you are worthy of God’s love- not because of what you do or don’t do- but because God just loves you- warts and all
You are worth God’s time- He hasn’t missed a baptism service yet- he attends every single one- I guarantee it.
All our sins past, present and future are not only forgivable- they are already forgiven and nailed to the cross. God knew your worst sin before you ever committed it and decided you were still worth saving. No one is too troubled for Jesus. In fact he came not to save "the I already got It all together" folks- no Jesus came to save the sick, the hurting, the goofups and goofballs, the lost and the confused, the doubters, the crooks, the failures and even the liars- in short he came to save us humans.
In doing baptism, yes it is a sign that we are devoted to God, all the baptized are to proclaim that Jesus Christ is their Savior and Lord of their life.
but it is even more so a remembrance that God is eternally devoted to loving and saving us.
Baptism is an act of humility
A person steps into the water, right here in this baptismal fount, or at a pool or river, and puts their hands across their chest, proclaims Jesus as Lord and Savior and then waits. They wait for the action of the baptizer.
Jesus’ baptizer was John. Your baptizer could be me, another minister, maybe a family member or friend- the baptizer is to put your proclamation of Jesus as Lord and Savior into action. A baptizer pours the water or dips the person into the water.
The person being baptized is being held captive, of their own will and choice, by the actions of the baptizer.
The very act that we use to symbolize the start of our faith journey is a passive, humble act.
We surrender to our baptizer and in doing so we are showing the greater surrender we have to our Lord God.
As the Son of God humbled himself to become one of us, so we too humble ourself to admit that we are most truly a son of God or a daughter of God. It is the least we can do to honor what God has done for us.
I ask you today to seek baptism and if you are already baptized I ask you to reclaim your baptism- baptism is truly a spiritual birth- for some of you it is time to have your first birthday very soon, for some of you it is time to remember your birthday- to humbly praise and thank God for meeting you in the waters of baptism
Baptism is the start of a journey
After a very long and boring sermon the parishioners filed out of the church saying nothing to the preacher. Towards the end of the line was a thoughtful person who always commented on the sermons. "Pastor, today your sermon reminded me of the peace and love of God."
The pastor was thrilled. "Nobody has ever said anything like that about my preaching before. Tell me why."
"Because it endured forever."
Time is a relative experience. Some live short lives-that are filled full. And others live long and empty lives. Some live long full lives- and there are endless stages in between.
Baptism is the start of a journey- a journey that truly will never end. We will live forever in a relationship with God, in the presence of God.
But living forever is hard, if not impossible to understand- and I am convinced that the only way we will begin to understand the greatness and blessedness of eternity- is to fully live in the present moment.
From the concrete, solid moment of Our baptism- life can be a endless series of moments with open ends. An all wet follower of Jesus can live each moment with an end to do something eternal.
What am I saying? Stop and really think for a second- you can do something in a moment- in a few seconds- a conversation, an evening, a season- that will keep going even when the moment or the event has passed.
PROP- camera- it is like when I take this picture of all of you- it only takes a moment- but now the moment has been captured and appreciated- in this case by a camera- and it will live on.
A husband and wife kissing at their wedding- lasts only a moment- but this moment is open ended, and in a real sense it will stay alive as long as the couple honors it. If a person forgives someone on their death bed- the forgiveness will live- though the person dies and the moment will have an open end a life unto itself- this is somehow a bit of eternity.
When we do a loving thing or say a loving thing, the effects and power of these good acts can snowball and develop goodness in others
Take Jesus for example- at some point in time he said love your enemy as well as love your neighbor as yourself- likely he said these hundreds if not thousands of times in his short three year ministry- but these powerfully true words snowballed into people’s lives and changed how they lived and changed whole cultures and societies- they are still changing people- three years of devoted ministry started a movement that has no parallel in human history-
Baptism is God capturing us from sin- a moment that tells us, reminds us that we will live on! Jesus’ teaching moments have become eternal moments
Jesus was living out his faith as well as teaching us- when he sought baptism
He was living out His faith- by humbly entering the historic waters of Jordan, by putting his life in the hands of John- he was proclaiming that the time had come for Him to begin His redeeming ministry. He is saying "it’s on"- from this point on Jesus is publicly preaching and healing.
He was teaching us- to admit that our lives are not simply our own. We are God’s. Each and every one of us is loved by God and God calls all to baptism.
He is calling you today. [Give the invitation.] Amen.
4 And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."
12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, 13 and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.
PROP- pitcher of water (bring in and pour the water out). Today is a day of water. Today is the day we celebrate and remember Our Lord’s baptism-
Our Lord Jesus was baptized
Our Lord Jesus was baptized.
He stepped into the water and he let John take him below the surface of the river Jordan.
He was in the water. [Pour out some more water]
As he comes up from the water- he can see heaven itself being torn open- and the Spirit of God- whom he has been physically separated from for 30 years- lands on him, peacefully- as a dove. Then a gentle reminder from Father God, who is in a sense saying, hey- "I know its been a while- but just remember this: you are my Son, I love you and am pleased with you."
Jesus doesn’t start his ministry in the Temple- he starts it in the desert- a good drenching in water followed by a time of spiritual challenge and fasting in the dessert is Jesus’ final act of preparation for ministry and his first acts of his ministry. He is both preparing himself and teaching US at the same time. He was convicted to be baptized- his conviction and action teaches us that we too should be baptized to honor him.
Father God doesn’t meet Jesus at a sacrifice at the temple- he meets him in a humble act of personal devotion and worship.
Nature was Jesus’ temple that day- his priest was John the wild man and his baptismal was the River Jordan.
He doesn’t seek approval of the high priest, he seeks baptism from the wild-prophet of the desert.
What a scene, what a story.
Our Lord Jesus getting baptized- getting soaking wet. Why? For what purpose?
What is baptism?
Baptism is an act of devotion
- You put your life in another’s hands
- It is a statement that says I believe that God has called me to be His servant
- The water symbolically seals a deal with God
- Parents and grandparents long to see their children baptized- because they know how God works. They know that their children and grandchildren can look back at this special event- this concrete-solid moment in time- and remember the love of God and that God has saved them and that their life has a meaning and a purpose. That they have devoted their life to God. No matter what may come, the troubles, the sorrows, the doubts of our faith- one can look back and say with confidence- "I was washed clean. The deal has been sealed. God loves me and I love God." Baptism crushes all evil lies:
Lies such as: You are not worthy of God’s love- You are not worth God’s time
Your sins are unforgivable- you are too dirty, too troubled
Friends baptism reminds us the truth is this: God created you to love you- there fore you are worthy of God’s love- not because of what you do or don’t do- but because God just loves you- warts and all
You are worth God’s time- He hasn’t missed a baptism service yet- he attends every single one- I guarantee it.
All our sins past, present and future are not only forgivable- they are already forgiven and nailed to the cross. God knew your worst sin before you ever committed it and decided you were still worth saving. No one is too troubled for Jesus. In fact he came not to save "the I already got It all together" folks- no Jesus came to save the sick, the hurting, the goofups and goofballs, the lost and the confused, the doubters, the crooks, the failures and even the liars- in short he came to save us humans.
In doing baptism, yes it is a sign that we are devoted to God, all the baptized are to proclaim that Jesus Christ is their Savior and Lord of their life.
but it is even more so a remembrance that God is eternally devoted to loving and saving us.
Baptism is an act of humility
A person steps into the water, right here in this baptismal fount, or at a pool or river, and puts their hands across their chest, proclaims Jesus as Lord and Savior and then waits. They wait for the action of the baptizer.
Jesus’ baptizer was John. Your baptizer could be me, another minister, maybe a family member or friend- the baptizer is to put your proclamation of Jesus as Lord and Savior into action. A baptizer pours the water or dips the person into the water.
The person being baptized is being held captive, of their own will and choice, by the actions of the baptizer.
The very act that we use to symbolize the start of our faith journey is a passive, humble act.
We surrender to our baptizer and in doing so we are showing the greater surrender we have to our Lord God.
As the Son of God humbled himself to become one of us, so we too humble ourself to admit that we are most truly a son of God or a daughter of God. It is the least we can do to honor what God has done for us.
I ask you today to seek baptism and if you are already baptized I ask you to reclaim your baptism- baptism is truly a spiritual birth- for some of you it is time to have your first birthday very soon, for some of you it is time to remember your birthday- to humbly praise and thank God for meeting you in the waters of baptism
Baptism is the start of a journey
After a very long and boring sermon the parishioners filed out of the church saying nothing to the preacher. Towards the end of the line was a thoughtful person who always commented on the sermons. "Pastor, today your sermon reminded me of the peace and love of God."
The pastor was thrilled. "Nobody has ever said anything like that about my preaching before. Tell me why."
"Because it endured forever."
Time is a relative experience. Some live short lives-that are filled full. And others live long and empty lives. Some live long full lives- and there are endless stages in between.
Baptism is the start of a journey- a journey that truly will never end. We will live forever in a relationship with God, in the presence of God.
But living forever is hard, if not impossible to understand- and I am convinced that the only way we will begin to understand the greatness and blessedness of eternity- is to fully live in the present moment.
From the concrete, solid moment of Our baptism- life can be a endless series of moments with open ends. An all wet follower of Jesus can live each moment with an end to do something eternal.
What am I saying? Stop and really think for a second- you can do something in a moment- in a few seconds- a conversation, an evening, a season- that will keep going even when the moment or the event has passed.
PROP- camera- it is like when I take this picture of all of you- it only takes a moment- but now the moment has been captured and appreciated- in this case by a camera- and it will live on.
A husband and wife kissing at their wedding- lasts only a moment- but this moment is open ended, and in a real sense it will stay alive as long as the couple honors it. If a person forgives someone on their death bed- the forgiveness will live- though the person dies and the moment will have an open end a life unto itself- this is somehow a bit of eternity.
When we do a loving thing or say a loving thing, the effects and power of these good acts can snowball and develop goodness in others
Take Jesus for example- at some point in time he said love your enemy as well as love your neighbor as yourself- likely he said these hundreds if not thousands of times in his short three year ministry- but these powerfully true words snowballed into people’s lives and changed how they lived and changed whole cultures and societies- they are still changing people- three years of devoted ministry started a movement that has no parallel in human history-
Baptism is God capturing us from sin- a moment that tells us, reminds us that we will live on! Jesus’ teaching moments have become eternal moments
Jesus was living out his faith as well as teaching us- when he sought baptism
He was living out His faith- by humbly entering the historic waters of Jordan, by putting his life in the hands of John- he was proclaiming that the time had come for Him to begin His redeeming ministry. He is saying "it’s on"- from this point on Jesus is publicly preaching and healing.
He was teaching us- to admit that our lives are not simply our own. We are God’s. Each and every one of us is loved by God and God calls all to baptism.
He is calling you today. [Give the invitation.] Amen.
posted by Palouse Fed. Church at 3:19 PM
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