Baptisms (Mark 1:9-15)

 Sermon for Centenary UMC (Lebanon) on February 18, 2024

[Title Slide] Baptisms (Mark 1:9-15)

[Slide] ⁹ In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰ And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove upon him. ¹¹ And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

 

[Slide] ¹² And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. ¹³ He was in the wilderness forty days, tested by Satan, and he was with the wild beasts, and the angels waited (served or ministered) on him.

 

[Slide] ¹⁴ Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the good news of God ¹⁵ and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Title Slide] One day Little Billy’s mother heard a ruckus echoing through the house. She went to see if little Billy was ok and found him in the bathroom trying to give the family pets a bath. But he wasn’t giving them a bath. He was baptizing them! Billy was pretending to be the pastor baptizing the pets. He had filled the bathtub with water and was trying to push the dogs under the water. When he finally got the dog under water Billy would say, “I baptize you in the name of Jesus!” Another dog and he said, “I baptize you in the name of Jesus!” Then he grabbed the family cat… The cat fought Billy, yowling, squirming and clawing. Billy was not deterred. He kept trying to get the cat into the tub. Nothing doing! Finally in frustration, Billy held the cat over the edge of the tub and splashed water in its face and said, “Fine! Be a Methodist!”

 

Today’s reading celebrates the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River by his cousin John the Baptizer. [Slide] The gospel of Mark opens with John baptizing the people who came out to hear him preach. His ministry is about preparing Israel to receive their promised king, a God-begotten, divinely anointed descendant of King David, who will establish the kingdom of God. The people were living with hopeful expectation for messiah. John’s preaching excited them, filling them with wonder and hope. As a sign of repentance, they were baptized by John for the forgiveness of sins.

 

Baptism was nothing new to the Jews of 1^st century Palestine. [Slide] Mikvahs, baths for ritual washing, were built near the temple grounds where worshippers bathed prior to entering the temple courts. As a sign of holiness, they washed to present themselves clean and holy before the Lord in His temple.

 

[Slide] John called Israel to repentance. He preached, “Make straight paths, a highway for our God.” Repentance was that straight path, a highway into open hearts ready to receive the Lord. John told them that his ministry was to prepare the people for one who is coming. Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit.

 

[Slide] The story of Jesus’ baptism is loaded with Easter Eggs, little inferences to Old Testament scriptures.

 

Genesis 1, the creation story is implied,

 

[Slide] In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. ² Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. ³ And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

 

Mark even begins his gospel account just like Genesis 1,

 

The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. (Mk 1:1), which is his way of implying new creation. God is creating something new and it dawned with the appearance of Jesus Christ.

 

Let’s like at the account of his baptism.

 

[Slide] In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰ And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove upon him. ¹¹ And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

 

In the baptism of Jesus, the heavens are mentioned, as is the water over which the dove, the Holy Spirit descends from heaven, and there’s the voice of heaven, and there’s the dawning of a new light. In John’s gospel, Jesus is known as the light of the world.

 

Two other Old Testament references are also implied in the baptism of Jesus. [Slide] Noah’s Ark includes a dove, which became a sign of, you guessed it, new creation. The great flood had swept the earth clean of all wickedness. After the rains stopped, Noah released to dove to see if there was dry land yet appearing. He sent the dove out once, but it returned finding to place to rest. He waited a week and sent out the dove again. This time the dove returned with an olive shoot in its beak! This was a sign that the earth was recovering, and life was once again blossoming. New Creation! The dove is often a symbol of peace. When the Spirit of God touches us, we can sometimes feel our worries drift away and replaced with peace. John told the crowds that came to him,

 

^“I have baptized you with water, but he (Christ) will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (Mk 1:8)

 

There are two baptisms, one with water symbolizing the cleansing of the soul from sin, and a second with the Spirit of God to empower lives toward righteousness and holiness, to live at one with God and to do God’s will. John prepares the people with open willing hearts to receive God’s messiah, Jesus. And Jesus will immerse them in the Holy Spirit.

 

The other Old Testament reference in the baptism of Jesus is the voice from heaven. The voice says, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” (Mk 1:11) This points to Psalm 2:7, a royal psalm in which God acknowledges the king of the Jews as his son.

 

[Slide] 6 “I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill.”

 

7 I will tell of the decree of the Lord:

He said to me, “You are my son;

    today I have begotten you.

8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage

    and the ends of the earth your possession. (Psalm 2:6-8)

 

[Slide] This announcement reveals Jesus as the son of God, the king of the Jews, anointed by the Spirit of God, the Spirit of peace and of power and authority.

 

The New Testament makes the distinction between the two baptisms.

 

[Slide] Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15 The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit 16 (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). 17 Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. (Acts 8:14-17)

 

Something similar occurs in Paul’s ministry at Ephesus. He met Christians who had received John’s baptism, but that had never even heard of the Holy Spirit. Paul laid hands on them and prayed for them and they received the Holy Spirit and began speaking in tongues and prophesying. (Acts 19:1-7)

 

[Slide] Being filled with the Holy Spirit was marked by peace, joy and righteousness. People were filled with joy and their hearts changed. Some spoke in unknown languages; some would call it the language of angels. Most of us politely ignore speaking in tongues, but in the 19^th century, on the American frontier, during revivals and camp meetings, we were known as “Shouting Methodists. At those camp meetings people were baptized in the Holy Spirit and they shouted with joy and sometimes spoke in tongues as a sign of being overwhelmed by the Spirit of God.

 

Israel’s first king was overwhelmed by the Spirit.

 

[Slide] As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul’s heart… When he and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him; the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he joined in their prophesying. (1Sm 10:9-10)

 

What happens to Jesus when the Spirit falls upon him like a dove from heaven? He hears God’s voice and the Spirit drives Jesus into the wilderness to be tested by the devil.

 

What? Why? This is another Old Testament reference. When the Hebrews were set free from slavery in Egypt, God lead them and cared for them in the wilderness for 40 years. They made their way to the Promised Land. [Slide] Joshua took Moses’ place as the political and prophetic leader. He led them across the Jordan to take possession of the Promised Land.

 

Jesus is baptized in the water of the same Jordan River and crosses into the wilderness for a 40 day period of fasting, prayer and preparation. These 40 days with the devil were preparing Jesus for his prophetic ministry as Israel’s messiah. The devil performs the role of sifting. The testing shakes out weakness, sinfulness, and fear. Those who emerge from the wilderness are ready to take possession of the Promised Land.

 

In Aramaic, Jesus is pronounced Yeshua, a form of Joshua (Yehoshua). Jesus emerges from his testing in the wilderness prepared for ministry.

 

[Slide] Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the good news of God ¹⁵ and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” (Mk 1:14-15)

 

To repent is to change one’s mind, to change one’s heart and the direction of their life. God changed Saul’s heart when Saul was filled with the Holy Spirit. And God wants to change our hearts as well.

 

[Slide] We are now in the season of Lent. Lent is a 40-day period of preparation for Easter. During Lent, we willingly join Jesus in solidarity. We fast and pray. We give up something for Lent, often something we enjoy as a sacrifice of sorts. Our 40 days of fasting, of self-denial, is intended to make straight paths, a highway for our God. We open our hearts wide during this Lenten season. Our prayer is Have Thine Own Way, Lord! In this time of testing God is preparing us for glorious Easter, to share in the resurrection and new life of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.

 

[Slide] In a moment, we are going to reaffirm our baptisms and remember that we belong to Jesus Christ. For baptism is a sign of belonging to the people of God. And when you open your hearts to Jesus and invite Him into your heart and life, He will fill you with His own Spirit, helping you to become one with God. The new Joshua is leading us into the Promise of heaven, the promise of life everlasting, the promise of victory over death and the promise of a forever home with God and all God’s people.