SUFFERING KING: THE BOOK OF MARK:
Jesus’ Baptism: Mark 1:9-11
Pastor John Weathersby
Sunday November 24, 2019
Last week, Pastor John Nicholas talked about the odd signature in the book of Mark , the author inserting a part of himself into the narrative. Pastor John tracked down references to Mark, and show that he (Mark) knew the Apostles. He referenced Acts 15:36-38 showing connection to Paul, Barnabas, and Peter – implicating him as one involved in the early centers of the mission to the gentiles.
Mark, is a gentile gospel.
Why?
Because these Gospels have a purpose – they’re the witness to Jesus’ life, mission, and resurrection. They’re to show the need for a cure to the disease of sin as much as they are to who WHO that cure is found within (Jesus) and what that cure is, the Gospel’s call to repentance.
Last week, we studied that Mark’s is a Gospel about Jesus, prophesied in Isaiah and Samuel, and Deuteronomy, and Genesis and so on. We talked about who John is in the wilderness preparing the way for, that many people in droves were going out to him, focused on what he was saying (repent and be baptized)- we read in Mark 1:5 that ALL the country of Judea and Jerusalem were going to him.
Why?
Why are ALL of the country of Judea going to out to see John, they’re sick and diseased they know it. They may be members of the chosen nation of Israel, but they know when they hear the scriptures, as they see God’s character, they know they’re different, that something is wrong with them.
Have you felt that? What are people after?
There after cleansing, they’re after righteousness – they’re tried from living in a world of sin, a life of sin, have you felt that weight? Maybe you feel it now, maybe you’re worn out – Jesus’ ministry offers a cure and offers rest, and we’ll see it come with a fury this morning, with need for immediate action – God is ready to act, the Spirit is ready for the mission, and Jesus is empowered to do it.
Why does Mark mention that – to this fledgling, hard pressed, persecuted church? Because they’ll need it – they’ll be pressed hard on every side for their faith, people will resist it, because with Jesus mission and its fulfillment changes a transitional time to a post cross final time of the church. This will changes ways of life, this will change rituals/traditions – people love our rituals, go ahead try to change one see what happens.
I remember a few years ago, when Linda Thompson was mayor and we were out of cash, she was going to cancel fireworks – you would have thought she was shutting off the water supply, why, because people have tradition you break out the blankets and get a section of river side and watch them go off. Its great – try the decades after decades of religious tradition of the Jews, Jesus was the fulfillment of all that purpose, there was no more substance to the actions – everything would change and people would fight the change. Some because they liked how it was, others because they wanted to be God honoring, and still some (religious leaders) because it was their career and all they know (and they’re wealthy from it).
Jesus didn’t come to grovel in the disease of sin, but to make payment – and He’d so so immediately.
Mark 1:9–11 (ESV)
The Baptism of Jesus
9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
“In those days”. These days were the days where John, is in the wilderness baptizing. We read last week in Mark 1:4/5, that all the country of Judea and Jerusalem were going out to see this guy John, John the Baptizer and being baptized for the repentance of sin.
Mark 1:4-5 (ESV)
4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
John’s baptism before Christ paved the way for Jesus to take on the sin’s of Israel and the sin’s of all who would turn and trust Him as their messiah. Johns job then was to be the forerunner of Jesus (Luke 1:17). John’s baptism was a commitment of the individual to not be corporately recognized as attached to God through their connection to Israel, but to be individually identified with God – John’s baptism functioned as a forerunner ministry and Jesus participation in that, is one of the foremost reasons I don’t believe in the baptism of babies.
Luke 1:17 (ESV)
17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
At John’s baptism in Matthew we see that people were “confessing their sins and repenting” with baptism, though they were God’s chosen covenant people as a nation they were being individually joined and asking individually for the forgiveness of sin. This was John’s baptism, and this is now where we find Jesus.
Look at verse 9 again:
Mark 1:9 (ESV)
The Baptism of Jesus
9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
In those days, …. In the day’s of John’s Baptism for the forgiveness of sins, Jesus came…It was time. He’d lived on earth for maybe 30 years, working as a carpenter with His family, it was time for His ministry to start. Nazareth, is a small village or town 70 mi, north of Jerusalem. Maybe it is the Halifax or Perry county, in John 1:46 we read “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”, this is where God has placed his son. Mark’s gospel to the gentiles, explains Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee – the text to the Gentiles explains what this obscure town Nazareth of Galilee is, says from Halifax of Harrisburg area to people not from there.
John 1:46 (ESV)
46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
John introduced to us last week the idea that all the country of Judea and Jerusalem were coming out to be identified as followers of God in mass by John who lives in the hard wilderness of the desert – they’re repenting, holding onto the message of repentance is huge numbers, and in steps Jesus to this scene of people identifying with God.
Jesus’ ministry and His entry as the Messiah, will start with His Father, God’s own blessing. With the empowerment of God’s own spirit, Jesus ministry will face direct immediate temptation from satan, to fulfill God’s own assignment, to preach the gospel and call people to repentance, to heal the sick and blind and seek the lost, to endure persecution, and the very cross and weight of God’s wrath on the sins of those who are His, Jesus’ needs the very power of God’s spirit.
If Jesus needed this to fulfill His mission, how much more do we?
How much more do we need God’s power to fulfill God’s calling?
We’ll see that empowerment of Jesus in the verses that follow – and we’ll see something about the nature of God, Here was have Jesus stepping out of His daily private life and now into the public ministry. Jesus identifies himself 1) with the message of repentance 2) with the repenting individuals – and will ultimately baptize to life all those He is identifying together with – sinless Jesus identifies Himself with us as we identity with Him in repentance – like John’s Baptism for the Forgiveness of Sins.
I mentioned that we don’t practice infant baptism because we see that as a confessions of someone who believes on God, who practices repentance, and turns to Christ for the forgiveness of their sins: we see John 3:23 talk about another instance of baptism: “John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized” and so we baptize with plenty of water, under the water as a sign of death to our own understanding and out washed clean by Jesus work, that we’re now entering into with Jesus public baptism, and empowerment to ministry.
John 3:23 (ESV)
23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized
10 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.
Jesus’ baptism event stood out, as all these are flocking from Judea and Jerusalem who’d been baptized and are being baptized, Jesus comes to John and John, Jesus cousin, a few months older than him, who knew him from family picnics, and times when cousins would interact – John says:
Matthew 3:14 (ESV)
14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
…and when he came up out of the water…. “immediately” 18, 20, 21, 28, 29 50 times across the gospel, Mark’s gospel looked at Jesus frenetic activity to fulfill God’s mission – this entry into mission after 30 years of obscure small town living was now in the immediate pace, God would empower his son, the spirit was ready to do work, immediately after coming out of the water – the heavens tore.
Jesus ministry is one of immediate need, the disease of sin was pressing and Jesus was here to cure it, not cover it.
Jesus sees heaven opening, or as the language would say it, like Mark 15:38 when the veil was ripped from top to bottom, and the spirit descends upon Him like a dove, this is important. God’s spirit empowers Jesus humanity to do all that he would need to do in this newly appointed early ministry. As we said, Jesus life of obscurity was over, His is now into the life of immediacy in the gospel mission. The spirit empowers that – so to when we become believers of God we are indwelled by His spirit.
Mark 15:38 (ESV)
38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.
Jesus would say in John 16:7. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” – that helper is the spirit and Jesus said, the kingdom of God is better to have the Spirit of God within them, than me on earth to follow without the spirit in you.
John 16:7 (ESV)
7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
Jesus was available to one or two or 12 people, the Sprit is dispersed among all the saints all who would identify with Jesus in salvation.
11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
Remember the scene, John’s baptism in the wildness is taking off like crazy! People are leaving towns and coming out in to the harsh wilderness through the desert, even the religious elite are going out to see what’s the commotion about, see Luke 3:7 “He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” – earlier in Mark 1:7 John said
Luke 3:7 (ESV)
7 He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Mark 1:7–8 (ESV)
7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.
8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
The immediacy of ministry is upon us – Jesus is on the scene, and with all these people gathered with all this attention on the river Jordan – the heavens are torn open, Jesus is just out of the water, the spirit LIKE a dove descends down into Him and all hear: “you are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” – the early man of Jesus is empowered by the spirit, Chartered by God.
If you see our Chart at www.transcendchurch.org/mark you’ll see this moment is where Jesus’ identify is revealed, where He is called to Action, where His ministry will be popularized out from the Prophetic texts – this week read:
Isaiah 9:6-7
Isaiah 11:2–4
Isaiah 42:1–4
Isaiah 48:16–17
Deuteronomy 18:15
…and from last week Micah 7:19
into the depths of the sea.
Isaiah 9:6-7 (ESV)
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Isaiah 11:2–4 (ESV)
2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear,
4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
Isaiah 42:1–4 (ESV)
The Lord’s Chosen Servant
1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my Spirit upon him;
he will bring forth justice to the nations.
2 He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street;
3 a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.
4 He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law.
Isaiah 48:16–17 (ESV)
16 Draw near to me, hear this:
from the beginning I have not spoken in secret,
from the time it came to be I have been there.”
And now the Lord God has sent me, and his Spirit.
17 Thus says the Lord,
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
“I am the Lord your God,
who teaches you to profit,
who leads you in the way you should go.
Deuteronomy 18:15 (ESV)
A New Prophet like Moses
15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen—
Micah 7:19 (ESV)
19 He will again have compassion on us;
he will tread our iniquities underfoot.
You will cast all our sins
into the depths of the sea.
See that God’s plan has been to cure the disease of Sin through His son, prophecies through all scripture, revealed and made clear in Jesus, introduced by John the prophet form the wilderness (Isaiah 43, Matthew 3:3)
Matthew 3:3 (ESV)
3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare[a] the way of the Lord;
make his paths straight.’”
Mark’s gospel is gentile – it introduces us to baptism, to Jesus’ hometown life, to the gospel call, the immediate work of Jesus in bringing the gospel to be. Why so immediate – because without Jesus fulfilled work, the gospel is only the bad news, like the Dr. Who says I have good news and bad news, and the patient who says, OK I’ll take the good news – and so the Dr. Says – there is about to be an incurable terminal decease named after you…
Jesus here is shown as sufficient for God’s work and will, God is well pleased with Him, the spirit fell into him to empower Him, and so our good news isn’t popularity through a named disease, rather that we’re saved through repentance into the named savior Jesus.
Our disease of sin find’s its cure in Him, immediately.
The Gospel’s have a purpose – they’re the witness to Jesus’ life, mission, and resurrection. They’re to show the need for a cure the the disease of sin as much as they are to who WHO that cure is found within (Jesus) and what that cure is, the Gospel’s call to repentance.
I love this point about Jesus baptism: that is that Jesus identifies himself
with the message of repentance
with the repenting individuals – what about you, what about us.
Do you need to repent and turn to Jesus for healing, for the cure, for salvation? Do that – the immediacy of His entire mission was for that very purpose. Please come up front – and bring your prayer requests.
Have you done that, are you His – look to Him for your example. Send time daily in prayer to your father, and listen to the spirit who’s ministry lives within you – want to hear God speak (and I think we all do) read the scripture!
This week, consider and pray on the ministry of Jesus, read back over this passage from today and think about
Isaiah 9:6-7
Isaiah 11:2–4
Isaiah 42:1–4
Isaiah 48:16–17
Deuteronomy 18:15
Also read ahead for next week we’ll be in verses 12 and 13~
Mark 1:12-13 (ESV)
The Temptation of Jesus
12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.
13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.
Pray, Observe, Apply.
