Sunday, October 23, 2016

Well Pleased - Mark 1:9-11

Mark 1:9-11 ESV 


In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 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. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”


The Messiah was prophesied in Scripture to be a Nazarene. And so He was. 


It is fitting that John would baptize in the Jordan river. Just as the baptism of repentance would allow one entrance into the kingdom of heaven, so would the immersion in the Jordan be necessary to cross over into the the promised land. John announces by his actions the transition from the Old Covenant to a New Covenant and from the promised land to the corresponding kingdom of heaven. The crossing into the land will entail the crossing of the river of repentance and the sacrifice on the cross. The same applies to us today. We must cross the river of repentance to enter the promised land. We must apply the cross to our own will for the will and life of the Lord. 


Coming out of the water, Jesus sees the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descend. The expanse between the waters is no longer watertight. The veil between man and God is torn. 


His baptism on the cross allows the Holy Spirit to descend on all His disciples who enter the body of Christ. God sees those as His beloved sons with whom He is well pleased. 

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