HOFC Sermon Archive: Gospel of Mark Part 3: The Baptism of Jesus

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SERMON TIMELINE

1. Introduction

2. John the Baptist

3. The Baptism of Jesus

Today is Sunday. January 19^th, 2025

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE

Mark 1:9-11

“Now it happened that in those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens [LIT “being torn apart”]opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; 11 and a voice came out of the heavens: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”

INTRODUCTION

The Gospel of Mark begins with the work of John the Baptist, which was foretold by Old Testament prophets (Mark 1:2-3)

His ministry was very successful, as we see in verse 5, and we know that he would have continued to be successful if his life had not been cut short.

Immediately after this, we read of the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist, which played a significant role in both of their ministries.

It happened at the height of John’s ministry, and it served as the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.

The baptism of Jesus raises two questions.

1. Why was Jesus baptized?

2. Does His baptism reveal the purpose for Christian baptism?

I. THE BASICS OF THE BAPTISM OF JESUS

a. Jesus comes from Nazareth

i. Nazareth of Galilee (Mark 1:9a)

ii. Located halfway between the Mediterranean coast and the southern tip of the Sea of Galilee

iii. This is where Jesus grew up (Luke 2:39-52)

iv. This is about 100 mile journey to where John eas baptizing

b. The baptism

i. The baptism took place in the Jordan river (Mark 1:9b)

ii. In Bethany (Bethabara) on the east side of the Jordan (John 1:28-29)

iii. The Greek word (baptizo) indicates that the baptism involved immersion

1. Last week I spoke about how John had moved from one part of the Jordan to another where there was more water.

2. The fact he needed more water indicates there were a lot of people coming, which we know from scripture his ministry was a success, and that they needed deeper (more) water.

3. The only reason one would need more water would be for immersion.

c. The Spirit descends upon Jesus

i. Everyone remembers this, either through the telling of the story, reading scripture or seeing one of countless images of the scene

ii. Just as Jesus comes up from the water, immediately, the Spirit descends upon Him (Mark 1:10a)

iii. We see the heavens parting (Greek “tearing open the heavens”) Mark 1:10b

iv. And the Spirit descends like a dove (Mark 1:10c; Luke 3:22)

Here, the Holy Spirit bears His testimony

d. The Father Speaks

i. A voice came out of the heavens (Mark 1:11a)

ii. Proclaiming, “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”

1. LIT Greek “You are the son of Me”

And here, the Father in heaven bears His testimony

With visual and audible effects, the baptism of Jesus would have been the grand and significant event that would be spoken of for generations.

Questions arise from the baptism.

II. QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE BAPTISM

a. Why was Jesus baptized?

i. NOT for the same reason other people were being baptized by John

1. Theirs was a baptism of repentance and for the remission of sins (Mark 1:4)

2. They were confessing their sins (Mark 1:5)

3. Jesus was without sin (Hebrews 4:15)

ii. Jesus tells us why in Matthew 3:13-15 “Then Jesus *arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John to be baptized by him. 14 But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he *permitted Him.”

1. It was God’s will that people be baptized by John (Luke 7:29-30)

2. Jesus was setting the right example by doing the Father’s will, which was something He delighted to do

a. Psalm 40:7-8

b. John 4:34

c. John 8:29

iii. The baptism also served as an introduction of Jesus to Israel

1. John had been proclaiming that He was coming (Mark 1:7)

a. This had been part of John’s ministry

i. John 1:29-34

2. Jesus was baptized to do God’s will, and to publicly identify Him to Israel as the one John had been preaching about

b. Does the baptism of Jesus explain the purpose of our baptism?

i. Acts 2:38 “And Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

1. Christian baptism is for the forgiveness of sins

2. The baptism of Jesus had nothing to do with forgiveness of sins

ii. Romans 6:3-7 “do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be made powerless, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died has been made innocent from sin.”

1. Christians are baptized into Christ Jesus

a. Therefore, we were buried with Him in death

b. When Christ was raised through the glory of the Father, we too walk in the newness of life

2. And IF we have become united with Jesus in likeness of death (dying to ourselves, flesh, its desires) THEN we shall also be united with Jesus in likeness of His resurrection.

3. Our old “self” crucified in order to make our body of sin powerless

4. So we would no longer be slaves to sin

5. If you die to “self” you are innocent from sin

iii. Knowing this…if we do not “die to self” then we are still slaves to our sin, and not united with Christ Jesus.

c. What is the import of the Spirit and the Father’s role?

i. The Holy Spirit and Father bear testimony as to who Jesus is

1. The Spirit does this later as well through the works Jesus did

a. Matthew 12:28 “But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”

2. And th Father also did on another occasion in Matthew 17:5

ii. They also bear testimony t the nature of the Godhead

1. A i.e. three distinct persons in One God

2. Though One, there is a distinction made between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit

a. Matthew 28:19-20a “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to keep all that I commanded you…”

b. 2 Corinthians 13:14 “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.”

c. Ephesians 2:18 “for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.”

We see the unity of the Godhead implied in the baptism of Jesus, as well as through scripture.

CONCLUSION

With the baptism of jesus He was formerly introduced to John, and by John to Israel.

The Father and the Spirit audibly and visually confirmed Him as the Son of God.

Jesus demonstrated His desire to serve and “fulfill all righteousness.”

The baptism of Jesus is significant to Christians, because it confirms that He is the Messiah, and that when we are baptized we display the attitude that should be true of all disciples, that we have come to do our Father’s will.

Jesus did not need baptism because He was without sin; He was baptized because it was the Father’s will for man at that time. Should we, who are sinners, hesitate to do the Father’s will regarding baptism for the remission of sins today?

Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16

NEXT WEEK: “Part 4: The Temptation of Jesus”

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