The Baptism of Our Lord

January 7, 2024

Mark 1:4-11

From the Jordan to the Mountain—

It Begins with Baptism!

4And so John came baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5The 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. 6John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7And 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. 8I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

9At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (NIV1984)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Happy Epiphany! Now that’s a greeting you don’t hear very often! Two short weeks ago we gathered together to celebrate the birth of the Child of Bethlehem. Today we fast-forward about thirty years and we focus our attention on Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River. This means that we have moved from the Season of Christmas to the Season of Epiphany.

The word “epiphany” comes from a Greek word that means “reveal.” Today, if someone says, “I had an epiphany!” it means that they have had an important perhaps even life-changing revelation. In the Christian church year that is the purpose of the Season of Epiphany— to reveal important truths about Jesus, truths that change our lives.

For most of His adult life Jesus was simply known as the Son of Mary and Joseph. He followed His adoptive father into the carpentry business. People in His hometown of Nazareth probably thought of Jesus as a very nice young man— hardworking, honest, a good role model for others. But around the age of thirty, the fuller truth about Jesus began to be revealed. That fuller truth centered on His Person, His power, and His purpose. It started with Jesus standing in the Jordan River with His cousin, John the Baptist. The biggest epiphany took place on a mountain— the Mount of Transfiguration. With that fuller truth in mind the sermon series that we are going to follow during the Season of Epiphany is: From the Jordan to the Mountain. As we follow Jesus on this journey, our text for today reminds us that when it comes to the “epiphany” of Jesus: It Begins with Baptism!

In keeping with his straightforward succinct style, Mark begins our text by very simply saying, “And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 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. John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And this was his message: ‘After me will come one who is more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’”

Try to picture these words in your mind. All of a sudden— seemingly out of nowhere— a rugged looking preacher appears out in the Judean desert proclaiming a rugged message. Dressed like one of the prophets of old and eating a very simple diet of “locusts and wild honey” John knew who he was, John knew that his God-given mission was to prepare God’s people to meet the Messiah, and John acted accordingly. He didn’t seek popularity, but popular he was! John spent all of his time out in the desert preaching to the people. And the people! All those people— people coming from “the whole Judean countryside” and from the city of Jerusalem! And as the people listened to John preach the powerful message of God’s Law, as they heard John proclaim the need of a “baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,” what did the people do? They openly “confessed their sins” and were baptized by John in the Jordan River. Since the hallmark of John’s ministry was “preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” we need to make sure that we understand exactly what this means.

The word that is translated here as “repentance” signifies a change of heart and a change of mind. Repentance leads us to change the way that we look at sin. Repentance leads us to see that sin cannot and will not bring us satisfaction or fulfillment. With every temptation to sin there is always the deception that it will bring something good to us, some kind of benefit, some degree of fulfillment. But when we give in to that temptation we realize that just the opposite is true! We experience guilt. We experience emptiness. We experience shame. That’s why repentance leads us to “change our mind” about sin! Repentance enables us to see that sin only leads to pain— both for us and for the people around us. Repentance enables us to see that sin ultimately ends in death— eternal death!

That’s why John preached a “baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins”! Once the power of God’s holy Law leads us to repent of our sin, once the power of God’s holy Law leads us to loathe our sin and turn away from our sin, the power of God’s glorious Gospel message leads us to turn to our God and humbly receive what we need— His forgiveness! That’s why John preached a “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” A more literal translation for John’s message would be, “John came baptizing in the desert and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the purpose of the cancellation/forgiveness of sins.” John’s baptism was not just an “outward sign” of someone’s faith. John’s baptism was not an “act of obedience” that someone renders to God. No, my friends, John’s baptism was a “baptism of repentance for the purpose of the cancellation/forgiveness of sins.” All those people who went out into the desert to hear John preach the powerful message of God’s holy Word— both Law and Gospel— were receiving God’s grace by means of baptism! Except for One.

Mark goes on to tell us in our text, “At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’”

Out of all the people who came out to the desert to be baptized by John “for the purpose of the cancellation/forgiveness of sins” Jesus of Nazareth was the only One who did not need “the cancellation/forgiveness of sins”— and you know why! Jesus did not need “the cancellation/forgiveness of sins” because Jesus did not have any sins that needed to be canceled or forgiven! As the true Son of the one and only living God Jesus was and is perfect and holy and righteous in and of Himself! Perfection and holiness and righteousness were and are a part of His very nature! Then why did Jesus come out into the desert to be baptized by John in the Jordan?

Jesus insisted on being baptized by John (See Matthew 3:13-15) to stand side-by-side with us and show His solidarity with all sinners. Even though He had no sin whatsoever (See Hebrews 4:15) there in the Jordan River Jesus was identifying Himself with us sinners and publicly dedicating Himself to the work of saving us from our sins! There in the Jordan River Jesus was revealed as the Christ, as the Messiah whom the Lord God had promised to send into this world.

The fact that Jesus’ baptism was the beginning of Jesus’ three-year public ministry here on this earth, is confirmed in two very powerful ways. First, Mark tells us that heaven was “torn open” and God the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus “like a dove.” This “anointing” with the Holy Spirit is what publicly revealed that Jesus is the “Christ,” the One who has been “anointed” to serve us as our Prophet, Priest and King.

Second, Mark tells us that God the Father spoke from heaven and said to Jesus, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Could there be a more powerful testimony to the fact that Jesus of Nazareth is both the true Son of God and the true Son of Man! With these words God the Father is publicly revealing that Jesus is the fulfillment of all the promises He has made down through the history of this world, promises that began in the Garden of Eden when He promised to send an “offspring,” a descendant of Eve who would “crush” Satan’s head— even though He knew it would result in His own suffering and death. (Pointing to the cross)

We certainly do not want to overlook the fact that Jesus’ baptism reveals that the one true God is the Triune God— God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. There at the Jordan River the Triune God was revealing that Jesus of Nazareth is the focal point of His Plan of Salvation for this world. The long period of expectation and preparation was now over. The most momentous days the world will ever know— the three years of Jesus’ public ministry, culminating in Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection and ascension— are about to begin. Satan’s power and dominion are doomed. The world’s redemption is at hand.

How do we take the “epiphany” that occurred when Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River and apply it to ourselves? In other words, what do we want to take home with us today? What we want to take home with us today, my friends, is the comfort and the confidence that Jesus’ baptism gives to us. The fact that Jesus, the sinless Son of God, was willing to stand side-by-side with sinners like us gives us the comfort and the confidence of knowing that Jesus was willing to do everything that was necessary to reach His goal— the goal of saving us from our sins. (See Matthew 1:21)

Jesus’ baptism gives us the comfort and the confidence of knowing that all of Jesus’ work as the “Christ,” as the “Anointed One” was pleasing and acceptable to our heavenly Father. You may recall that three years later on the Mount of Transfiguration the heavenly Father once again put His “stamp of approval” on Jesus’ work as the Messiah when He said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him” (Mathew 17:5) Jesus’ baptism gives us the comfort and the confidence of knowing that there is nothing that we need to do in order to be saved. Jesus has done it all for us!

And as Paul reminded us in our reading from the book of Romans this morning (Romans 6:1-11) Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River also gives us the comfort and the confidence of knowing what the Lord God does for us when we are baptized in His holy Name. Just as John’s baptism was a “baptism of repentance for the purpose of the cancellation/forgiveness of sins,” so also when we were baptized with water in the Name of the Triune God all of our sins were “cancelled,” all of our sins were “forgiven,” all of our sins were “washed away” through the waters of Holy Baptism. At the very same time, when we were baptized with water in the Name of the Triune God, God the Holy Spirit descended on us and created the gift of saving faith in our hearts. When we were baptized with water in the Name of the Triune God we were “adopted” by God Himself! When the God of heaven looks at us He says, “This is My son, this is My daughter, whom I love; with you I am well pleased!”

Do not underestimate the powerful impact that your baptism has on your day-to-day life! No matter what is happening in your life you have the power and the privilege of saying, “I am a dearly beloved, adopted, forgiven and baptized child of God!” When things are going well in your life you can lift up your eyes to heaven and say, “Thank you!” to your heavenly Father. When you are struggling in your life, when you are overwhelmed by the guilt of your sin, you can humbly get on your knees and confidently ask your heavenly Father to help you and to forgive you.

It begins with baptism. That certainly was true for Jesus. Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan was the beginning of a very public three-year journey— a journey that would lead Him directly to the cross on Calvary’s hill. (Pointing to the cross) Jesus was willing to take this journey. Jesus was willing to accept all the ridicule and all the rejection that He knew He would encounter along the way. Jesus was willing to endure all the pain and all the suffering He knew was in store for Him— because He knew that this was the only way for Him to reach His goal, the goal of saving us from our sins.

It begins with baptism. That’s also true for us, my friends. Our baptism was the beginning of a whole new life for us. Our baptism marked the beginning of our life as a dearly beloved child of God. Our baptism is what enables us to endure whatever ridicule and rejection, whatever pain and suffering comes our way as we journey through this world. Our baptism is what keeps us focused on our goal— the goal of walking through the gates of the Kingdom of Heaven and hearing our heavenly Father say to us, “Welcome Home My dearly beloved child!”

To God be the glory!

Amen