Mark 1:9-11 - At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Just 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.”
As we suggested a few days ago, Mark’s account of the life
of Jesus tends to be much more simple and straightforward than the other
gospels. Often, Matthew and Luke will
take a story from Mark, add more details, and sometimes even add some theological
commentary. Mark just tells the story. His is a “just the facts” approach. The story concerning Jesus’s baptism is a
good example.
Mark reports that Jesus goes to the Jordan to be baptized by
John. There is none of the verbal
exchange beforehand that takes place in where John objects to baptizing
Jesus. Matthew and Luke have good reasons
for including that exchange, but Mark feels no need. What Mark thinks is important is what happens
after Jesus is baptized. The skies open
up, the Spirit descends upon Jesus, and a Voice from Heaven declares, ”You are
my Son, whom I love; with You I am well pleased.”
This is the official consecration of Jesus’s ministry. It is the hand-off from John to Jesus. John’s preparing the way is completed. The Jesus mission is launched by the Spirit anointing
Jesus and God’s verbal blessing. It is one
of the few times we witness all three persons of the Trinity in the same
moment. Though Mark has no flair for the
dramatic, this is a big holy moment. As
we’ll talk about tomorrow, Jesus obviously knows how big the moment is because
of what He does next.
But as we are reading Mark’s simple “ho-hum” prose, the
holiness of this event could easily be missed. The truth about us humans is that we often
miss such opportunities. The holiness of
what is happening right in front of us is lost on us because we aren’t really paying
attention. Though most of them don’t
include the sky-splitting, Spirit-descending, “voice from heaven” kind of drama,
God is always up to something all around us – even when we are sure that is not
the case. Today, look for it. View what is happening right in front of you with
an expectation of holiness. Those who
seek find (I think I’ve heard that somewhere before). Be a seeker of holiness today and every day.
Question: What is God
up to in your neighborhood today?
Prayer: Holy Spirit,
show Yourself to us today in the seemingly mundane details of our life. Help us experience your Holiness. Amen.
Prayer Focus: Pray
for those closest to you today and while you are doing that, be sure to make
time to listen for God’s answers concerning them.
Song: Holiness - Wayne
Watson
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