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Ring of Truth provides 366 daily ‘proofs’ that the Bible is consistent throughout from Genesis to Revelation, and relevant for our lives today!
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Mark 1:10-11
“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.’”
Mark portrays Jesus as the Servant of men.
With Mark, everything happens in a hurry. It is an interesting exercise to go through Mark and underline every time an expression like - “At once”, “Immediately”, or “As soon as” occurs.
Jesus was water baptised by John, and filled with the Holy Spirit at the same time. (So was I – and I was 30 at the time, just like Jesus – but that’s a long story.)
John baptised people for repentance. They wanted to turn from their sinful past and from then on to follow the ways of God. John’s baptism was by immersion for believing people who were repenting of their sins. When Jesus came to him, Matthew tells us that John tried to get out of it. He wanted Jesus to baptise him. But Jesus said, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfil all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15).
John didn’t want to baptise Jesus because he knew Jesus was sinless – indeed, He was the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. He did not have anything to repent of. Nevertheless, he baptised Jesus, because it not only set God’s seal of approval upon John’s ministry but it also became the launch point for the ministry of Jesus.
John wanted to be baptised by Jesus, not only to show complete repentance before God, but also to be baptised with the Holy Spirit. However, Jesus knew that John was already filled with the Holy Spirit (see Luke 1:15). God knew that Jesus could not fulfil His ministry without the baptism and filling of the Holy Spirit. So the Spirit came upon Him in the form of a dove. Gentleness and peace. (See also John 1:32-34.)
We also have here striking evidence of the doctrine and reality of the Trinity. Though the ‘word’ is not used in Scripture, there is also evidence in Genesis 1 when God created the world and the Spirit moved over the face of the waters. When God said “Let us” – He was acknowledging the Son and Spirit (see Genesis 1:1-2 & 26).
Here, we have the Son baptised, the Spirit alighting upon Him, and Father’s Voice from Heaven saying, “You are My Son, whom I love; with You I AM well pleased.”
“At once” – says Mark, “the Spirit sent Him out into the desert” (Mark 1:12) (for 40 days to be tempted by Satan). That is why we need the Holy Spirit too. We cannot defeat the enemy without Him. Like Jesus, we need the Spirit and the Word.
Have you experienced the ‘double’ baptism? Water and Holy Spirit? If not, please think about it because we are no better than Jesus. We need both, too. (See also Acts 19 & Hebrews 6:1-2.)
Ask yourself – Is it what God wants? Is that what it means to ‘follow’ Jesus and to be one of His disciples? Then follow through. It’s usually our first big step of obedience.
Go and talk it through with your pastor, minister, cell/small group leader or Christian friend – it will probably make their day.
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