Searchings in Mark 1:9-15

This small section at the very beginning can be quickly overlooked with great anticipation of what the Savior will do. Questions flood our minds of who is He? How will He handle this or that situation? We become anxious for the great Teacher to do or say something that will set us back in our chairs astounded and amazed at the depths of God. But let us look closely at these words. Let us focus our attention here and not else where for if this is in chapter one it must be important for the chapters that follow. We can not press on till we understand the importance of Jesus being baptized and driven out into the wilderness. We must take a close look at the first words, that Mark records, that come out of the saviors mouth. Though these verses may be meet with little or no explanation it is still extremely valuable for us to take time and run back through this "common" (though I would submit there is nothing "common" about these next verses) passage.

I will probably not say much but I might find some questions and statements to throw on the table for you to chop up and chew on for a bit.

9) "In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan." It is truly amazing how we find no accounts of Christ life while He lived in Nazareth. Matthew Henry had a little to put on the table for us. He said, "O how much hidden worth is there, which in this world is either lost in the dust of contempt and cannot be known, or wrapped up in the veil of humility and will not be known!" I could not do justice on talking about the reason Christ came and was baptized by John but I think Christ's words in Matthew 3 will far exceed anything I could bring. So Matthew chapter 3 starting in verse 13 "Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.14) John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"15) But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented."

"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." - 1:10-11

Immediately when Jesus came out of the water he looks up to the sky and sees the heavens torn open. They were not just opened but torn open. I am reminded of Christ glorious return when the heavens will roll up like a scroll. They will be torn open and we will see our majestic Lord ridding a white horse and coming with vengeance. What would it have been like, on that day, to see the heavens torn opened? What would my thoughts have been? Would I have fallen to my knees out of fear or would I have opened my mouth with shouts of praise because God is fulfilling His promise? If we look in Isaiah we find three places where the Lord talks about putting God's spirit on Jesus:
Isaiah 11:2 "And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD."
Isaiah 42:1-4 "Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law."
Isaiah 61:1-3 "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion-- to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified."

Praise the Lord!! Oh, this is good news! This is great news! God almighty sent a savior but not just to be a good person; He sent Him with power. Can there even be thoughts about the possibility of Jesus not getting baptized? The importance of the baptism far exceeds just being dunked under the water. The heavens being torn open and the Father saying, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased" is evidence that this is not something that can just be read through. Stopping to take a glance at what took place at the Jordan river is never in vain. The power of God is clearly seen by the spirit descending upon Jesus. Look carefully at the dove. Look carefully at the heavens being torn open and God almighty speaking for all to hear.

What would have been my thoughts. Would I have even recognized the importance of what was taking place before my eyes? Oh, that God would light up this scene for us to see clearly the depth of the riches that are found in this interaction between the Father and the Son. The giving of the spirit is not something that is cute. By God putting His spirit on His Son we are able to be healed. No Spirit, No Jesus.

"The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him. Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." -1:12-15

Can our imaginations even carry us into the wilderness? Can we even create a picture that would adequately tell what was taking place these forty days? After looking at this can we continue to say that I failed because the devil tempted me? What would it have been like to stumble across Jesus during this time? How would we have seen Him? Would our eyes have looked upon Him with compassion? What would it have been like to sit beside Him for one day? What would He have said to us? We know from Matthew that He battled the devil with the sword of the Spirit. We know that the devil took Him places. We know that Jesus never caved to the temptation. That tells me that I never have to cave. Christ has given us the same spirit when we were baptized with Him into His death. The devil can't hold me cause Christ blood covers me! I stand in the face of temptation and by the power of the Spirit I am not taken captive.

I leave with these thoughts.... I would have liked to see what it would have been like for Jesus to be ministered to by angles. I would have liked to been there to hear what they would have said to Him. I would have liked to see how they acted towards Him. What would their actions have been like? Can a mind even create a glimpse of what beauty would have taken place during this moment?

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."

Let us never stop repenting and believing in the gospel of our Lord Jesus!