10th January 2021
BAPTISM OF THE LORD (FIRST SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY)
Title: The Baptism of Jesus in The Blessed Trinity
(Genesis 1:1-5; Mark 1:4-11)
By Heeyoung Lim
Today’s scripture is the very first chapter of the Bible, as God is the Creator of this world. (Genesis 1:1)
God said, “let there be light, and there was light”. (3)
Light and water from Genesis 1 reminds us of the eternity in which God dwells within. God’s creation brought order from chaos, emptiness, and darkness, and it has continued to fertility and fullness in the great plan of God. (2)
As sufferings and struggles are all around us, the lights come up instead of going down, because we live in the light of God’s word. We can practice the great lightness of being that separates night and day. God also brings the healing of the waters in our lives. (5)
Things came to life whenever God spoke, God’s words are enough to make things come to life in a way that God is pleased. (3) God said, “very Good!” after the creation.
God may not always do what we want, but He always does his work for us on time just like His creation.
Jesus has a connection back to the waters of creation when he is later baptized in heaven-opening event. He does what God did in the beginning and reopens the world and recreates us in our present lives. (5)
I believe Today and 2021 will be a renewal day and year in heaven-opening event by the power of God’s recreation.
In Mark 1, Jesus trusts the power of God to keep on creating order out of chaos when he steps down into the waters of the Jordan descending from above with the Holy Spirit.
Mark is the earliest and shortest of the Gospels, and it is written for Gentile readers, especially Romans. Mark opened his Gospel by confessing that Jesus was the Son of God. (1)
Mark presents Jesus as the ultimate servant, and he emphasizes what Jesus was doing rather than what he was saying. It clearly shows Christ as a servant of action, and more than half of miracles of all thirty-five written miracles have been introduced in the Gospel of Mark.
One of key messages of Mark is 10:45.
“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
In the background of today’s passage, John’s preaching of a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins was highly unusual for a Jew, because Jews thought that only Gentile need to be baptised when they convert to Judaism.
John criticized the people for guessing to be righteous just because they were children of Abraham. We know people would be rejected if they do not bear fruits of repentance. (4, Matthew 3:7-12)
The baptism by John was a baptism of repentance, and it is about repentance and forgiveness. Israel was being asked to turn away from its disobedience and to start anew by turning toward the coming Messiah, Jesus. They would be forgiven from their sins and would experience God’s grace through Jesus. (4) John was getting people ready as a messenger.
Today’s Scripture invites us to bear fruit of repentance by turning away from something bad and turning in a new direction that God is pleased. It is time to acknowledge our disobedience and rebellion toward God first if we have, and need to confess our sins
The location of the baptism was the Jordan River, which was several miles outside Jerusalem. (5) Do we walk our own several miles for faith? The road to God is not that far, but there would be a time to walk in a long distance for a long time. Where is our Jordan River? It can be the time and space of baptism.
John made it clear that he was the servant of the coming Servant, and his task was to prepare the way and then got out of the way. (7)
“I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mark 1:8).
There are big differences between the John’s baptism of sinners and the baptism of the sinless Jesus, and a sharp contrast between the ministry of John and of Jesus.
What happened to Jesus at his baptism? There was the affirmation of the Spirit of God and God’s voice.
Jesus saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. Mark seems to suggest that only Jesus saw the heavens open and the Spirit descend. (10) The word “torn open” is used again in Mark 15:38 indicating a connection between the baptism and crucifixion. Jesus’s baptism is connected to all his ministry.
John’s “wilderness” is where the voice cries for Jesus, but Jesus’ wilderness is where he is thrown by the spirit to be tempted, goes to pray (12, 35) and where he feeds the hungry. (Mark 6:31)
As Jesus arises from the waters of the Jordan, he sees “the heavens torn apart.” The Spirit and a voice descend in the moment of the baptism of the Lord. (10–11)
“You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:10)
God speaks to Jesus and expresses His love and joy, and Jesus looks to the heavens and the voice calls out in love. (11)
There was a divine voice that calls Jesus “Son” and “Beloved” and Mark describes the Spirit “descending like a dove” on Jesus.
This is the same voice that speaks over each of us in our baptisms and continuous faith journey.
What a wonderful and beautiful scene! What a remarkable beginning regarding Jesus’ ministry! In Jesus’ baptism, the Holy Spirit has the central role. Here is the blessed Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We are also in the blessed Trinity, and we can hear the voice “My son and daughter” and “Beloved” from God, and the Holy Spirit of the Lord is on us. We are not just talking about the love of God, but making that love manifest in our word, song, prayer, and life. We can celebrate God is with us when we are in the Trinity, and today is the day to be with Jesus.
“This is my Son, the Beloved” is repeated by a divine voice (Mark 9:7).
God’s love has permeated through our whole life, and we have been immersed in the Lord’s grace and transformed by the Holy Spirit.
I hope we need to remember we are in the blessed Trinity whenever each day is given like a gift.
There are three times of announcement “you are my son,” is in Mark at the Baptism of Jesus (1:10), the transfiguration (Mark 9:7), and the crucifixion. (Mark 15:39) Mark stresses the continuity of the ministry of John and Jesus. Today’s gospel demonstrates the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.
Spirit-filled ministry begins as he proclaims the good news, calls people to repent and believe (14-15), and calls the first disciples to follow him (16-20). His ministries were about salvation, faith, and making disciples.
Some key words through today’s text are “voice,” “wilderness,” “torn,” and “son.”, and it can be manifested in our lives. We can hear the voice by God’s word, and the heaven can be open through our prayer, praise, and life.
I hope we can all join God’s life-giving invitation through repentance and movement toward God. God is our creator, and He is always right on time, and Jesus is the Son of God and we are the children of God. We are joining in baptism of repentance and bearing fruits of repentance. In addition, we are in the blessed Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
What is the role in the world of Christians who are baptized? The roles of Christians who are baptised with Holy Spirit can be Loving God and others, and we have faith by God’s grace and transformation by the Holy Spirit.
Furthermore, Christian baptism has transformed us into God’s beloved children, and baptism is more than an individual act. As Uniting Church Baptism includes, with God’s help we can live out our baptism as a loving community in Christ, nurturing one another in the faith, upholding one another in prayer, and encouraging one another in service.
Jesus began his ministry and preached good news after Jesus is presented and baptised by John the Baptist and empowered by the Spirit. Then he called his disciples and performed various miracles after special prayer in God’s will. The rest of the Gospel describes how this beloved Son fulfills the mission given to him by God.
I hope we can live out our baptisms by living joyfully as God’s beloved children and faith community, leading others toward Jesus, welcoming and accepting others instead of rejecting them, and responding and answering the Lord’s call to follow hm in the blessed Trinity. It is our happiness, and we can commit ourselves to participate in Christ’s work on earth.
I expect 2021 will be your best year for the glory of God, because God is our creator, and He is our provider. We are in the blessed Trinity, and God is with you on time.
Thanks be to God! Amen!
(Ref. Bible, commentaries, theological books, UCA materials)