Friday, August 16, 2013

Mark 1:9-13

In his introduction to the story of Jesus, Mark began by telling the story of John the baptizer. This is not an accident. This is actually incredibly important in understanding who Jesus is.
You see, it was by the voice of John that God had broken His silence to His people. In John 1:33, John the baptizer refers to God as “he that sent me.” In a land where the voice of God was absent for four centuries, John was now proclaiming that he had come as a prophet of God. This was not a self-confident claim with no merit, rather, in Matthew 21:26, even the chief priests and elders acknowledge that all of the people “held John as a prophet.”
The people of Israel were no doubt excited that God was speaking to them again, and they rushed out of their cities to hear the message of God. Crowds formed along the river, and John preached the message that he was divinely commissioned to preach: “REPENT!!” The message was a common one amongst prophets. God is a holy God, and He desires that His people constantly be killing their sin.
The silence of God had been broken. People were coming to hear the message. And Mark 1:9 says, “and Jesus came from Nazareth.” Everything had lined up perfectly. Everything was set and ready for the presentation of the Son of God. And at the baptism of John, it took place. Not only was God speaking through His prophet John, but now according to verse 10, God audibly spoke from heaven and said to Jesus, “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
God’s messenger John had come. Then, God had spoken audibly. Now the reality would begin to set in that the actual Son of God was on earth. This was a day of importance. Things were going to change. The world was going to turn upside down. No more would the people of God feel abandoned. Immanuel, “God with us”, had finally come, and he had been authenticated first by the prophet of God, then by the Spirit of God, and finally by the very voice of God. This was Him. He had come and His name was Jesus.

Food For Thought: Read Matthew 21:23-27. What point was Jesus trying to make about Himself in His discussion with the Priests?

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