Read Mark 1:1-8:
1The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2As it is written in the prophets: Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who shall prepare your way before thee.
3The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths to be straight.
4John came baptizing in the wilderness, and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
5There went out to him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and all were baptized of him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins.
6John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a girdle of leather about his waist; and he did eat locusts and wild honey.
7And John preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.
8I indeed have baptized you with water: But he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit.
Mark begins with baptism. In his first chapter, baptism is mentioned 6 times (and 14 times in the entire Gospel). For Mark, the story of Jesus begins with the story of John the Baptist. John was that messenger promised by God in Isaiah and Malachi. He comes to prepare the people for the coming of the Messiah through baptism and preaching.
John told the people to get ready for the coming of the Savior. The Messiah would be more powerful than John, and he would baptize God’s people with the Holy Spirit. John preached repentance and the forgiveness of sins. The people would come to him and confess their sins; they would admit their need. They would honestly confess their brokenness before God.
John’s baptism bestowed forgiveness through the power of the coming Savior. John preached the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He proclaimed that the Messiah is here, there is hope, there is grace - there is good news!
Read the passage below, and note how John the Baptist points us to Jesus. The religious authorities of Israel go out to John to try to find out what he was up to. They ask him many questions, but John confesses that Jesus of Nazareth is that Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.
John 1:19-29:
19This is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
20And John confessed, and denied not, but confessed, I am not the Christ.
21And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he said, I am not. They asked, Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
22Then said they to him, Who art thou? Tell us, that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
23He then said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaiah.
24Now they who were sent, were of the Pharisees.
25And they asked him, and said to him, Why do you baptize then, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, and neither that prophet?
26John answered them, saying, I baptize with water, but there stands among you, one whom ye know not.
27He who is coming after me is greater than I, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
28These things were done at Bethany beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29The next day John saw Jesus coming to him, and said, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!
John’s message to us today is that we need to prepare the way for the Lord to come into our lives. We need to make straight paths for him by confessing our sins before our heavenly Father. We acknowledge that we have failed to love God and to love others, as we should. We honestly pray, “Forgive us our trespasses.” As we confess our sins, we also hear that word of absolution, which declares the forgiveness of sins we have through the Messiah of Israel. We remember that God’s name has been put upon us in Holy Baptism. We have received that gift of the Holy Spirit.
Never forget that you have been born again by water and the Word. The one more powerful than John has redeemed you with his holy and precious blood. This Lamb of God truly takes away the sin of the whole world. Say a prayer of thanksgiving today for God’s gift of Holy Baptism. Rejoice that the Triune God has put his name upon you. You are now a child of God and an heir of heaven. The Messiah has come, and he has come for you. He died on the cross for your salvation. You have been redeemed with his blood. Christ paid the price for all of our sins. His power and grace will sustain you!
Reflect upon what it means to be baptized. Begin your day (and your devotions), “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Be thankful that the Holy Spirit dwells in you today. Use God’s name to pray, praise, and give thanks.
By grace, you are a part of God’s kingdom. In this kingdom, you belong to the Lord Jesus. You now live for God. You seek to follow Christ and grow in his grace. As you walk each day with the Lord Jesus, think about what he is saying to you through his Word. Learn to apply the Word of God to your life each day. The Holy Spirit will teach you about life in God’s kingdom.
Read now these passages and reflect upon what Paul tells us about grace, salvation, Holy Baptism, “the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit,” and living out the new life we have in Christ. “You are bought with a price: Therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are both God’s.”
Titus 3:3-8:
3For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving all kinds of lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
4But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared.
5Not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit.
6Whom he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior.
7That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
8This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they who have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.
1 Cor. 6:19-20:
19Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, which you have of God? You are not your own.
20For you are bought with a price: Therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are both God’s.
All pictures today are of Connecticut’s shoreline along the Long Island Sound.