John Baptizes Jesus

Mark 1:9-11

10 Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him;

11 and a voice came out of the heavens: "You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased."

Baptism of Jesus Christ

This event is only given a few lines in Mark but is one of the most significant happenings in the Bible. The baptism of Jesus marks the beginning of His ministry that will change the face of history, and the world forever.

Why Did Christ Need to be Baptized?

Was it to repent of sin like the rest of the people coming to John? Of course not. He had no sins. Then why?

Here are four simple reasons Jesus stepped into the waters of the Jordan that day ..

First, As stated above, Jesus used this as a catapult to begin His ministry. He brought a message of salvation to all people (not just the Jews).

Second, Jesus supported the ministry of John the Baptist as he (John) also offered freedom from sin through repentance and baptism by water.

Third, Jesus came to earth as a man; a human being with the same feelings, hopes and dreams as the rest of us. He identified the need for being baptized by John to show identity with the people.

Fourth, as any good teacher, Christ lead by example, not just by talk. He wanted to bring others to God through admittance of flaws and falling short of the glory of God as told in Romans. If He himself was baptized, then others would follow in His footsteps and become closer to God.

What Does Our Baptism Mean?

We do not know the power and the heart of God so these answers may not be complete but we do know that, when we accept Christ as Savior, the baptism is a symbol of our faith and a witness to others.

And, just as the baptism of Jesus marked the beginning of His ministry, our acceptance of Him begins our journey of making new disciples by telling others and by presenting an example. The way we live and act speaks louder than our words so let's not take this responsibility lightly.

Love in Christ

- Bob

Mark 1:1-8 - John the Baptist Preaches about Coming of Christ