The Baptism of Jesus

Problems with thy truth if you would to the Gospel of Mark in chapter 1, to be looking at verses nine through 11 this morning. In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee was baptized by John in the Jordan when he came up out of the water immediately saw the heavens being torn open and the spirit descending on him like a dove and the voice came from heaven, you are my beloved son with you I am well pleased that with me as we get our Lord in prayer. Heavenly father, we are studying the subject of the baptism of Jesus today were looked at this passage and says so what what is a man in a river in a Middle Eastern country 2000 years ago have to do with me today. Your answer to the world is everything Jesus baptism points us to his priesthood and how glorious it is to realize that even as we worship here at Christ today.

Oh Lord Jesus you sit at the right hand of God the father interceding for us. Every Christian here today is totally dependent on the blood of Jesus to wash away our sins to impute the righteousness of Christ to us, but we are just as dependent on our Lord's precious intercession. Jesus did not Jesus not only did you die for us, but Lord you only you also pray for us daily. May we be wild by that intercession may we love you deeply for it.

What is in the precious and holy name of Jesus Christ that we pray. Amen. You may be seated before we get into the subject of the baptism of Jesus. I will not look at the man to say a couple things about him who baptized Jesus and that man be in John the Baptist. John the Baptist was a man of God.

The Scripture tells us he was feel the spirit of God in the womb of his mother, Elizabeth. He was a man who was sold out to the Lord. He was a man who had committed his life to holiness. He was a man was utterly separated from this world today. The modern professing Christian look down their nose at John the Baptist, accusing him of legalism, fanaticism and rabid fundamentalism that they would say he is zealousness for for God is a turnoff and he just needs to lighten up, calm down and get agreement listen to what Jesus had to say about this man in Matthew chapter 11 verse 7 to 11 as they went away. Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John what did you go out in the wilderness to see a reed shaken by the wind. What they need. You go out to see a man dressed in soft clothing the whole, those who wear soft close or near Kings houses. What then did you go out to see a profit. Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.

Truly I say to you among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. The same chapter few verses down in verse 15, we are told that the people were so impressed with John the Baptist, that they asked the question, is this the Messiah, they thought that John might be the Christ and he might be the Messiah himself and why would they think that will John was a prophet and they had never heard preaching like this before when when John preached the truth of God penetrated their heart and they had no recourse but to listen. They knew that John was not manipulating them.

They knew that John was just proclaiming truth and that truth brought great conviction. Unlike the religious leaders of their day. John was not a hypocrite. John was preaching things that he knew were not politically correct, and he knew that there would be people he would not like what he had to say and he preached it anyway because Ali was concerned about was pleasing God that 12 years ago on the front page of the Charlotte Observer. It was a scathing article that was written about an action that Christ covenant Church and Matthews, North Carolina, one of our sister PCA churches about action that they had taken and at that time Christ covenant was supporting in their church. A Boy Scout troop and there was a young boy in that troop who was a Mormon and his father and his mother requested that they become leaders in that troop and Christ covenant says no you can't do that your son is welcome to participate in the troop. But you as a Mormon cannot do that because you cannot teach because Mormons are not true Christians.

While I was pretty rigid stance that Christ covenant took why would they do that because God's word is just as rigid or they're not goodhearted, family loving, kind, root just moral and ethical people there in the Mormon faith. Absolutely, there are but can they be considered to be true Christians and the answer that is no Mormons do not believe in the Trinity. They deny that very crucial and important doctrine. They believed in extra-biblical revelation. They believe that the their book of Mormon is on par with the rest of the Scripture. They believe that when a Mormon dies that he becomes a God himself. They believe that Jesus was married and not just married to one. But to many that one of them being Mary Magdalena and then Mary and Martha the sisters of Lazarus. And so this woman was being interviewed by the Charlotte Observer this mother this Mormon mom and she said what what you mean were not Christians. She said my goodness. We got a picture Jesus hanging up on our wall in our living room which the observer was trying to portray Christ covenant is in compassionate, unloving, just bigoted church. I want you to know they are not. They simply told the truth about Mormonism and said to a Mormon family. We would love the opportunity to minister to you. We hope you will give us that. But you cannot teach things that are lies about our God and things that will do damage to the Christian faith clubs.

That was a John the Baptist reaction that Christ covenant took and I praise God for the stance that they took. It was a stance that, like John the Baptist would take praise God, John the Baptist, courage. Our current work cultures doing all he can to cancel out the John the Baptist of our day.

I don't like that and what they want to say to us is don't worry about that which is called truth and if you call that which is truth is if you call it something wrong with it, then that's okay but if you say that this truth is, is the way it's supposed to be that it is important that it is God's truth and that is seen to be unloving and very unkind, but that is a lie that is deeply believed by the so-called what culture and it is deeply deceiving.

Let's get to the text people from all over the, the country of Israel had come to hear John the Baptist preach John was preaching his sermons were very convicting people coming confessing their sins and they were being baptized. This brings us to the point of Jesus baptism. I have two questions about his baptism that I will ask today. The first question is this what did the baptism of Jesus accomplish in the second question is, is who did the baptism of Jesus employees. First of all, what did the baptism of Jesus accomplish and we see that in verse nine. Look at that with me in those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan white why Jesus need to be baptized.

John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. John was out at the at the river Jordan.

He was preaching of these thousands of people they would hear the truth. They get deeply convicted of that truth.

They would come they would confess their sins and then John would baptize them as us as a sign as a statement to the rest of the world that this person had genuinely repented of his sins and that this person was now following the Lord, if that's what John the Baptist baptism was all about. Why did Jesus need to get baptized Jesus had never sinned, he was absolutely sinless.

There was no need for him to repent some of explained it this way. They say that Jesus was going to be baptized with the baptism of repentance in order that he could identify himself with sinners. I do not buy that I don't buy that a bit. I think Matthew's account of the baptism of Jesus explains what his baptism was all about. Hear me out. Listen carefully. Jesus baptism was not a baptism of repentance.

All these others that John was baptizing. That was a baptism of repentance.

His baptism was not neither was it a Christian baptism like you and I would experience today.

It was different. What was it was part of the ceremonial ordination into the priesthood.

I'm an approved Latin share with you why I think that is true from the Gospel of Matthew what you got back and turn to Matthew chapter 3 of verses eight, 13 to 17 and I was to look at this because we have a lot more detail here your member who Matthew was writing to is primarily writing to the Jews. The portraying Jesus to us as the Messiah, proving to us that Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of lords is the one that were looking for art. Matthew chapter 3 verse 13 to 17 says this then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him. John Woody prevented him, saying, I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me. 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 Jesus was baptized immediately went up from the water the whole, the heavens were open him.

He saw the Spirit of God ascending like a dove coming to rest, Tony, and behold a voice from heaven said this is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased. I remember as I said Matthew was writing specifically to Jewish people, proclaiming Jesus and portraying him as king and as the Messiah.

We ask you this. What were the three offices in the Messiah. They were prophet, priest and king Jesus fit all those three offices was he a prophet. Boy was he ever a prophet your member. Moses prophesied that there was one coming. That would be this great prophet and in Deuteronomy chapter 18 verse 15 Moses said this the Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like him to me am among you for your brothers, for it is to him that you shall listen when Jesus preached people begin to just wake up and I said while this man preaches with authority, not like the scribes and the rabbis of our day. He preaches with authority.

When Jesus got rejected by his own people in in his hometown. He said a prophet is not honored in his own country.

Jesus was a prophet. Absolutely it was a prophet. What about King. Was he really a team. Yes, he was in such Jesus was born in the tribe of Judah, the tribe of Judah is the kingly tribe. Not only was he born in the tribe of Judah, but he was born in the direct bloodline of King David. His his mother Mary trace her ancestry all the way up it goes right to King David is our earthly father was Joseph you Tracy's lineage and his ancestry and he goes right up to David David what Jesus was a legal air to the throne of David. He was a legal heir to the throne of Israel.

What about the priest. That's the problem. The priest came from the tribe of Levi Jesus came from the tribe of Judah. So how could Jesus be a priest if he came from the tribe of Judah.

Matthew's account of the baptism of Jesus we see Jesus John baptizing all these people they come they confess their sins to to John a confess to that, that what they been doing was wrong. They need to repent and then at that point in time. John baptize them. Jesus steps down in the water after all these people been baptized and he's kind of in a line he steps down in the water and he looks at Johnny says baptize me.

Would John do genre cold step back, so will hold wait a minute, I came baptize you because I'm the one with the dirty heart, not you or your heart is perfectly clean. You never say and I think baptize you because you have absolutely no need of repentance. So Jesus understands that he understands why John is confused and so explains the situation to John and when he does. John says all if that's the case I'll be more than glad to baptize you. What is Jesus share with his shares three things that are necessary for his baptism.

Number one pieces John, I must be baptized by you, number two, he says I must be baptized by you, now number three. I must be baptized by you, now in order to fulfill all righteousness. These three things tell us why his baptism is a ceremonial ordination into the priesthood. Jesus must be baptized. First of all priest now was John, a priest, absolutely.

He was who was his dad's dad was Zechariah. Remember what Zechariah did. He was a priest in the temple in Jerusalem for 20 years. He was a priest. He was born in the tribe of Levi.

He was a Levitical priest and so when he and Elizabeth had a child. That child was John, and John was born into the tribe of Levi. John was a priest and so when Jesus chose a priest to baptize him. He wanted to choose his own cousin and he chose John as a priest to do the baptism.

Secondly, Jesus said, it has to be done now and why was that important. Why was the timing important numbers chapter 4 verses one through three.

Given the instructions for when a priest could serve. Listen to this. The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, take a census of the sons of Cho asked from among the sons of Levi by their clients and their father's houses from 30 years old up to 50 years old. All you can come on duty to do the work of the tent of meeting the priest were to be ordained at age 30. Very interesting in Luke's gospel you read in chapter 4 verse 23, right after Jesus had been baptized. Luke makes a statement that Jesus had just turned to age 30 is very interesting that only two times in the Bible it mentioned Jesus age one when he was 12 years old going into the temple with his parents and then this time that Luke mentions it when he's just reached age 30. Why does that matter because the priest could only be ordained when they reached age 30. So what's going on here Jesus is been baptized for a purpose.

Those of the first two things. He was baptized by John, who was a priest at age 30 and remember John six months older than Jesus. And so all this John is a priest and so six months before this. John had gone through all of this himself. He had gone through the ceremonial ordination of the priesthood and is very fresh on his mind. Then Jesus says is one more thing that needs to happen.

I must be baptized by you, John.

At this time. At age 30 in order to fulfill all righteousness. What does that mean Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse 25 says this and it will be righteousness for us if we are careful to do all this commandment before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us righteousness was fulfilled by obeying a command or the law of God, folks.

This is important.

The baptism of repentance that John was doing was not the fulfilling of any law at all. They came to John voluntarily. They confess their sins to John. They asked to be baptized by baptism of repentance. It was totally voluntary that there was no law that was being fulfilled at all. But Jesus says that his baptism would fulfill the law. Why because his baptism was the final step in the ceremonial ordination of the priest. Three things a priest had to do it in the priesthood number one had to be 30 years old that was accomplished. Number two. The had to be called as we've already said the priest came from the tribe of Levi. This is a problem because Jesus came from the tribe of Judah can come from both tribes came from the tribe of Judah, the priestly tribe was the tribe of Levi. So how is it that Jesus from the tribe of Judah can be a priest, it was prophesied that he would in Psalm chapter 10 verse four tells us how this is accomplished. Listen this carefully. The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind.

You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, who was Melchizedek. No Keswick was a priest who lived before Levi had ever been born was no Levitical priesthood at the time that Mel Keswick was living in an and be in a priest here on this earth. In Genesis chapter 14 we read about Mel Keswick meaning Abraham out on the road and and he was his priest and the Scripture tells us that Abraham paid tithes to Mel Keswick in a bow down before him and Mel Keswick blessed him as his priest listens this carefully. Hebrews chapter 5 verse 10. The Scripture says that Jesus was designated by God. A high priest after the order of Mel Keswick. So Jesus had just reached age 30.

He was called by God to be a priest of a higher order than the Levitical priesthood of the Mel Keswick priesthood. We have one more thing that had to happen was that we see that in numbers chapter 8 verse seven tells us this.

Thus, you shall do to the priest to ceremonially cleanse them.

Sprinkle the water purification upon them. The baptism here. Notice the most of it is sprinkling so picture this, Jesus walks and down to the river steps into the water when John tells John to baptize him. John recalls so now I can't do that because he knows that Jesus is sinless says I can't do that and then Jesus says wait a minute. I must be baptized by you, a priest at this time, age 30, in order to fulfill all righteousness and and you knew what that meant was that he needed to be sprinkled with water all over his body in order that he might become the priest, Johnny just gone through this six months before John knew exactly what Jesus was asking for an John baptized him. They are ordained him as a priest one more passage that I believe that proves this and you find this in Matthew chapter 21 verses 23 to 27. This is where Jesus claims the temple new member after he cleansed the temple. There were religious leaders got mad adding and they said you can't do this you can't do this, you have no right to cleanse the temple because you're not a priest you're not a priest, folks only the priesthood could cleanse the temple. They were the only ones that had authority to do so.

So you read this to you when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, by what authority are you doing these things and who gave you this authority. Jesus answered them also will ask you one question and if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things, the baptism of John, from where did it come from heaven or from man and they discussed among them sales saying we say, from heaven, he will save us.

Why then did you not believing but if we say from man. We are afraid of the crowd, for they are holy. John was a prophet. So the answer Jesus. We don't know. He said to them, neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things. The religious leaders were saying to Jesus what right do you have, to cleanse us to politely ask. This is the right only of the priest you can't be a priest because you are not from the tribe of Levi when he Jesus to the immediately pointed them to his baptism by John. He said I was baptized by John and essentially was telling them that was part of my ceremonial ordination into the priesthood. Do you believe that and they would not answer, they would not answer books Jesus was saying, I want you to know is that I am a high priest. I'm not just a priest. I'm not just a high priest, I'm the high priest, and he says I have all authority folks who is this Jesus. This Jesus is the great prophet and we are to listen to him.

He is the high priest and we are to pray to him and he is King of Kings and Lord of lords, and we are to buy out to him. This is the Jesus you serve.

This is the Jesus that you treasure for me ask you something. Is this Jesus your everything so what did the baptism of Jesus accomplish. It was part of his ceremonial ordination into the priesthood on second question, I will ask is who did the baptism of Jesus, please.

And the answer that is God the father, who commit verses 10 through 11, Mark Mark chapter 1, when he came up out of the water immediately 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. I think we too often read this passage we get caught up in the theology the Christology and the new mythology of the passage, and it's almost like we forget to be absolutely amazed at what has happened here folks, this is not just another day on planet Earth. Jesus is getting ready to start his ministry Jesus has just been baptized. John poured the water over Jesus head and after that after the water just flow down all over his body. Jesus starts to step out of the river now.

Luke tells us that as he was stepping out the Jesus was actually praying very interesting though what Mark tells us Mark tells us that the heavens, the heavens were torn open so very interesting word for torn open ears used just a couple times in the in the Scriptures, and it's the Greek word schizo and it means to tear apart to chair other time that this is used is when Jesus died on the cross and the Scripture says that the veil of the temple was rent it was torn apart. If this was a six-inch thick veil that separated the holy place, from the holy of holies and it was torn from the top to the bottom when Jesus died was like God just reached out from heaven he just ripped it from the top to the bottom. Folks, this is what's happening in the heavens at this point in time at Jesus baptism all of a sudden is probably a cloudy day and then all of a sudden the. The sky just rips open is like there's a hole in the sky, a schizo a hole right there in the sky. Don't you know there's gonna be another time when there's gonna be a schizo a hole in the sky and that is when the Lord Jesus Christ comes back when the Lord Jesus Christ comes back the skies get to open is going to be torn open and we are going to see every I will behold him. Jesus will speak the word all of his enemies will fall in this gonna be a glorious, glorious, glorious time in both of those events. The baptism of Jesus in the second coming of Jesus. There's a tearing open of the heavens when Jesus returns. It's going to be a wideout and it's going to be powerful and it's can be frightening for the lost it's going to be joyful for those who were saved, but if the baptism of Jesus. When the skies were torn open that it was a hushed, reverent silence, not layout, not noisy, not frightening, but just absolutely peaceful and when Jesus stepped up what happened.

Scripture says that the Holy Spirit descended upon him like a dove and rested the pony and don't think that the Holy Spirit is a bird because he is he is not the Scripture says he descended upon him like a dove not a dove but like a dove a lot time you see pictures. The Holy Spirit always a picture of a bird that's get that out of your mind is the way that he came down that's being described here Holy Spirit's presence fluttered down to rest upon the Lord Jesus. So what is the Holy Spirit look like if they could say it because they did see it. I believe that the Holy Spirit came in the Shekinah glory cloud you member when the children of Israel be in way of the wilderness be led in the will is how were they led by a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. That was the Shekinah glory of God.

Cloud the day of atonement high priest would go into the temple he would go back behind the veil and he would go over to the ark of the covenant would take the blood basement blood in one hand he would get the hyssop branch of hyssop into it. He would sprinkle it on the mercy seat in the Scripture says that the glory of God. The cloud of God would come and hover between the wings of the charitable brothers and sisters. That's what happened here at the at the baptism of Jesus, the Holy Spirit came down fluttered down and rested upon Jesus this glory cloud just resting upon him. This is a prophecy being fulfilled from Isaiah 11 verse two says that the spirit of the Lord would rest on the Messiah.

The word Messiah or Christ means the anointed one. Isaiah 61 one prophesied that 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 broken hearted praying liberty to the captives, and opening of the prison to those who are bound.

John MacArthur said this son of God took on human flesh humbly submitting himself to the father's will and the Holy Spirit's power in every major point of Jesus ministry. The spirit was actively at work. His birth is baptism is temptation, his ministry, his miracles, his death and his resurrection, and every point in every way Jesus Christ was perfectly filled with the Holy Spirit. He never resisted graves or quench the spirit, but always operated under the spirits full control walking in perfect obedience to the will of his father.

After the Holy Spirit visibly descended on Jesus in a booming voice spoke from heaven, not a human voice with the voice of God the father and said this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.

What would that event have done your heart if you'd been there that day watching all this, we think it would've done your heart. I'm not sure that I would have been doing cartwheels, if not cartwheels I would've been laying down on my face, trembling and shaken at the holiness of the Lord Jesus folks we need to quit reading this passage is that only I know about that.

That's a baptism of Jesus.

Oh yeah, I know about that. That's when Jesus got anointed by the Holy Spirit. That's what we need to quit being nonchalant about this, we need to we need to travel back in time as if we were there, and understand that this is not a fairytale for us to smile at this and this is not a theological axiom for us to ponder this was an historical event, and if this historical event and not the biscuits off your table. Nothing will vote for those who doubt the Trinity, which explain this one to me view down the Trinity, you explain this at one time. At the same time, God the son is been baptized.

He stepping up out of the water, the Holy Spirit descends upon him and rest upon him like a dove, and then God the father speaks, and God the father says this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. TV evangelist TJ TD TD Jakes is a mode list. He does not believe in the Trinity. He thinks the Trinity is alive is not believe in it he says there's only one God, that is Jesus, and Jesus is the father.

Jesus is the son, and Jesus is the Holy Spirit. He said sometimes Jesus wears a father hat. Sometimes Jesus wears a sun hat. Sometimes Jesus wears a Holy Spirit hat but it's all just Jesus folks that that is absolutely wrong in the passage that we are looking at today. Totally refutes that live what's happening here Jesus is coming out of the water. The Holy Spirit is descending on Jesus like a dove and the father is speaking from heaven saying this is my beloved son in whom I will pleased, but that is the Trinity is one God, who manifest himself in three persons, father, son and Holy Spirit, they are are are one in substance and in essence and they are different in office and function. In other words, emotionalism is heresy. Emotionalism is not just the era. It is a an absolute heretical lie in this passage in Mark totally refutes that live I one more quick thing.

Another question why did Jesus have to be anointed with the Holy Spirit. Does this mean that he was only human. At birth, and he became God incarnate at his baptism.

When the Holy Spirit rested upon him when he reached age 30. RC Sproul said it better than I can answer. Listen to his words and I'll close with this Jesus had his divine nature from eternity past, he had at the moment of his conception and he will have it all into eternity.

What then was the significance of the Holy Spirit's dissent on him, the spirit anointed the human nature of Jesus. We tend to think that Jesus performed his miracles in his divine nature. Actually, people form them in his human nature to the power the Holy Spirit given to him at his baptism. It was there that God empowered Jesus to fulfill the mission that he is been given at his glorious Jesus is God is the perfect God. He is been here for all of eternity.

And yet he became man and was fully God and was fully man, a man man let's pray heavenly father.

Today we have been shown a picture of the Trinity, we see that the Scripture proclaims without apology that there is one God, who manifest himself in three persons father-son and Holy Spirit. Three persons of the Trinity are the same in substance and in essence, but they are different in office and function. Lord help us to be thankful for the revelations of that in your word, the Moslems, the Hindu, the Buddhist Shinto West and every other religion totally reject the truth of the Trinity. Why do we see it and believe it simply the grace of God, simply the plain revelation of our triune God in Scripture.

Help us Lord not to be arrogant and proud of our revelation of the Trinity, but may we be humbled so that we would share that truth with others.

Lord, you called us to the great commission. Please empower us to carry it out for is the precious and holy name of Jesus that we pray. Amen