Scripture: St. Mark 1:1-8 (NKJV)
1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is
written in the Prophets: “Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who
will prepare Your way before You.” 3 “The voice of one crying in the
wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.’” 4 John
came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the
remission of sins. 5 Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went
out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their
sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around
his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “There
comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy
to stoop down and loose. 8 I indeed baptized you with water, but He will
baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Devotion
John is not comparing his baptism to the baptism that Jesus will command. They
are the same. John is comparing his office to the office of Jesus when he says,
“I indeed baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy
Spirit.” John’s baptism certainly gave the Holy Spirit because it was a baptism
“of repentance for the remission of sins.” Repentance and the remission of sins
are both gifts of Christ as St. Peter says in Acts 5:31, “Him God has exalted
to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and
forgiveness of sins.” Whether Jesus gives these gifts through John’s baptism or
the baptism administered by His apostles matters not. What matters is Jesus
giving His gifts through baptism.
Jesus’ earthly ministry began with baptism and concluded with His baptismal
command to teach all nations, baptize them, and teach them to observe all the
things He had taught them. As baptism serves as bookends for Jesus earthly
ministry, so baptism serves as bookends for our life with Christ in the world.
Our life in Christ begins at Holy Baptism, where we are saved from our sins,
cleansed of our hereditary curse, and named with the name of the Triune God,
becoming His sons and daughters. All our life is lived in the baptismal
promises, promises that God made to us in those waters, not promises that we
made to Him. For we rely on those promises of forgiveness, life, and salvation
every day. As we close our eyes in death, we die still treasuring those
baptismal promises, for they never fail and remain forever.
The Lutheran Herald is a publication of the Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of
North America. These daily devotions are authored by the bishop, pastors, and
deacons of the diocese. Daily posts are provided by The Reverend Jeffrey A.
Ahonen.
_______________________________________________
Sermons mailing list
[email protected]
http://cat41.org/mailman/listinfo/sermons
