Mark 1:9-11 Sermon Notes
THE MESSIAH’S ORDINATION
Mark 1:9-11
(September 23, 2004, Sermon Notes)
Mark’s Gospel starts with this line: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” In our text, Mark shows us the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, and he structures what he says to reflect this first verse: He starts with Jesus (1:9), then shows His anointing by the Spirit (1:10: Christ means anointed), and then tells how the voice from heaven declared Jesus to be the Son of God (1:11).
JESUS (1:9)
Jesus doesn’t appear the way we might expect. There is no blaze of glory. In fact, he comes, like David, out of nowhere, from the hicktown of Nazareth in the province of Galilee.
He comes to John just like everyone else (see 1:5). Though we aren’t told that He confessed His own sins, Jesus was baptized with John’s baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. He joined Israel in repenting of Israel’s corporate sins. He goes through the same thing Israel does because He is the new Joshua who will lead Israel into the Land.
His baptism points forward to another baptism: His death (Mark 10:38). That baptism will lead to the conquest of the world.
CHRIST (1:10)
John is a new Moses preparing for Jesus, the new Joshua. John is also a new Elijah, preparing for Jesus, the new Elisha, who has a double portion of the Spirit.
Mark tells us that the heavens were torn apart (see Mark 15:38; Isa. 64:1) and the Spirit descended on Jesus. That’s what God promised to Israel (Ezek. 36:27), but it happens for Jesus only. Only Jesus receives the Spirit and only Jesus will baptize with the Spirit (Mark 1:8). The Spirit’s presence certifies Jesus as the Messiah (Isa. 11) and equips Him for work.
The Spirit comes “like a dove,” which indicates that Jesus is the beginning of God’s new creation (think of Noah’s dove in the light of Gen. 1:2 and Deut. 32:11). In Him, we also are new creatures (Gal. 6:15).
SON OF GOD (1:11)
John is also the new Samuel, anointing Jesus, the new David. David’s son would be God’s son (2 Sam. 7:14). The voice from heaven proclaims Jesus to be His Son, quoting Psalm 2. Jesus is the king who will inherit the world and rule all nations. He’s also the “beloved” son (like Isaac: Gen. 22), and the servant with whom God is well-pleased (Isa. 42:1).
At our baptisms and beyond, God says about us what He said here about Jesus. We also are sons of God (Gal. 3:26-4:7), sons whom God loves and in whom He delights. We are kings who follow our King, Jesus, in laying down our lives for others and thereby inheriting the world.