Thinking Biblically

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Tag: Trinity

Baptized and Tempted – Mark 1:9-13

February 22, 2023 /

Sermon Video

Last week’s post introduced the Gospel of Mark. I would encourage you to read it before reading this post.

Sermon Text: Mark 1:9-13

The Baptism of Jesus was a Declaration of Sonship (9-11)[1]I’ve borrowed my outline from Daniel L. Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition: Mark, 10.

Jesus comes to John in the middle or latter days of John’s ministry. Jesus’ baptism was a significant event; it is one of the few that is recorded in all four Gospels.

Why was Jesus baptized? We know that baptism is a picture of a cleansing from sin. It’s an outward act that is symbolic of an inward transformation. However, we know from the testimony of Scripture that Jesus was perfect and had no need to be cleansed. Matthew’s Gospel tells us that John was hesitant to baptize Jesus. John told Jesus, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” (Matt 3:14). Jesus told John that his baptism was, “to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt 3:15). What does Jesus mean that his baptism was “to fulfill all righteousness”?

Let’s answer that question by looking at the significance of the baptism of Jesus. The first thing we notice is that Jesus’ baptism inaugurated his ministry.

Jesus’ Baptism Inaugurated His Public Ministry (9)

The text says that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee (v. 9). Nazareth was a small town in the middle of nowhere. Nazareth was so small that it didn’t even have a Dollar General. Galilee was a region that was despised by the religious leaders because of its distance from Jerusalem and the presence of many Gentiles.

Jesus was a nobody from nowhere. When Jesus came to be baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, he effectively stepped onto the public stage. He had grown up in Nazareth in obscurity but that was about to change.

Also remember that John was baptizing in the wilderness (v. 4). We’ll talk more about that later. So first, Jesus’ baptism inaugurated his public ministry. Second, Jesus’ baptism identified him with sinful humanity.

Jesus Baptism Identified Him with Sinful Humanity (9)

By being baptized, Jesus identified himself with lowly sinners. Remember, those being baptized by John the Baptist were repentant sinners who were preparing themselves for God’s coming kingdom (vv. 4, 7-8). However, we know that Jesus was perfect. He didn’t have to confess his sin or repent of it because he had no sin (2 Cor 5:21). But in his baptism, Jesus identified with sinful people.

Third, Jesus’ baptism associated him with John’s ministry.

Jesus’ Baptism Associated Him with John’s Ministry (9)

Jesus was not ashamed of John the Baptist—far from it! Jesus was not concerned about John’s appearance or the fact that the religious leaders didn’t approve of him. Instead, Jesus praised John for he was faithfulness even in the face of death. By being baptized by John, Jesus showed his approval for John’s ministry.

Next, Jesus’ baptism was a supernatural act of God.

Jesus’ Baptism was a Supernatural Act of God (10)

When Jesus came up out of the water (which means he was immersed by the way), the text says that Jesus “saw the heavens being torn open” (10). This was not an ordinary event. The only other time the word translated torn open is used in Mark is when the temple curtain was torn from top to bottom (Mark 15:38). Clearly, at Jesus’ baptism God was at work in a supernatural way. As we will see in v. 15 next week, the kingdom of God had come in the person of Jesus.

Not only was Jesus’ baptism a supernatural act of God, but it revealed the triune God.

Jesus’ Baptism Revealed the Triune God (10-11)

As Christians, we believe that there is one God who exists in three persons – Father, Son, and Spirit. In verses 10-11, we clearly see all three persons of the Trinity. Jesus, the perfect Son of God in human flesh was being baptized. When he came up out of the water, the heavens were torn open and the Spirit descended on him like a dove. In verse 11, the Father spoke from heaven and said, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” The baptism of Jesus gives us a glimpse into the nature of God. He is the great Three in One. Verse 11 also clearly identifies Jesus as the divine Son of God.

Jesus’ Baptism Demonstrated His Dependence Upon the Holy Spirit (10)

Remember from verse 8 that John the Baptist said that his baptism was of water but that the one coming would baptize with the Holy Spirit. In v. 10, the text says that the Spirit descended on Jesus like a dove. The Spirit was not literally a dove but in gentleness and purity came to rest within Jesus. As the Spirit entered Jesus, he was prepared and equipped for ministry. Consider these verses from Isaiah:

Isaiah 42:1

Behold my servant, whom I uphold,
     my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my Spirit upon him;
     he will bring forth justice to the nations.

Isaiah 11:2

And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
     the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
     the Spirit of counsel and might,
     the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

Jesus’ ministry would be empowered by the Spirit of God. And finally, Jesus’ baptism was a declaration of his Messiahship (11).

Jesus’ Baptism was a Declaration of his Messiahship (11)

In v. 11, the Father speaks to the Son from heaven: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am will pleased.” This announcement combines three important Old Testament texts.

The phrase “You are my Son” comes from Psalm 2, which I recently preached. By referring to this Psalm, the Father is declaring that Jesus is the Messiah-King and the Son of David who will rule the nations.

The Father adds the word “beloved.” This is a reference to Genesis 22 when Abraham was called to sacrifice his beloved son. In contrast to Abraham, God the Father would go through with his son’s sacrifice.

And finally, the Father says that he is well pleased with the son. This phrase comes from Isaiah 42:1, which starts a section in Isaiah that culminates in Isaiah 53 where the suffering servant lays down his life.[2]Robin Sydserff, Teaching Mark, 129.

All three of these phrases from the Old Testament are fulfilled in Jesus. He is the beloved Son. He is the Messiah-King. He is the suffering servant who will give his life as a ransom for many.

In Jesus’ baptism, we see that the Father declared him as the Son. He will be empowered by the Spirit. Now, it is time for Jesus to go to war with the evil one.

The Temptation was a Declaration of War (12-13)

If you’ve read the New Testament, you are familiar with Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. While Mark’s account is much shorter than Matthew and Luke’s, we can still see the importance of this event even in these two short verses.

In the previous verses, we saw that Jesus’ baptism was a declaration of his sonship. We might say that Jesus was commissioned for ministry. Often, after God calls someone to ministry there is a time of testing. Here, Jesus does battle with Satan in the wilderness. The first thing we notice is that “the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness” (12). We again see that Jesus was led by the Spirit.

Jesus was Led by the Spirit (12)

The word translated “drove” is the same word that Mark uses to describe when Jesus cast out demons. Jesus’ encounter with Satan was no accident. Jesus embraces the leading of the Spirit and embraces the test.

Jesus was led by the Spirit, but he was also engaged by Satan.

Jesus was Engaged by Satan (13)

Verse 13 tells us that Jesus was in the wilderness 40 days and that he was tempted by Satan during this time. This was the deep wilderness. This was like Bear Grylls in Man vs. Wild. The conditions were grueling and it would have been easy to give up. Matthew and Luke tell us that Jesus had no food during the 40 days.

The 40 days remind us of the time that Moses spent on the Mount Sinai before receiving the Law (Deut 9:9). During that time, Moses neither ate nor drink.

The 40 days in the wilderness also remind us of Israel. After succumbing to their fears about taking the Promised Land, they were condemned to wander in the wilderness for 40 years. Where Israel crumbled in fear, Jesus would be victorious. Jesus was the true Israel, and he would not fail.

Jesus is also the second Adam. Consider how Jesus overcame where Adam had failed:

  1. Adam met Satan in a perfect garden, but Jesus met Satan in the wilderness.
  2. Adam had Eve but Jesus was alone.
  3. Adam had access to food, but Jesus was hungry.
  4. Adam was at peace with the animals in the garden, but Jesus was with the wild animals in the wilderness.

Mark’s Gospel is the only account that includes the statement about the wild animals. Why does he mention them? Remember, Mark is writing to a Roman audience. The Romans, especially later under Nero would used animals to torture Christians.

Despite these stacked odds, Jesus overcomes Satan.

He is the second Adam. He is the true Son of God.

He is greater than Moses. Moses delivered the people of Israel but Jesus would deliver people from every tribe, nation, and tongue.

He is the true Israel. He overcame where Israel failed. He will lead his people into an even greater Promised Land.

He is greater than the Roman emperors. These emperors used wild animals to torture Christians but Jesus overcame them even in the deep wilderness. Jesus, not the emperor is the true King.

Jesus’ conflict in the wilderness with Satan shows us that Jesus has come to destroy Satan’s dominion in this world and over humanity. Jesus has declared war on Satan.

1 John 3:8b

The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

Satan won a victory in the Garden. Humanity sinned and sin, sickness, and death entered creation. But Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil and to restore us to our Creator.

Conclusion

Christian, I want to encourage you. Jesus knows what you are going through. Jesus did battle with the devil and overcame him. One day, Satan will be thrown into the Lake of Fire (Rev 20:10). Like Jesus, we can be victorious in temptation through the power of the Spirit. Perhaps God’s angels will come to our aid as well (v. 13).

Jesus would battle Satan throughout his life. Likewise, we are in spiritual battle. Even if we lose some battles, we know that ultimately, we will win the war if we are on Jesus’ side for he has already won it through his death and resurrection.

Last week, we saw that John the Baptist spoke of Jesus. Today in vv. 9-13 we’ve seen Jesus commissioned for ministry through baptism and tested in the wilderness. Jesus has come to represent humanity in a way that all others before him had failed.

Next week we’ll see the in-breaking of the Kingdom of God and the king who calls people to enter into it.

References

References
↑1 I’ve borrowed my outline from Daniel L. Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition: Mark, 10.
↑2 Robin Sydserff, Teaching Mark, 129.

The Humiliation and Exaltation of Jesus – Philippians 2:5-11

June 22, 2022 /
Philippians

This blog is based on a sermon from Philippians. Unfortunately, the sermon was not recorded. I previously preached this sermon at another church, when you can view here.

We’ve been walking through Philippians, which is a letter that Paul wrote from prison to a church that he loved very much.

In the last two posts, we’ve seen:

First, that we should live worthy of the gospel in the face of external opposition (1:27-30).

Second, that our church should be marked by unity and we should practice humility, and service (2:1-4).

We cannot achieve unity in our church simply by me preaching on it. I agree with Tony Merida:

“Unity is a result of people adoring and emulating Jesus. The more we behold His glory and imitate His character, the more unified we will be as a church.”

tony merida

In simple terms, we should adore Jesus and live like Jesus.

Our text today is one of the most famous passages in the New Testament and is one of the foremost Christological passages. It is sometimes referred to as the humiliation and exaltation of Jesus.

Sermon Text: Philippians 2:5-11

BIG IDEA: The humiliation and exaltation of Jesus should lead us to follow Jesus’ example and to worship Him as Lord of all.

We are to have the attitude of Christ (5)

v. 5 – “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,”

The ESV says “mind”. The NIV says “mind-set.” Most translations say “attitude.”

We are to think like Jesus, and value what he values. In this context, we see that Jesus values humility and service more than self-exaltation.

The attitude of Christians should reflect the attitude of their master, Jesus Christ.

When Paul says that we are to have the mind or attitude of Christ, he is saying that we should not be prideful and selfish, but rather that we should be humble and selflessly serve others.

In this passage, we see the attitude of Christ. First, we see his humility:

“did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped” (6)

“emptied himself” or “made himself nothing” (7)

We also see his service:

“took the form of a servant” (7)

“became a man and died on the cross” (8)

The world lives to get and get and get—more pleasure, more praise, more money. What Paul is saying to us is that as Christians, we are to imitate Christ, who came to give and give and give.

As we look at Philippians 2:6-11 this morning, I want you think about these questions:

  • Do you seek to get, get, and get, or to give, give, and give?
  • Do you have the mind/attitude of Christ?
  • Are you humbly seeking serve others within the church as well as those outside the church?

We are to have the attitude of Christ. We are also to learn humility from Christ.

We are to learn humility from Christ (6-8)

Jesus’ Humble Renunciation (6)

“who, though he was in the form of God”

The phrase “form of God” doesn’t mean that Jesus “had some Godlike qualities or appearance, but that he was of the same nature or essence.”

Jesus was the true and exact nature of God. This phrase means that Jesus was and is equal with God.

Biblical Christianity says is that there is one God who has eternally existed in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus is the eternal Son of God. He was not created. There was never a time when the Son of God did not exist.

“We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father.  Through him all things were made.”

Council of Nicea (325 AD)

John 1:1-3

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

John 17:5

And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

“did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped” (6)

This means that although Jesus was God, He did not use his high position for His own advantage but chose to serve and to give. Jesus deserved the praise of every person He encountered but He lived open-handedly and provided an example for all of us to follow.

So often, we live exactly the opposite of how Christ lived.

  • We want to exalt ourselves, but Jesus made himself nothing and submitted to the will of the Father.
  • We want to be in charge, but Jesus took the form of a slave.
  • We reject God’s Word in sinful disobedience, but Jesus perfectly obeyed God’s Word.
  • We so often give in to temptation, but Jesus always overcame temptation.

What are you grasping for? What are you holding onto?

Are you living for pleasure?

Are you seeking power and position?

Are you living for money?

Have you bought into the lie of the prosperity gospel? Do you think that if you come to church and give that God will make you happy, healthy, and wealthy?

Christians are not immune to pride and selfishness.

We see it in the SBC with denominational politics – pastors promoting themselves and slandering others on social media.

We see women seeking to be pastors when God has forbidden it.

In many churches, there are some people who want all the power in the church but don’t want to serve in any way.

In our marriages, are we seeking to serve or be served?

Friends, Paul is calling us to live like Jesus, who, rather than grasping for a position of power, took on the form of a servant.

How can we do this? We need the gospel, as Paul shows us in the next verses.

Jesus’ Humble Incarnation (7)

“but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” (7)

Jesus did not cease to be God when he took on human form but rather gave up his rights. He rightfully deserved to remain at the right hand of God, but He took on the form of a servant and was born as a baby.

Jesus, the perfect Son of God, took on human flesh. John 1:14 says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…”

Norm Geisler writes, “Jesus’ incarnation was not the subtraction of deity, but the addition of humanity.”

A.W. Tozer said, “Jesus veiled His deity but He did not void it.”

Jesus took on the form of a servant.

Have you noticed in the Gospels that Jesus is always serving others and not the other way around?

While American Christianity says to live your best life now, to become a better you, to love yourself, and to slay your giants, Jesus exemplified true greatness by serving and dying.

Imagine what would happen in the church if we all followed the example of Jesus and sought not to grasp for power and position but to seek to humbly serve one another.

Jesus’ Humble Crucifixion (8)

“And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death…”

Jesus’ whole life was marked by humility:

  • He was not born in Rome, Athens, or Jerusalem, but Bethlehem.
  • He lived 30 years in relative obscurity in Nazareth.
  • In his earthly ministry, he was known for loving the unlovable.
  • At this death, he was nailed to a cross between two criminals.

Notice that the text says that Jesus humbled himself. No one humbled Jesus.

“No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

Jesus, John 10:18

“…even death on a cross.”

In the Roman empire, crucifixion was the cruelest form of official execution. Depending on who you read, some say that Roman citizens could not be crucified. Others say that Roman citizens could only be crucified if they were convicted of high treason. Certainly, crucifixion was commonly reserved for the lower classes, especially slaves.

The Jews believed a person was cursed if he died by crucifixion. And yet, Scripture says that Jesus became a curse for us (Galatians 3:13).

Christ went from the highest position imaginable (the right hand of the Father) to the lowest (crucified between two criminals) because of His love for His people. His selfless love was an expression of His deity.

Even Hollywood understands what a powerful story the gospel is.

In the live action Lion King movie, Mufasa tells Simba this: “While others search for what they can take, a true king searches for what he can give.”

In The Dark Knight Rises, Batman (who is billionaire Bruce Wayne) fights to save Gotham and its people when he could’ve lived for pleasure and himself. Instead, he serves the city of Gotham by putting his life on the line every night.

Because of the gospel, we should be marked by service and love to others.

As Christians, we are to have the attitude of Christ. We are to learn humility from Christ. Finally, we are to bow the knee and exalt Jesus Christ.

We are to bow the knee and exalt Jesus Christ (9-11)

Jesus’ Exalted Position (9)

Jesus humbled himself, and God has highly exalted Him.

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, (9)

The phrase “the name that is above every name” refers to Lord (see v. 11). The Father has given Jesus a new name – “Lord” (Phil 2:11; cf. Isa 45:23-24). This name that is above every name is Lord. The Greek word is kurios, which was the word used to translate Yahweh into the Septuagint (the Greek version of the Old Testament).

Look at one verse from the Old Testament:

Is 42:8
I am the Lord; that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to carved idols.

Yahweh (Lord) is the awesome covenant name of the God of Israel – “the name that is above every name.”

Our Adoration and Confession (10-11)

 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Notice that Paul mentions heaven, earth, and under the earth.

Every part of creation will bow. No part of creation is exempt:

  • In heaven, the angels will bow.
  • On earth, humanity will bow.
  • Under the earth, the demons and Satan will bow.

Every creature will bow and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

Every creature will bow and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

In New Testament times, Christians were persecuted and could be killed for saying that “Jesus is Lord” rather than Caesar.

Every week, we gather as Christians to declare that Jesus is Lord – not Caesar, not President Biden, and not anyone else on earth.

Romans 10:9 says, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

To be saved, we must repent and believe the gospel.

At Christ’s exaltation, Jesus will be acknowledged by all creation as Lord of all Creation.

  • Every one of us will bow the knee.
  • Some will bow before Him and confess Him as Lord with great joy.
  • Others will bow before Him and confess Him as Lord with despair and anguish.

How would you answer these questions?

  • Have you bowed the knee to Jesus?
  • Do you have the attitude of Jesus?
  • Are you serving others like Jesus?
  • Are you seeking to exalt yourself or to exalt Jesus?

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