Jesus pleased His Father in what He did and in what He didn’t do. As followers of Jesus, we should seek to imitate His obedient lifestyle.
Mark 1:9-13
9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.
In the Water (Mark 1:9-11)
- Much of the Son’s ministry is exampling what we should do and exhibiting what we could not do.
- The people were baptized to wash away their filth, yet Jesus was baptized to cover Himself with their filth.
- At Jesus’ baptism, we see the Father’s affirmation, the Son’s obedience, and the Spirit’s empowerment.
In the Wilderness (Mark 1:12-13)
- Jesus waged war on Satan’s home turf with our souls on the line.
- Satan uses temptation and opposition in an attempt to hinder God’s work in our lives.
- In the midst of demonic conflict, never neglect angelic support.
In the Work
- Jesus made His Father proud by what He did and by what He didn’t do.
- Jesus’ obedience through baptism showed His power for salvation through the chaotic waters.
- Jesus’ victory over temptation showed His ability to restore us to a perfect paradise.
Next Step
- To make your Father proud, what should you do?
- To make your Father proud, what should you not do?
Next Sermon: Jesus Uses Ordinary People [Mark 1:14-20]
Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.