Scripture Introduction
When someone says, “Tell me about yourself,” where do you begin? I could say: “I was born in Tennessee and raised in a small town near Memphis.” Or maybe you begin with your current career: “I have been the Pastor here for only 9 months.” Or would you speak of how you chose your profession? “Well this is actually my second career; I worked for five years as an biomedical design engineer.”
“Tell me about yourself,” has varied answers, depending on you and your preferences as well as the audience to whom you are speaking.
God includes in his Bible four different tellings about his Son. They are not the same because four authors write to different audiences and with a variety of purposes. Mark (who wrote the account we are reading this morning) begins (we might say), “without warming up”—he quickly connects Jesus to the promises of Isaiah and then goes straight to Jesus’ at 30 years of age and his first public action as Messiah. In so doing, Mark emphasizes a Savior who identifies with his people.
Two young folks were baptized today to mark them as belonging to Jesus. The power of that sign comes from Jesus’ identifying with us.
[Read Mark 1.1-13. Pray.]
Introduction
Yehiel Dinur testified against Adolf Eichmann at his Jerusalem trial in 1961 for war crimes. When he came face-to-face with Eichmann for the first time since being sent to Auschwitz almost 20 years earlier, Dinur began to sob uncontrollably and then fainted.
Was Dinur overcome by hatred, or fear, or simply the horror of the memories of Auschwitz? Mike Wallace asked him that very question on 60 Minutes. Dinur said: “I was afraid about myself. I saw that I am capable to do this. I am…exactly like he.” Mike Wallace then said: “Eichmann is in all of us.”
Chuck Colson, commenting on that episode of 60 Minutes, wrote: “Wallace’s summation of Dinur’s terrible discovery—‘Eichmann is in all of us’—is a horrifying statement; but it indeed captures the central truth about man’s nature. For as a result of the fall, sin is in each of us—not just the susceptibility to sin, but sin itself.” (Story from Kent Hughes, Commentary on Mark, 1989, 27).
In Star Trek, “The Neutral Zone,” is the space between the Romulans and the Federation, an area that belongs to neither. In a similar way, many people assume that we are born into this world neither belonging in heaven or hell, but in the neutral zone between them. We remain there until we chose for either God or the Devil.
In contradistinction, the Bible teaches that we are born citizens of Satan’s Kingdom. We are all Adam’s children and enemies of God. Eichmann is in all of us, and unless Jesus descends into the depths of evil, we will belong in hell forever. Such is our identity with the sin nature, that we are dead spiritually, depraved in heart and mind, and, therefore, damned to eternal punishment.
What a bleak picture! Yet suddenly, another appears with a new identity. Jesus is baptized into our nature so that we might be baptized into his. Jesus’ baptism so identifies him with my sin nature that the end must be the cross.
Let me show you two results of Jesus’ identifying with us. First, we find the courage to own our need; second, we find the power to overcome our sin. First, notice that…
1. Because of Jesus’ Baptism We Need Not Fear Owning Our Need (Mark 1.9-11)
John the Baptizer has prepared the way for the Son of God by confronting us with our desperate situation—we are separated from God. He had one message, one sermon (as it were)—you are sinners in need of forgiveness.
Some were offended by his preaching; he ended up executed (like the Muslims do today in Iran and Saudi Arabia if you say what they dislike). And, of course, people are still offended by this truth: before we make a choice, we are declared “guilty” and damned by God’s Holy Law. We are born sinners; thus, we are sinners not because we sin, but we sin because we are sinners.
How is it possible to respond positively to that?
Adam and Eve, as soon as they disobeyed, hid from God. Why would we come out now and accept the Biblical description of our condition? Why not believe that we are all basically good, rather than that Eichmann is in all of us?
One reason is that it is true. We ought to believe this because it describes reality, even if it is harsh. Like Mr. Gore’s passion over Global Warming. He wants us to accept his terrifying scenario because it is true, “An Inconvenient Truth.”
But the Bible offers an even more compelling reason to own this reality. For those with faith and courage to do so, God in his kindness provides a solution. In the midst of John’s sermon on repentance, Jesus appears and insists on being baptized.
We would naturally ask, “Why? Why is Jesus baptized?” Not because he has a sin nature which commits him to hell and from which he needed to be saved.
The last phrase in Mark 1.5 notes that as people were baptized they were, “confessing their sins.” But no such phrase accompanies Jesus’ baptism. He has no sin to confess. Hebrews 4.15 points out that even though he was tempted in every way, “he was without sin.”
So why was he baptized? Jesus was baptized for my sin!
Isaiah 53.6: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
2Corinthians 5.21: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
William Hendriksen: “The demand of Jesus to be baptized by John signified his solemn resolution to take upon himself the guilt of those for whom he was going to die. In a sense, by means of baptism Jesus was fulfilling part of his task of laying down his life for his sheep. Moreover, apart from this voluntary self-surrender, symbolized by his baptism, would not all other baptisms have been meaningless? It was by means of the Savior’s sacrifice of himself that the basis was established for the forgiveness of sins, a forgiveness signified and sealed by baptism.”
I think we can say Jesus so identifies with my sin that he is baptized for the forgiveness of it!
This should greatly encourage you! When you fear your repentance has been weak, your confessions shallow and your feelings of guilt insincere—look not in vain to the value of your weak works, but to the perfection of his! Jesus has taken your sin; Jesus has confessed your sin; Jesus has repented of your sin; Jesus has been baptized for your forgiveness! My repentance does not fit me for heaven; his does!
That is precisely why it is called, “Good news!” And lest we fear this too good to be true—it does sound wondrous beyond possibility, doesn’t it?—lest we fear this too good to be true, note that both God the Father and God the Spirit approve of the work of Jesus.
First, the Holy Spirit descends on Jesus like a dove. The dove symbolizes purity and gentleness and peacefulness, all of which are related to Jesus. Purity because it was not for his own sins he was baptized. Gentleness for he would never break the bruised reed or quench the smoking flax. Peacefulness because his ministry brings peace between God and man.
Yet as important and true as each of those is, maybe there is also an intentional connection between Jesus and Noah. A dove appeared to Noah as the ark came out of the water, a sign of God’s promise fulfilled in the deliverance from the flood of God’s wrath. So the dove appears as Jesus comes out of the water as a sign of God’s deliverance. But this time the dove appears, not with an olive branch in his claws, but—as it were—with Jesus Himself in his grasp as proof of God’s deliverance to which Noah pointed. So now the dove does not simply lead out one family to dry land, it leads out all of the families of the elect into the new heavens and new earth!
The Spirit visibly approves of Jesus, saying, “Here is the ark which brings salvation to the world.”
Then, second, the Father verbally affirms his approval of Jesus so that all can hear: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
• “I am pleased that you conform your life to my will though it leads inevitably to the cross.”
• “I am pleased that you identify with fallen humanity, having humbled yourself under their sin.”
• “I am pleased that you are faithful to the promise made in eternity past to take away the sin of the world.”
• “I am pleased that you will save a people from Hell, redeem them from every lawless deed and purify them to my glory and for good works!”
• “You are My beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
Two applications for us.
First, we must own our need for this Savior as Jesus’ baptism rebukes our sin and our self-justifications. When the water is poured over Jesus’ head, God demonstrates this truth: I am more wicked than I ever dared imagine.
None of us escapes the rationalizations which vainly imagine that we are not quite as bad as all that.
• “I may be a sinner, but I decided to follow Jesus.”
• “I have my shortcomings, but I tried to be a good parent, and I was treated my kids better than I was treated.”
• “I may not be the best husband, but she is a contentious woman.”
• “I may not have been the ideal church member, but I attend pretty regularly and always put something in the plate.”
• “I’m not a saint, but I have never killed anyone, or robbed a bank.”
• “I did not clean up my room like you asked, but no one is perfect.”
Is it not true that even when we find boldness to admit we are less than perfect, we often still couch our confessions in self-justification? “No, I am not perfect; but I am not really all that bad.” But listen to the law: “You were not a perfect father? Death. You are not the perfect wife? Death. You made mistakes? Death. You have disobeyed your parents? Death.”
We keep measuring ourselves against a broken ruler and feel we are close. But the standard remains unbroken. It is not really that we break the law, but the law breaks us. It never tires of its message: You are more wicked than you would have ever dared imagine.
Then Jesus steps into the water.
He who knew no sin is baptized for forgiveness.
He who was high is humbled.
He who created the law is judged by it.
And there is the second application: You are more loved than you ever dared hope.
The sinner must confess, but wretched man that I am, I cannot comprehend all my sins, much less confess them. Jesus’ love confesses in my place.
The sinner must repent, but to my terror, I cannot repent sufficiently for the depth of the wickedness of my heart and desires. Jesus’ love repents in my place.
The sinner must be baptized, but I cannot survive the baptism of suffering which my rebellion demands. Jesus is baptized in my place.
Jesus loves me more than I ever dared hope. What lifts your heart? Is it self-justifications and rationalizations? Such hope is no hope at all, for those excuses cannot measure up to God’s law. Why not place your hope for forgiveness in Jesus? His love is greater than you could ever imagine!
2. Because of Jesus’ Baptism We Must Not Fear Overcoming Our Sin (Mark 1.12-13)
In baptism Jesus identified with our sins. It was the beginning of his work which would culminate in the cross as he pays the penalty for our sin.
Then, immediately, the Spirit drives Jesus into the wilderness. Why?
Because freedom from the guilt and penalty is only part of salvation. God also promises freedom from the power and presence of sin. But to earn such a gift, we need a new Adam not simply to die for us, but to first live for us. Jesus lives that perfect life and earns perfect obedience by being tempted in every way, yet without sin. He is the new Adam, a new representative, our new federal head who obeys God.
The first Adam, in paradise, had every delicacy with which to satiate any desire. He had every opportunity to succeed. Yet he rebelled and fell from paradise.
The second Adam is in the desert, the wilderness. He has no food to eat. Every enemy of God rages against him. He has every opportunity to fail. Yet he submits to God and earns righteousness.
1Corinthians 10.13 says, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
Here is the way of escape. Being united by the Spirit to the Messiah who faced and overcame every temptation.
Kris Lundgaard (The Enemy Within, 147): “The killing of the flesh is your duty, but His work.”
3. Conclusion
Yehiel Dinur identified with Eichmann, realizing that a depraved heart unites them. The same is true for us. We are united to Adam by birth—and in his fall, we are covenantally condemned.
But a new Adam came. You may also be united to him, and that also by birth. Not born of a woman, but “born again,” this time of the Spirit. This new birth is obtained by faith. By birth we are united to Adam. By faith we are united to Jesus. Not by water baptism, but faith alone saves.
Will you see Jesus baptized and tempted and believe that you are more wicked than you ever dared imagine and at the same time, believe that you are more loved than you ever dared hope? Will you believe?
