Keeping Promises

We have a lot to celebrate today. Jesus came into this world to build a bridge between people and God. Jesus is the link that connects us as humans to God.
God also made a covenant with Noah. It is appropriate that it is raining as I write this sermon. A covenant is a promise or a contract between two parties. God made a covenant with Noah after the great flood that he would never use water again to destroy the evil in the world. The sign of that covenant is a rainbow. God and his people are reminded of that covenant every time that we see a colorful rainbow.

The story of God’s covenant with Noah is told in Genesis 9:8-17 (NIV). It says: Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: "I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you -- the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you -- every living creature on earth. I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth." And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."

Over many generations, people moved away from God and toward sin and things of this world. God called Noah into action. Noah was faithful to God’s call. Noah built the ark. The ark saved eight people in all, through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves us. Baptism does not remove dirt from our body but the pledge of a right relationship with God. God saved Noah and his family from the great flood. Noah started over with his family and the animals from the ark. They were thankful for God’s protection, but people forgot about God and lost their ties to God over the generations again.

The next time, God choose to send his only begotten son so that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. Jesus came into this world not to condemn but to redeem this world. Jesus built a bridge between us and God. Jesus is the link that connects us to God.

In Mark 1:1-8, is says: The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is written in Isaiah the prophet: "I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way-- "a voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.' "And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And this was his message: "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

John the Baptist preached a message of repentance. Many people came to him to be baptized with water. Now, water was being used to cleanse the sins. Baptism wasn’t used to wash away dirt and grime, the baptism of water was used to wash away sin and evil in their lives. John the Baptist also prepared the way for Jesus Christ in our lives.

Jesus asked John the Baptist to baptize him. At first, John the Baptist thought it should be Jesus baptizing John the Baptist. Jesus was setting the example for us. The picture right after Jesus is baptized is so clear to me in my mind’s eye. I see the sky opening up. I see the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus. The Holy Spirit looks like a white dove. The picture has sprays of water coming off of Jesus as Jesus comes up out of the water. John the Baptist is still holding onto the shoulder of Jesus. Out of sight, we hear a booming voice. The voice belongs to God. God tells Jesus and the whole world that Jesus is his son. God tells us that he loves Jesus. God is well pleased with Jesus.

Let’s read the scripture in Mark 1:9-11, At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven saying: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

The scene of Jesus being baptized shows the father, the son, and the Holy Spirit. They are the trinity. How many times is trinity mentioned in the Bible? The word “trinity” does not appear in the Bible.

The father is represented by God’s voice speaking from the heavens with power and might. The son is represented by Jesus in human form being baptized. The Holy Spirit is seen descending and landing upon Jesus. The Holy Spirit is the power of God within each one of us. We say that we believe in the father, son, and Holy Ghost in the Apostle’s Creed. John the Baptist was able to touch and feel Jesus as he baptized him. Jesus is God in human form. The Holy Spirit is God in a spiritual form which can be with everyone who calls upon the power of God. God the father is the God who we think about in the Old Testament.

The baptism of Jesus is one of the few places in the Bible where the father, the son, and the Holy Spirit are in one scripture at the same time. The idea of one God in three persons is difficult to understand. That is why I like to be able to visualize the baptism of Jesus so that I can understand what is happening.

Baptism is a transforming event in our lives. Our physical body dies and a spiritual body comes alive. The best teacher about baptism is Jesus. A mighty teacher came to Jesus to understand how baptism impacts our eternal lives. We’ll move onto John 3 right now.

John 3:1-3 says “Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."
3In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." ”

4"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"
5Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' 8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."


9"How can this be?" Nicodemus asked. 10"You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? 11I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. 19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

Jesus is a great teacher. He taught us by example in Mark 1 when he was baptized to show us the way. He also taught us by explaining how to be born again. Jesus told us: "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' Let’s renew our relationship with Jesus Christ as we celebrate communion today.