SCRIPTURE:
“At that time
Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the
Jordan. 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: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."
(Mark 1:9-11, NIV)
Observations:
I asked myself who are all the CHARACTERS
involved?
1. Jesus
2. John
3. Spirit
4. Voice
Observations/Interpretations:
I asked myself what
happened as Jesus was coming up out of the water!
1. Jesus saw heaven being torn open.
2.
Jesus saw the Spirit descending on Him like a Dove.
3. A voice came from heaven
Observations/Interpretations:
I decided to look at the 3 points more closely
and I was reminded of the previous devotional
"What do you S.T.A.N.D for in life?"
to remember the
reasons for the praise.
I asked
myself what is the significance of each point?
Point 1:
Jesus saw heaven being torn open.
That is so amazing that Jesus saw heaven being torn open because He was
baptized in the Jordan by John. Heaven opened as Jesus identified with
humanity when He was willing to be baptized. Coming up out of the water reminded me of baptism by immersion as
opposed to baptism by sprinkling. If people want to be baptized, it
would be awesome to be baptized as Jesus was baptized in the water. That
is my preference!
Not
only that but something remarkable happened which is evident in
Point 2.
Point
2: ‘Jesus saw the Spirit descending on Him like a Dove!’
When the heaven was torn open and the Spirit descended on Jesus like a
dove, I was reminded of Jesus as the Prince of Peace because dove is
usually seen as a symbol of peace. This is the first instance we
see the Spirit descending on Jesus after Jesus was willing to be
baptized. The crowds who were there witnessed it too as revealed in another
Gospel. It did not end there which is evident by Point 3.
Point 3:
A voice came from heaven.
I asked myself what was
the content message of the voice and the significance of each point?
After the Spirit descended on Jesus, the voice
said 3 things:
-
You are my Son.
-
Whom I love.
-
With you I am well pleased.
I decided to look at these 3 statements:
Statement 1: You are my Son.
The voice is giving identity to
Jesus for humans benefit. I believe even as Jesus began to relate with
humanity, the voice made many in the crowd to realize Jesus has
characteristics of divinity. All of the people there were probably Jews
who were waiting and expecting a Messiah to deliver them from Rome from what they have been going through. Now Jesus comes up out of the water
after being baptized and a voice says, 'You are my
Son'.
This has to remind people of the prophesy again from the
Book of Isaiah specifically Isaiah 9:6 which states,
"For to us a child is born, to us a SON is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, PRINCE OF PEACE."
Jesus is referred to there as MIGHTY GOD and also EVERLASTING
FATHER to reveal characteristics of His divinity even in His humanity as
He walked the earth.
The voice does not stop there which is evident by point 2.
Statement 2: Whom I love.
This is so cool to know that the
voice actually lets Jesus know that He is loved. It can be an awesome
feeling when someone tells you that they love you. It gives a sense of
belonging and worthiness. I believe the voice is speaking to the crowds
already there including John, the Baptist to let them know that Jesus is the One they
have been waiting for. Emphasis is placed on love after Jesus is
baptized. The voice can be inferred to as God's voice who lets
Jesus, His Son know that He is loved.
Do we tell others we love them when we love
them or keep it to ourselves?
It does not end there which is evident by point 3.
Statement 3: With you I am well pleased.
Jesus is being praised by the voice for His
actions. The voice is not just pleased but well pleased to emphasize the
complete praise given to His Son. Jesus knows
that and those around could have been informed about that too. Again, I was reminded of the previous devotional
"What do you S.T.A.N.D for in life?"
to remember the
reasons for the praise.
Implications:
I saw important implications for my own life. When people do right it is so important to
praise them! A word of encouragement and praise goes a long way! This
reminds me of public praise as opposed to private praise for doing
right. Jesus was praised in front of the crowds gathered there. I need
to do the same by praising those who do right not only privately but
publicly for their actions.
Jesus wanting to be baptized by John the Baptist set an example for
all of us to follow. It showed Jesus' humility and also surrender to the
Father. Father God was so pleased with Jesus that God made it known to
all that were there with the statement,
"You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."
Jesus was praised publicly by the Father and I need to do the same. I
need to praise Jesus publicly in front of others. For that to happen, I
need to first acknowledge and believe that Jesus is all that the Bible
claims He is. Once I do that, it is not at all hard to praise the
Lord because praise will automatically come out of my mouth.
When I think about what Jesus did for me on the cross of Calvary to
save me, I am so touched. I am afraid of needles and seeing the sight of
blood but Jesus took more than a needle for me by taking in nails
pounded through his hands and feet so that the cleansing blood that
flowed could wash away all my sin. Jesus died on the cross to redeem me
from the bondage of sin and death. I who was lost to my own ways have
been found by the Lord. I a born Hindu was saved by the grace of the
Lord Jesus Christ when He invited me to be His own and adopted me as His
child. He did that by taking all my sin upon Himself, burying it in His
death, and coming back to life on the 3rd day to save.
I know just as the Spirit rested upon Jesus when He was baptized, the
Spirit of the Living God will rest upon me to as I give my life over to
Christ. I am so thankful for the opportunity to do that when my mommy
introduced me to Jesus and what Jesus did for me in all Eternity.
My shouts of praise publicly should always go out to Jesus for all He
has done for me and will continue to do for me. When I was in sin
separated from God having no way to reach the Father because all the
good that I do becomes filthy rags to the Lord, God provided a bridge
for me through Jesus Christ that I can cross to Heaven as I yield my
life over to the Lord and take what my Donor offered to me. His precious
red antidote is the only antidote that can cleanse my body of its deadly
virus known as sin. Everyday, I need to remember that Jesus paid the
price for me with His blood to cleanse me of all my sin. Now because of
what Jesus did for me on the cross of Calvary, I have entrance to the
Father because when God looks at me now, He sees the cleansing blood of
Jesus covering over me and His judgment will pass over me.
God in His holiness cannot allow sin to enter His presence and only
Jesus could make it possible that anyone can enter the presence of the
Almighty God. For that you and I should always praise Jesus because He
took it upon Himself to make a way for us to reach God.
Before Jesus went to the cross, Jesus made a profound statement by
saying, 'I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No
one comes to the Father except through me!'
Here Jesus is making a promise that only through Him can we reach the
Father but more than that Jesus is alluding to the fact that He has
characteristics of divinity by claiming, 'I AM'. This was the phrase
used by Jehovah God when Jehovah God introduced Himself to Moses as 'I
AM'.
No matter what is happening around me I need to praise the Lord Jesus
Christ for everything He has already done for me and will continue to
do! Thank you Jesus.
I ask you now friend, how
is your loving praise of Jesus in life?
Dear friend, until we really understand the magnitude of the price Jesus
paid for us to redeem us, we will not be ready to praise Him always for what He
has done for us. Even if nothing goes well in life for us, we have
reason to praise Jesus because of what Jesus did for us at the
cross of Calvary. Jesus redeemed us from being a prisoner to Satan and
to the bondage of sin and death.
The believers who were persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ
understood that so even through their persecution, they would continue
to praise and rejoice in the Lord. Their focus was on Jesus Christ and
His sacrifice for them and His redemption in their lives.
We need to always think about how Jesus redeemed us and saved us to
give us Eternal Life no matter what is happening around us. We can do
that when we hold on to the Word of God and meditate on His Word day and
night instead of focusing on the direct problems at hand.
Yesterday, I wanted to accomplish a lot but it did not happen because
of different obstacles. Instead of praising Jesus for who He is and what
He has already done for my life especially saving me, I was focusing on
the obstacles that I could not overcome at the time. In discouragement,
I just went to bed without praising Jesus for what He means to me and
for the life He has given me. I belong to Jesus the Creator of the
Universe. He has chosen me to be His very own precious and special in
His sight. I need the help of God's Word and the Spirit of the Living
God to praise the Lord daily.
Friend, you and I can do that as we fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author
and Finisher of our Faith.
Will you praise Jesus in
front of others for what He has done in your life?
One way you can do that is by letting others
know what an awesome God you serve. Jesus in His humanity also has the
qualities and characteristics of His Divinity which are elaborated more
in the Gospel of John.
You can praise Jesus privately
or publicly! You can praise Jesus near your friends, near your
co-workers, at a worship service, etc. When Jesus came to relate to humanity, He did it
because of His love for you. Yes, friend He loves you so much and you
are never out of His love and never out of His reach. He loves you as
you are and reaches out to you.
I don't know what you are going through but
Jesus does. One thing I know is it may not have been easy for Jesus to
have trekked three days so He could be baptized in the Jordan, yet He
did it. He overcame that obstacle to fulfill His obedience to the
Father. Whatever you are facing Jesus knows about it. Take it to the
Lord in prayer!
Whether you are facing issues with classes,
relationships, family, job, work, athletics, etc, Jesus wants to be there for you. Yes,
He does! Sometimes it could be hard to move ahead and you may even feel
so lonely because of the situation you may be in and Jesus knows that
pain and He feels your pain. Yes, He does. Come as you are to Jesus for
He will carry you.
Our family has experienced the love of Jesus tremendously as my
brothers and I lost our beloved dad and my mom lost her beloved
husband of 38 years. We have so much to praise Jesus for throughout this
ordeal from the time my dad became seriously sick in October 2007 to the
time he went to be with the Lord in December 2007, Jesus was so close by
us and His Word ministered to us mightily.
We have seen miracle after miracle extending our dad's life which is
a praise to Father God. We have also been blessed to have a nursing
staff that believed in the Lord Jesus Christ who supported my mom in the
hospital 24-7. We have been blessed with wonderful employers who have
been there for us and have been blessed with a wonderful church and its
members.
I am a member of Oakland International Fellowship which has been a
tremendous help to our family especially certain members of my cell
group at the time called Potter's Clay.
I was also really touched by the church two of my brothers go to
called International Christian Fellowship in Maryland. Their pastor and elders drove all the way from Maryland to sing songs to
my dad, anoint his head with oil, and pray for him. Amazingly, after
that he was able to be of the ventilator for almost a month.
My dad could have died in October 2007 because when the paramedics
came, they actually asked us, 'How long has he been dead?' which was
really scary. I went to a private room and kept praying to Jesus to
restore life to my dad and He did. The Lord Jesus in His mercy gave us
few more months with our dad and our praises to Him cannot be expressed
in words.
I don't want you to think that Jesus should only be praised when
things go well. No, friend, Jesus deserves our praise all the time
because of who He is and what He has already done for us. Friend, I
remember when we were all going to the funeral of my dad, my mom would
continue to read aloud Psalms as she asked each of us which Psalm we
would like to hear. Even at the Gate of Heaven cemetery in Maryland, we
heard praises to the Lord Jesus being read from the Psalms by our mom.
Praise the Lord Jesus for life given to us by Him! Never take life
lightly and do all you can promote the sanctity of life this election
year by voting for Pro-Life candidates especially in the presidential
elections.
So no matter what we go through and how hard life is, let us rest in
the Lord Jesus Christ and give Him our praise.
Won't you reach out to
Jesus in praise and love?
Praise Him
(c) copyright 2008, BY Ramesh C. Reddy
Past looks dim!
Praise Him!
Present looks dim!
Praise Him!
Future looks dim!
Praise Him!
Hands lifted above!
We receive Your love!
Hands lifted above!
We receive Your love!
Hands lifted above!
We receive your love!
Jesus, we praise!
Our hands raise!
To Heaven we gaze!
Jesus we praise!
Our hands raise!
To Heaven we gaze!
Past looks dim!
Praise Him!
Present looks dim!
Praise Him!
Future looks dim!
Praise Him!
Amen!
Jesus waits for you! Yes, He does friend! Now is
the time. Don't wait but make your life a worshipful sacrifice to the
Lord. Your spiritual act of worship can be the way you live your life
for the Lord. There are many ways to worship the Lord and it does not
always have to be singing. May you experience the love of Jesus in your
life! Amen!
“Prayerfully Reiterate Almighty Immanuel's Service Everyday!” (P.R.A.I.S.E)/"How
is your loving praise of Jesus in life?"
Prayer:
Jesus thank you so much
for what you have helped me to learn. I learned Jesus that when you came
up out of the water, you were given praise by Father God. You were also
told that you were loved and Father God was well pleased with you. I was
excited to read that. Also, to know the Spirit descended on you like a
dove. Wow, Lord! I love you Jesus and give my praise to you for all you
have done in my life and will continue to do. Lord, you deserve our
praise no matter how our life is and help us to do that. Help us to
remember those that have gone before us who have praised you no matter
what they were faced with Lord from Horatio who wrote the wonderful
Hymn, 'It is well with my soul' when he lost most of his family in a
terrible storm at sea to all the others who have lifted their praises to
you even in persecution and continue to do so. Let our lives be a
sacrificial praise to you Jesus. Thank you so much Jesus! Thank
you that we could praise you even with a simple song as above. I love you Jesus and need you.
Thank you Jesus that we are never out of your love, never out of your
reach. You are there for us always and we yield our lives to you. Help
us to praise you daily in our lives. Thank you so much Jesus. Forgive
ours sins and help us please. We thank you for your help Oh Lord. We
trust in you for guidance. Thank you for being there for us and we give
our lives to thee. In Your Name We Pray Jesus! Amen!
