At the Jordan
There upon the banks of the Jordan, the voice of John the Baptist was raised preparing the way for the public ministry that pointed Jesus out as "the Lamb which takes away the sin of the world"
The preparatory work of John had great meaning, not just as to what he said, and did, but to the Jewish people there was great historical significance in their culture and in the Old Testament writing as to the place where the Israel entered the Promised Land. It was here, that the Levite Priest with the Ark of the Covenant, waded into that Jordan, and that the Lord God of Israel preformed the miracle parting of the Jordan opining the way to the land of Canaan so that the people of Israel could walked through the parted waters of that Jordan into all that God had prepared for them.
"And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overflown all his banks all the time of harvest,)That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho" .Joshua:3:15-16
This was a fitting place, for John to minister for the introduction of our Lord Jesus to come forward into clear view. It was here that our Lord came forward to be baptized.
John Baptist, a Leivite
John the Baptist being a cousin of Jesus from Mary's "side of the family", was from a Priestly family, his father Zechariah ministered in the Temple at Jerusalem
"In
the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who
belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was
also a descendant of Aaron."Luke:1:5
"Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.
But
the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has
been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give
him the name John." Luke:1:8-13
With the Ark
The nation of Israel provided a national and cultural context into which
humanities Savior would be introduced. Israel through the Inspired
Prophets of God wrote of this Savior's coming. Now John the Baptist
steps onto the stage of Israel's history, and ours', and announces the coming of the
One that all humanity truly has sought.
It is here that Jesus steps forwarded into awareness of us all, the One whom John has been proclaiming now emerges.
Jesus then comes to John, there on the banks of that Jordan, Jesus whom is the very creator of all things the great God in the person of His Son, who is the very presence of God arrives to be baptized- John steps into the water with Jesus even as those Levitical priest did generations ago. Jesus Who is everything that the Ark of the Covenant was, and more, is taken and plunged into that Jordan, but this time it is not the river that parts, opening the way to the promised land , but there the very Heavens open, and the affirmation from above that this is the Son of God, who is that One who opens the Heavens to us all, who will but freely receive it.
Jesus, who is the true Joshua,stands with a Livitical Priest – in the Person of John, and this time it is not the Promise of an Earthly Promised land – that is limited to time and duration and conditions of the people of Israel’s fulfillment of those conditions – this time it is Eternal Promises that we are given through the very Son of God. That when Jesus came up out of the water the Heavens parted , showing us that in Jesus the Heavens are now open to us- that we might be the recipients’ and participates in the Promises of God –
"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
Yes In His Son
In Jesus God has assured us
that we are recipients of these Promise . God through grace extends all the promises to us all through Jesus, and affirms that they are freely given by Him.
"For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always been “Yes.” For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." 2Corinthians:1:19-22
Yes is God’s answer, that through Jesus, He has brought us all to the River Jordan and God has through His own proclamation that Jesus is His Son has said yes to all humanity if they will freely accept it.
It is here, in His Son that God brings us all to open that life that is found in Jesus-This life that has the Heavens opened to us –
"For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always been “Yes.” For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." 2Corinthians:1:19-22
Yes is God’s answer, that through Jesus, He has brought us all to the River Jordan and God has through His own proclamation that Jesus is His Son has said yes to all humanity if they will freely accept it.
It is here, in His Son that God brings us all to open that life that is found in Jesus-This life that has the Heavens opened to us –
This is about walking in the life that Jesus had – in deep Union with God
the Father sharing in the life of Christ
– Paul wrote of this life in Galatians-
"For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith of (in) the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" Galatians:2:19-20
By Jesus, we have been given a whole new life, one we could never have accomplished on our own. He did it for us if we will only receive it.Jesus had no doubts that He would save us, He had faith enough to save each and all of us.
"For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith of (in) the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" Galatians:2:19-20
By Jesus, we have been given a whole new life, one we could never have accomplished on our own. He did it for us if we will only receive it.Jesus had no doubts that He would save us, He had faith enough to save each and all of us.
He Is For All Humanity
In Jesus God has brought us
to Himself. He can do this because Jesus is Fully Human and yet Fully God –
There is no diminishing or distortion of either – Jesus acts for us – and by
doing so, we share in His life –
That moment at the Jordan
points Him out as the One by Whom all is accomplished , and there through the Proclamation of God declared to us from Heavens and
the lighting of the Holy Spirit upon Him and the immersion of His body into the Jordan ,by all this Jesus
is shown to be the One that joins us to God and God
to us , we are not only baptized into His life, but He, through the incarnation is baptized into our lives and the Heavens are opened to us as they are to Jesus!
When Jesus came to the
Jordan, He was acting out the process of Salvation, what God has done for
Humanity- bringing all humanity to a place of crossing over to a new life in Him.A life that changes us
makes it possible for us to live a new way, a whole recapitulation of our lives
– He has changed all things forever-
He brings us up out the grave
of death- to live in and with Him-
In Him
"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory" Colossians:31-4.
His baptism declares, that, Jesus
knows that God has done this for Humanity and provide salvation in Him. The salvation ,Jesus Had the Perfect faith
to save us- in spite of our lack, our brokenness, our sins.
"For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again" 2Corinthians:5:14-15
In Him we died and in Him we live. The old life of death is dead- that there is the new birth into life in Him for us all .
Us in
Him into the Heavens-
But all these things are not just for "someday" in eternity, but even now we are accounted as being there in the Heavens.
"Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places" Ephesians:1:3
"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians:2:4-10
"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians:2:4-10
The Heavens have been opened
to us- to live a new life – Not one in the Promised Land that Israel so
earnestly sought , of only the physical blessings that soon pass away, but
rather the Land of Promises of the
Kingdom of God, The life Eternal that never will pass away all through Jesus who is our life
This life is ours' here and now
and into the Eternity to come all by Jesus Christ the Son in whom God is well pleased..Amen
Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor
The Fountain of Life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion
Washington, Pa
Fountain of Life Broadcast heard on RKP
Radio 1710 & 1670 AM in Washington, Pa.and 1710 AM in Bentleyville ,
Pa. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com
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