Yesterday, we began our summer sermon series called, "The Mission of Jesus" where we will be walking through the Gospel of Mark and examining the life and mission of Jesus as we consider how we are to live as disciples and as a church. This Sunday, we began with Mark 1:1-15 and focused on verse 15 where Jesus says that the Kingdom of God is near.
One area that we did not get to spend a particular amount of time with was Jesus' baptism in v. 9-11. When Jesus comes out of the water, he sees the heavens torn open and hears a voice declaring, "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." Mark tells us that the Spirit led Jesus out into the wilderness where he was tempted by Satan.
What is important in this passage is that before Jesus could fulfill his mission, confront Satan, and bring about redemption- Jesus had to know to whom he belonged. The declaration that Jesus is God's Son is the assurance and certainty that whatever happens Jesus has confidence that he is God's Son and loved.
We need that assurance as well. We need to know that when we encounter the wilderness, when we encounter trials and temptations, when we encounter the storms of life that we are children of God. We need to have confidence in the fact that God loves us. When we grasp that we are children of God, that God loves us as God's own- this can carry us through all that live throws at us.
As you go about your week, remember whose you are so that when you face trials of any kind that you can have assurance that you are a child of God.
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