Walking Wet: Week 1

Once you give God an opening,
the door will never again be closed.

Day 1: Mark begins his gospel by explaining that John the Baptist, in fulfillment of prophecy, came to herald the Messiah. After several hundred years of prophetic silence, John’s appearance must have stirred hearts and created eager anticipation for what God was doing in their midst. In these early days of 2009, is your heart stirred and do you eagerly anticipate God's presence and activity? Picture yourself with the crowd gathered at the Jordan River as you read Mark 1:1-11. Pray the Spirit will draw you into the scene and enable you to hear God’s voice.

Day 2: Carefully and thoughtfully, read Mark 1:4-8. What is the message John teaches as he prepares the people for the soon-to-be-revealed Messiah? Did few or many respond to his words? What does this say about the hunger of the people's hearts? Consider the baptism of which verses 4 and 5 speak. How might repentance, confession, and forgiveness prepare the people for meeting Jesus and receiving his baptism (vs. 8)? Do we understand our need for a Savior if we do not recognize that we are sinners? Read Matthew 9:12-13; Luke 15:10; 18:9-14; and 1 John 1:8-10. Pray a prayer from your heart or use David’s words in Psalm 51:1-12, 17 to form your prayer.

Day 3: Read Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22; and John 1:24-34. Jesus steps into the waters of the Jordan; God affirms Jesus as the beloved Son, and now Jesus is ready to begin his public ministry. John had been preparing the people for this moment; now the people can experience God's presence (Immanuel) in their midst in the person of Jesus. Jesus, though without sin, in humble identification with the people he came to save, steps into the water to be baptized by John. Jesus, the perfectly obedient, eternal Son, says, "yes," over and over, to God's will and mission for his life. Thank Jesus for setting aside his eternal glory and offering himself for you.

Day 4: For another look at this passage, read Matthew 3: 13-17. At Jesus' baptism, there was a public connection between Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The form of a dove was a visible endorsement of the Holy Spirit's presence. God's voice added to the weight of the moment. Jesus was the "real deal" – God’s only beloved Son in whom God was well-pleased. In addition to being a public endorsement, this was a very intimate moment between parent and child. The key word is "Beloved." How does it feel to be called "beloved," especially by God?

Day 5: What are the first words Jesus speaks as his public ministry begins according to Matthew 4:17 and Mark 1:15? What message fol¬lows (Matthew 4:19; Mark 1:17)? What are the commands; the promises? Consider that Jesus’ commands are the key that opens the door to discipleship. Why is repentance important; might it signify our realization that we need a Savior and our desire to be in a right relationship with God? Jesus also says, "Come, follow me." Do you hear the invitation? In the call to repent and to follow, it's Jesus who takes the initiative and invites us into relationship. Read Luke 19:10 and thank Jesus for inviting you to follow him.

We are called to deeper discipleship in Jesus Christ. Jesus was called to us by the love of God. His entry into the Jordan River was not for the forgiveness of sin—he knew no sin. It was so that God's presence could permeate every aspect of what it is to be human. Jesus will go where we all must go. Even without sin, he will enter into the waters of forgiveness. Sin no longer separates us from God's love.