LutheranLectionary.org

Reflections on Scripture with Dr. Leins

Time Stamp	Transcript
0:00	[Music]
0:19	hello today let’s talk about Jesus
0:23	Christ’s inauguration
0:26	day and
0:28	inauguration is the formal installation
0:31	of someone chosen for an office it is
0:35	the day of New Beginning it often is
0:38	accompanied by an address that indicates
0:41	the official’s plans for the future now
0:44	this inauguration day is recorded in the
0:48	gospel of St Mark the 1 chapter verses
0:53	4-1 it is the baptismal day of our Lord
0:56	Jesus as he steps into the office of
1:00	Messiah and formally accepts his
1:03	ministry as Savior of the
1:07	world the word of God teaches
1:10	us in Isaiah chapter
1:13	46 I am God and there is no other I am
1:17	God and there is no one like me
1:19	declaring the end from the beginning and
1:22	from ancient times things which have not
1:25	yet been
1:27	done God declares things before they
1:30	happen in this case the coming of the
1:33	Messiah it has already been declared by
1:36	God for centuries through the words of
1:39	the
1:40	prophets God foretold the coming of his
1:43	son and the saving work that he would do
1:46	as
1:47	Messiah now at his inauguration his
1:51	baptism God declared Christ’s purpose
1:54	and once again foretold what the Messiah
1:57	would do in his office as Savior of the
2:01	World by the inspiration of the Holy
2:04	Spirit John the Baptist had invited
2:07	guests for the inauguration John’s
2:10	invitation was a baptism of repentance
2:12	for the remission of sins John’s baptism
2:16	prepared people to repent and to receive
2:19	a washing of God’s forgiveness in this
2:22	way John was gathering a cleansed and
2:27	repentant people to meet them their
2:30	messiah in this Gospel reading Christ’s
2:34	inauguration ceremony has at least five
2:38	parts here they come part one John
2:42	introduces the Messiah Mark chapter 1
2:45	this is verse 7 John says after me one
2:50	is coming who is mightier than I and I
2:54	am not fit to stoop down and untie the
2:56	thong of his sandals now that may not
2:59	sound like a great introduction to you
3:01	but it was a very direct reference to
3:04	something that God’s word had already
3:06	declared in Isaiah 40: 10 and 11 behold
3:12	the Lord God will come with might ah
3:16	with his arm ruling for him behold his
3:19	reward is with him and his recompense
3:22	before him like a shepherd He will tend
3:25	his flock in his arm he will gather the
3:29	lamb
3:30	and carry them in his bosom and gently
3:32	lead the nursing
3:35	use one mightier than John is coming he
3:39	will be a mighty warrior he will do
3:41	battle with their worst enemies and
3:44	defeat them you may think that John was
3:47	talking about Egyptians or Babylonians
3:50	but through John God was speaking about
3:53	some other enemies
3:56	Temptation failure sin Christ would
4:00	defeat them he would also triumph over
4:03	punishment death and the devil his
4:07	mighty arm would overpower all of these
4:10	dreaded enemies at the same time Christ
4:13	would be a Shepherd whose arm would
4:16	gather his Lambs as a Shepherd loves and
4:18	cares for his sheep that was not a bad
4:22	introduction but part two John was not
4:25	yet finished the baptizer continued Mark
4:27	1 now verse 8
4:31	John said I baptize you with water but
4:35	he will baptize you with the Holy
4:39	Spirit now that would get the people’s
4:41	attention I think the newly inaugurated
4:44	Messiah would pour out upon them the
4:47	holy spirit that too was a reference to
4:51	a promise that God had made before this
4:53	time through the prophet Joel chapter 2
4:57	verses 27 and 28 I am the Lord your God
5:01	there is no other and my people will
5:04	never be put to shame I will and it will
5:07	come about that I will pour out my Holy
5:11	Spirit upon all
5:14	mankind sons and daughters young and old
5:18	all were to receive the Holy Spirit and
5:20	John said that this would happen through
5:23	the baptism of the
5:25	Messiah he would baptize them with the
5:28	Holy Spirit we know this to be true for
5:32	after the crucifixion and
5:34	Resurrection through our own holy
5:36	baptism we were born again by water and
5:40	the
5:40	spirit and the old self died in a death
5:43	like his and a new self was raised in a
5:45	resurrection like his our sins were
5:48	forgiven in the waters of holy baptism
5:51	and we received the gift of the Holy
5:53	Spirit please see Peter’s sermon in Acts
5:56	chapter
5:57	2 having heard John’s
6:01	introduction I’ll bet the people could
6:03	not wait to see their coming Messiah
6:06	filled with power and might offering
6:09	kindness and love pouring out the gift
6:12	of the Holy Spirit
6:14	wow they must have wondered what will he
6:17	be like what will he look like will he
6:20	be tall like King Saul will he be
6:22	handsome like absolum will he be
6:25	forgiving like Joseph or wise like
6:28	Solomon will he be man of war like King
6:31	David or defeat our enemies like the
6:34	mccabes surely they thought they would
6:36	be able to pick him out in the crowd
6:38	where is he is he 9 ft tall wearing
6:41	Robes of silk surrounded by Mighty
6:43	Warriors where is
6:45	he part three enter
6:50	Jesus finally he arrived the one they
6:54	all had been waiting to see finally the
6:56	Messiah took his place at the
6:59	inauguration but he was not at all what
7:03	they had imagined he was not so very
7:05	tall and he was not handsome no he had
7:09	no silk robes he didn’t even bring any
7:11	Warriors this Jesus was not at all what
7:13	they had
7:15	expected then oh my what did he do
7:19	next he waited into the water just like
7:22	everyone else into the waters for the
7:25	Forgiveness of sins those Waters were
7:28	for the washing of filthy people with
7:31	diseases of the Soul you know hatred
7:35	unforgiveness desire Envy stealing
7:38	slander those Waters were filthy with
7:40	every kind of sin filthy with the sins
7:43	of all those filthy people but there he
7:45	was the Messiah on his in Inauguration
7:50	Day right down there in the muck with
7:52	all those people being
7:54	baptized it just didn’t seem right him
7:57	down there with all the rest of them
8:00	though in a moment a voice out of Heaven
8:02	would declare that somebody was very
8:06	pleased you see the Messiah had long
8:09	been
8:10	prophesied before the day of this
8:12	baptism the word of God in Isaiah the
8:14	prophet chapter 53 had promised that the
8:17	Messiah would come in just this
8:21	way he had no stely form or Majesty that
8:25	we should look upon him nor appearance
8:28	that we should be attracted to him he
8:31	was despised and forsaken of men a Man
8:33	of Sorrows acquainted with grief he was
8:38	numbered with the
8:40	transgressors yet he himself bore the
8:43	sin of many the Lord has caused the
8:46	iniquity of us all to fall upon
8:50	him what God had promised through Isaiah
8:54	was now being
8:56	fulfilled John called him the Lamb of
8:59	God God he was without sin but he would
9:02	be sacrificed for the sins of the world
9:05	God foretold that he would do this the
9:08	Messiah would take away all of your sins
9:12	he would be crucified and raised from
9:14	the dead and he would do that for all
9:18	Humanity he would do that for
9:22	you part four a special guest Mark 1 now
9:26	verse 10 tells of an unexpected Ed
9:29	special guest at the
9:31	inauguration and immediately coming up
9:33	out of the water he Jesus saw the
9:36	heavens opening and the spirit like a
9:39	dove descending upon him the heavens
9:42	were opening now that’s a noteworthy
9:45	Greek word the word in Greek is
9:48	skido which means to tear apart or to
9:51	rip
9:53	open this too was foretold by Isaiah the
9:56	prophet now chapter 64 oh that thou
10:00	wouldst Rend the heavens rip them open
10:03	and come down that the mountains might
10:06	Quake at thy
10:09	presence yes the heavens were ripped
10:12	open at the baptism of Jesus and the
10:15	normal barrier that separated Heaven and
10:17	Earth was torn
10:20	apart one I suspect could look right up
10:22	into the holy place of Heaven because
10:25	then the third person of the Holy
10:28	Trinity became visible God the Holy
10:31	Spirit descended from heaven and came to
10:35	rest upon the Messiah now that was a
10:39	special
10:40	guest what did the Holy Spirit look like
10:44	the Bible doesn’t tell us precisely but
10:46	he was visible the eye could see
10:50	him was he made of light did he have a
10:54	certain shape what did the spirit of God
10:56	look like all that we know is that that
10:59	he came down as a dove would descend and
11:02	he lighted Upon Jesus also that
11:04	preposition that’s used indicates that
11:06	the spirit may have come upon Jesus or
11:09	he may have come into Jesus but this
11:12	fulfilled what the prophet Isaiah had
11:14	declared in chapter 61 Jesus quoted
11:17	these words about
11:18	himself the spirit of the Lord God is
11:21	upon me because the Lord has anointed me
11:25	to bring good news to The Afflicted he
11:28	has sent me to bind up the Brokenhearted
11:32	to Proclaim Liberty to the
11:35	captives one reason that I think the
11:38	word skido torn apart is so noteworthy
11:41	is because it’s the same word that’s
11:43	used later when Jesus dies on the cross
11:47	then the veil of the temple was torn
11:51	apart
11:53	skido that veil by the way was
11:55	embroidered to look like the heavens
11:58	isn’t that interesting
11:59	the heavens were ripped open when he
12:01	began his ministry and they were ripped
12:04	open again when Christ was crucified and
12:09	died he took the sins and Punishment of
12:12	the world the veil of the temple was
12:15	torn apart and Jesus opened the way to
12:18	heaven for all
12:20	believers part five the inaugural
12:24	address at last it was time for the
12:27	inaugural address you may have expected
12:30	the Messiah to speak but no it was God
12:34	the Father Who
12:35	addressed the
12:37	inauguration all three persons of the
12:40	Holy Trinity were there Jesus in the
12:42	water the spirit descending upon him and
12:44	the father’s voice from Heaven Thou Art
12:47	my beloved Son said the father in thee I
12:51	am well
12:53	pleased the father was pleased with his
12:56	son who had identified himself with the
13:00	sins of humanity and would take the
13:02	penalties of death and hell in order to
13:05	open heaven for all who believed in him
13:08	the father and the son and the spirit
13:11	all knew the end before the beginning
13:15	here at the inauguration of the
13:18	messiah’s ministry they all knew the
13:22	sacrifice of the cross that stood before
13:26	him conclusion
13:30	an inauguration is the formal
13:32	installation of someone into an office
13:36	it’s a day of of New Beginning it often
13:40	is accompanied by an address that may
13:42	indicate the officials plans for the
13:45	future such a new beginning took place
13:48	at the baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ
13:52	what was to come had already been
13:53	declared by God throughout the Old
13:55	Testament but for the benefit of all who
13:57	were present and for the benefit of all
14:00	who were to come God declared once again
14:04	the purpose of Christ’s Divine Office
14:08	the words and the actions on this
14:10	baptismal day were a foretelling of what
14:13	the newly inaugurated Messiah was going
14:16	to accomplish as Savior of the
14:21	world he would be a mighty
14:24	king and he would be a gentle
14:27	shepherd He would give the Holy Spirit
14:30	to all who were baptized in him and
14:34	though he was without sin he would join
14:36	himself to sinners like you and me he
14:39	would take our sin and our death and in
14:42	exchange he would give us his
14:44	forgiveness and his eternal life through
14:47	Christ the heavens were torn apart and a
14:51	way into heaven was opened for all who
14:55	believe as his ministry began the father
14:58	looked upon upon the son and
15:01	declared you are my beloved Son in you I
15:06	am well
15:08	pleased and
15:10	now the Earthly Ministry of the Messiah
15:13	is
15:13	finished now by grace through faith in
15:16	the savior of The World God looks upon
15:19	you and upon all who
15:22	believe and the heavenly father
15:24	declares you too are my beloved one
15:29	in
15:31	you I am well
15:35	pleased
15:42	[Music]
15:50	[Music]
15:56	amen