Mark 1:9-11

One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptised him in the Jordan River. As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.”

Here, in a gentle yet spectacular way, we see God the Trinity at work. Having been baptised by John, Jesus saw the Holy Spirit descending upon him, and God the Father spoke from heaven confirming his identity. As Jesus stepped into his new ministry, it was essential that the whole Trinity was involved. Jesus continually sought to be close to his Father in prayer and was led by the Spirit. People often struggle to understand the Trinity but it is in Jesus’ ministry that we see most clearly how they all work together.

We must be constantly aware of the presence and blessing of God the Trinity in our lives. God is our creator and we bring our worship to him through Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Bible is quite clear that they are distinct from one another, and yet absolutely one. At the dawn of creation, all the members of the Trinity were present. God the Father spoke his word – and John’s Gospel explains that Jesus was that word – while the Spirit hovered over the surface of the waters. Then at Jesus’ baptism, the Father, Son and Spirit met in the River Jordan.

People often say that they find the Trinity confusing, but the Bible never explains it to us like some sort of complicated mathematical puzzle. The Trinity is presented to us as the basis of our worship. God is always infinitely beyond our understanding but as we see the relationship between the Father, the Son and the Spirit, we are invited to join in relationship with them. At the heart of that relationship is love. God the Father loves us so much that he sent Jesus into the world to be our saviour, and when Jesus ascended to his Father, God sent his Spirit to us to lead us to Jesus and to enable us to do even more than could be achieved in Jesus’ earthly ministry.

Question

How does Jesus’ baptism help you in your understanding of the Trinity?

Prayer

Father, Son and Spirit, I thank you that you love me and call me into relationship with you today. Amen