When Jesus gets to the Jordan River, He jumps into the water like everyone else who has come before Him. At first, the moment seems pretty normal. There is no big statement or show of power; just a quiet agreement to be baptized. Most likely, the people there don’t know that history is changing right in front of them.
John the Baptist has been telling people to turn away from their sins and putting them in the Jordan River to cleanse them and get them ready for something bigger. Then, out of the crowd, Jesus steps forward. He doesn’t do this to admit his sins or because He needs to change, but because He wants to stand with the people He came to save. He goes down into the water not because he is in need, but because he fully understands what people need.
Mark’s Gospel goes quickly and doesn’t waste any words. “Back then, Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John.” Nothing extra or complicated—just a plain, honest message. But there is a deep secret hidden beneath its simplicity. Why does Jesus, who has never done anything wrong, agree to a baptism of repentance? Why does He take on the form of someone who needs to be renewed?
Right now, it’s not about getting clean; it’s about identifying. Christ doesn’t separate himself from people; He becomes one of them. The fact that He was baptized shows that He has come to join us in our battles, to walk where we walk and stand where we stand. Before He gives a single sermon, heals a single person, or casts out a single demon, He jumps into the water and becomes a part of the same world as the people He came to save.
After that, something very strange takes place.
Then He saw the skies split open and the Spirit come down on Him like a dove as soon as He came up from the water. A voice from heaven said, “You are my beloved Son; I am happy with you.”
They don’t just open, the skies tear open. The Greek word σχιζομένους, which means “schizophrenic,” makes me think of something powerful and permanent. At the end of Mark’s Gospel, when Jesus dies and the temple curtain is torn in two, this word shows up again. In both cases, a heavenly wall is broken. When someone is baptized, heaven is torn open, showing that God is no longer far away but is now a part of events in a new way. The temple veil is torn at the execution to show that there is no longer a wall between God and people. The two events are mirror images of each other. One is at the start of Jesus’ mission, and the other is at the end.
The picture of the Spirit coming down like a dove is full of meaning. The dove reminds us of the Spirit floating over the water when God made the world (Genesis 1:2), which means that God is making a new world through Jesus. It also sounds like the dove from Noah’s ark, which told everyone that the flood was over and a new world was about to begin. The dove also means a fresh start, not just for Jesus but for everyone who will follow Him.
The voice then talks.
“You are my beloved Son, and I am happy with you.”
There is a straight talk from God in Mark’s Gospel for the first time. What He says is very personal. It’s not for the people and it’s not a public statement. It’s a private statement for Jesus alone. God tells Jesus He loves and approves of them before He does any miracles, teaches, or gathers His students.
The words sound like two important parts of the Hebrew Bible. “You are my Son; today I have born you,” says the royal song song 2:7. This proves that Jesus is the promised Messiah King. Isaiah 42:1 talks about the servant who was in pain: “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delights.” This shows that Jesus is not a king in terms of government power, but of selfless service.
At this point, things have changed. Not people recognizing Jesus, but the voice of God confirming who he is. He doesn’t need to show anything or earn love; people love Him just because He is.
We can learn a lot from this. So many times, we look for approval in our accomplishments, the views of others, and our successes or failures. We use what we do to describe ourselves instead of who we are. But Jesus is loved, picked, and confirmed even before He does anything.
What if we could stay there and live?
How often do we forget that we are loved and try to be seen as valuable? How many times do we put off following our calling because we don’t think we’re ready or qualified? Christ’s baptism, on the other hand, shows that God claims us as His own even before we do anything.
Jesus doesn’t need to be baptized, but He does it anyway. The sky doesn’t have to open up for him, but it does. The Spirit doesn’t have to come down, but it does. He doesn’t need the voice of encouragement, but it comes to Him. And by doing this, He shows us something very important about Himself and about ourselves.
We are also asked to jump into the water, – if we are already baptized, renew your baptismal promises! Accept who we are, and believe that God is already working in us. People spoke these things over Jesus, and they are also being said over us: “You are my beloved.” You’re good enough. You are mine.
So, here we are, by the water. Should we wait? Are we scared of what could happen next? The sky has already been split in two. The Spirit is moving already. You can already hear the voice.
Now all that’s left is to take a step forward.
Vita Dinamica: Dynamic Life 
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