Title: Baptism and Temptation (Mark 1:9–13)

Summary: In this episode of Studies in the Gospel of Mark, we look at two short but powerful scenes: Jesus baptized in the Jordan, and then immediately driven into the wilderness. Why did the sinless Son of God step into waters meant for sinners? What does it mean that the Spirit who descended in peace then thrust Him into battle? Mark shows us that affirmation and testing always go together — baptism, then wilderness; voice of delight, then voice of the enemy.

Key Points:

• Jesus identifies with sinners from the very start — standing where the guilty stand.
• The heavens are torn open, the Spirit descends, and the Father declares: “You are My beloved Son.”
• The same Spirit immediately drives Him into the wilderness for testing.
• Testing is not proof of God’s absence — it is proof of His claim on you.
• Adam fell in a garden, Israel failed in the desert — but Jesus, the true Son, stands victorious.

Takeaway: The Father’s affirmation and the Spirit’s testing belong together. If baptism leads to wilderness in Jesus’ life, it will in ours too. The question is not whether storms and trials come, but whether we will stand.