Heaven Ripped Wide Open
God wants to connect with people.
Which world leader, during the eager thrill of his inauguration into office, would want to be warned that his term of service will be ended by his assassination? Not only that, but upon being warned, which world leader wouldn’t politely exit the ceremony through the back door and run for his life?
Jesus experienced the thrill of inauguration at his baptism, anointing him - at about the age of 30 - as the one who fills the office of heavenly prophet, priest, and king. He’s the Son of God and Savior of the world, approved by the Father at his baptism with the words, “With you I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11). Imagine taking up a difficult task before which God brushes away the clouds, reaches down to earth, and says to you, “You’ll do fine. I’m with you all the way!” Wow!
That’s exactly what happened at Jesus’ baptism. “As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove” (Mark 1:10). Certainly the Heavenly Father could communicate with his one and only Son without parting the clouds, so there’s something else to this than just the Father needing to say something and opening the heavens like you or I would open the car door window to speak to the drive-thru attendant. But we don’t find out what that something else is until the day Jesus is assassinated.
Speaking of that day of death and crucifixion, the gospel of Mark states, “With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, hear his cry and saw how he died, he said, ‘Surely this man was the Son of God” (Mark 15:37-30). The temple curtain, separating sinners from God as the clouds separate heaven from earth, ripped wide open on the day Jesus died like the heavens ripped wide open on the day he was baptized.
God will no longer live up on the clouds, or remain hidden in a most holy room where only sacred priests may find him. At baptism and at death, God removes the barriers separating sinners from him and him from sinners so that mistakes, rebellion, guilt, and shame no longer keep people from God. Because of Jesus.
Add to that the testimony of another, both at his baptism and at his death, that Jesus is the true Son of God, and you have more than just a coincidental connection of Jesus’ inauguration and assassination. You have an orchestrated plan of redemption put into place and executed by a God who wants to connect with people. That remains God’s plan!
Clouds cannot keep you from heaven’s forgiveness and eternal life. Curtains can not hide God’s glory and availability. The baptism and death of Jesus make that certain.
PRAYER: Dear Jesus, having baptized me into your power, give me strength to die every day to sin and temptation and rise forth to live a new life. Having anointed me as your skilled servant, walk with me as I follow your ways and serve others in love. Having died for me and risen again, forgive my sins and deliver me from death and all evil. Amen.
_____________________________________________________