One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.”
Luke 3:21-22

At our Palm Sunday service Pastor John-Mark spoke on Luke 3:21-22. Luke notes that Jesus was praying when he came up out of the water at his baptism. Looking at what happened at Jesus’ baptism, we noted that prayer can be the avenue for four key aspects of our Christian life:

  1. The heavens open– prayer is where God’s presence and plans for us break into our everyday reality.
  2. The Spirit descends– communion with the Holy Spirit is constant, but we often receive the spiritual power we need through prayer.
  3. God’s favour is confirmed– This is my Son, in whom I am well pleased; God wants to speak this blessing over us as we spend time with him. Our identity as beloved children is the ground on which we can stand through the difficult trials of life.
  4. Mission is initiated– following his baptism, Jesus enters into his public ministry: healing, forgiving, teaching and announcing the Kingdom.
Question for Reflection

Which aspect of God’s action in prayer are you most in need of this week?

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