Mark 1:7,8 This is what John told the people: “There is someone coming later who is able to do more than I can. I am not good enough to be the slave who stoops down to untie his sandals. I baptise you with water, but the one who is coming will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.”

Listen: Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Listen: Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Have you ever wondered what baptism is all about? It’s an odd little ritual that’s been practised for millennia – first in Judaism and then in Christianity. Even Jesus was baptised.

So let’s dive in. Yesterday we met John the Baptist, who came to prepare the way for Jesus by calling people to be baptised to show that they wanted to change their lives; to let go of the sin that had wrapped its dark tentacles around their souls.

That’s all well and good – everyone from Judea, even the whole of Jerusalem we’re told, flocked out to this rather odd dude in the wilderness to do just that. And so he was preparing the way of the Lord, opening people’s hearts through this this deep cleansing ritual.

But come on … seriously, have you ever tried to change yourself; to deal with those deeply ingrained bad habits of yours that are sapping the life out of you? It’s nigh on impossible, so …

Mark 1:7,8 This is what John told the people: “There is someone coming later who is able to do more than I can. I am not good enough to be the slave who stoops down to untie his sandals. I baptise you with water, but the one who is coming will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.”

Of course, he’s talking about Jesus – who subsequently had rather a lot to say about being drenched, being baptised, being transformed in the power of the Holy Spirit.

If you’ve ever struggled with sin and failed (and who hasn’t?) know this … you don’t have to go it alone. Because One has come to baptise you with His Holy Spirit. Jesus.

That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.