Repent for forgiveness
Day 288, Monday, May 26
Mark 1:1-19
As we will soon be reading about the prophets, it’s worth paying some special attention to John the Baptist. He is considered by some to be the last of the prophets in the Old Testament tradition, ushering in the new age of the Messiah. He is often identified with Elijah.
Like the Old Testament prophets, John was deeply concerned about the sin of the people, and his baptism was a call to “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” People responded to him by “Confessing their sins [and] they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.”
This emphasis on baptism for repentance has caused some confusion since Jesus himself was baptized, though he was sinless. The traditional explanation has come from the Gospel of Matthew, where it is said to be for him to conform to all God requires.
Considering that Jesus was eventually to die for the guilt of sin not his own, it is also conceivable that he was baptized to repent for sin not his own.
John also suggests that Jesus will cause a redefinition of baptism: “I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Monday meditation

Proverbs 28:21-23
To show partiality is not good—yet a person will do wrong for a piece of bread.
The stingy are eager to get rich and are unaware that poverty awaits them.
Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor rather than one who has a flattering tongue.

Prayer focus
Lord, search our hearts and show us our sin that we might fully and willingly repent of it.

-Rev. Mark Fleming