An Open Heavens

"One Year Bible" New Testament Passage
Mark 1:1-28

It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.  And immediatey, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.  Then a voice came from heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."  Mark 1:9-11 (NKJV)

There are so many things that should be said with respect to the baptism of Jesus.  It was a powerful and meaningful moment in the history of our salvation!

This morning, I want to focus on one particular point.  Scripture says that something happened in the heavens when Jesus came up out of the water.  The New King James says that the heavens parted.  The NIV, the English Standard Version, and several others translate this phrase "torn open."  This is not a simply parting of whispy clouds.  This is a violent ripping upon of the heavens.  The same phrase is used in Matt. 27:51 concerning the veil in the Temple when Jesus was resurrected.  It was torn open from the top to the bottom by a violent action of God.

This opening of the heavens over Jesus was a remarkable event.  Heaven is now invading earth in the person of Jesus Christ walking in the fullness of His ministry. 

Here's the exciting part: if you are in Christ, that same "open heavens" is in your life, too.  Jesus walked under the fullness of the Father's blessing as His beloved Son with open access to heaven's riches.  If you are IN CHRIST, you walk in the same REALITY. 

Most people live in ignorance of the favor God has opened to us in Christ.  We too often walk in the reality of earth's challenges and defeats rather than heaven's atmosphere of grace and power. 

So what reality do you walk in today?  God has already through Christ opened His favor in your life.  Do you walk in awareness of His blessing or in blindness to this great truth? 

Through Jesus, we have entered into the power of the age to come (see Heb. 6:5).  This should be our greatest reality.  Our job is to bring heaven down to earth.  Our assignment is to fulfill the great model prayer of Jesus, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN."  That is not some foreign concept reserved for the next life.  It is the essence of walking with Jesus in this world.