Worldwide Christmas December 10, 2025 Devotional

MARK 1:5 | ⁵ And the whole Judean region and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him and were baptized by him in the River Jordan, confessing their sins.

Imagine if we had to get a national ID card. Imagine you are going away for a holiday and are waiting in line at Sky Harbor airport. When asked for ID you offer your license. The ticket taker asks you for the new national identity card. You've never bothered to get one. You're not allowed to board and you miss your flight!

This is the way the Jews felt who came out to hear John the Baptist preach in the wilderness near the Jordan River. John was like the attendant at the gate telling citizens of Israel that their old ID cards were no good. If they wanted to get on board with the coming Messiah they needed a new identity and a new sign of that identity: baptism. Jews did not undergo baptism, for their sign of belonging to the passenger manifest was circumcision. Baptism was a way for Gentiles to become Jews. John is insisting that in the new era that is coming, participation in the people of God and a place in the coming kingdom will not be based on ethnic identity and family background.

Everyone needs the new ID card of baptism in order to travel with the new captain. This is made plain later in this chapter when John tells the crowds, "do not presume to say to yourselves, 'we have Abraham as our ancestor—God could raise up children of Abraham from these stones!' "

People have all sorts of identity markers: sports affiliations, business cards, educational ties, regional and local bumper stickers etc. How do you mark your identity?

Do you connect your baptism with your identity? How?

Gracious God,

May I always find my identity in You. I belong to You. I was created and redeemed by You for good purposes.

Amen.