It had always been a dream of mine to get in the water that Jesus was baptised in by my hero John the Baptist. The story is so amazing, & it seems wherever Jesus went, that new birth, new life, a new vision followed. Luke (in the bible) was probably a Syrian doctor before he met Jesus. He writes a reliable, poignant account of his life. It’s short. I like it. #adventure #life #nevergiveup
Jesus’ baptism, which is recorded in the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke in the New Testament, is described as follows: “When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: `You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’” (Luke 3:21-22).Grylls, best known for starring in the show, “Man vs. Wild,” earlier differentiated between following Jesus and being part of an empty religion.
“I think Jesus would really struggle with 99 percent of churches nowadays,” he said. “Our job in life is to stay close to Christ and drop the religious, drop the fluff, drop the church if you need to, because that means so many different things to different people anyway. Keep the bit of church, which is about community, friends, honesty, faith, and love. All the masks, performances, music and worship bands and all of that sort of stuff — I don’t think Christ would recognize a lot of that.”
Grylls also has appeared in other shows, including “Escape from Hell,” “The Island” and “Running Wild with Bear Grylls.” As an author, Grylls has written multiple books, such as“ Soul Fuel: A Daily Devotional,” “Never Give Up: My Life in the Wild” and “Mind Fuel: Simple Ways to Build Mental Resilience Every Day.”
Bear Grylls called John the Baptist his hero, and he wanted to stand in the water where Jesus was baptized. That instinct is easy to understand. The Jordan is the river of the forerunner and of the Son. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all record that Jesus was baptized, and that the Father and the Spirit bore witness to Him there (Luke 3:21–22). A visit to that river can be a genuine act of reverence, as long as we remember that the power is in Christ, not in the trip.
Most believers will never travel to the Jordan. They can still obey the same Lord in the waters of their own church or river, because baptism is about union with Jesus, not about geography (Romans 6:4). If this story has made the Jordan feel close to you, let it lead you to the Gospels, to repentance, and, if needed, to the baptistry. For help from this ministry, reach John Arwood at (904) 305-7534 or [email protected].