Mark doesn't waste any time getting us involved in the beginning of our Lord's ministry. In these few verses, we experience Jesus baptized by John in the River Jordan, followed by the Holy Spirit descending upon him. Immediately after, a voice from heaven proclaimed pleasure in Jesus. Moments later, Jesus is driven by the Spirit into the wilderness where we learn he is to be tempted by Satan. And by verse 14 we discover that Jesus is back in the Galilee region preaching, "The kingdom of God has come near."

Let's start with the baptism. The River Jordan is a small river that begins above the Sea of Galilee; it feeds that lake and then continues on to the Dead Sea. In most places, the Jordan is not a particularly spectacular river. Above the Sea of Galilee the waters run faster and clearer.…