Matthew 3:13-17

Hard to believe this month is nearly over. Here comes the busy holiday season. I always enjoy this time of year though because its full of so many memories and new ones to be made. I look forward to seeing what is ahead. I hope you have a good day today.

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Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” 
But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Matthew 3:13-17
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John knew instantly when he saw Jesus that this one who should be doing the baptizing, for John was not worthy to do so. This is a common reaction for people who see Jesus for the first time. When you looked into his eyes you knew you were a sinner. Jesus came to the Jordan to be baptized. The question many ask is, why did he get baptized? Did Jesus need to repent and confess anything? No! He was sinless in every way, but was baptized to begin his ministry and identify with sinners. 

Jesus was born without sin and lived a life free from sin. (2 Cor 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22; and 1 John 3:5). What he was doing now was fulfilling all righteousness. That word ‘righteousness’ means to have right standing before God. To live holy and do what is good and pleasing.  We learn the valuable example to follow as Jesus entered into the water to be baptized so we to are to following Jesus into baptism. Paul the Apostle will write many things about how we have all died with Christ and are raised up with Him.

Baptism is a symbol of what the Lord has done with our soul and brought us into new life in Him. Jesus showed us that the reason for baptism was to identify Himself with us so that we in return can identify ourselves with Him when we too are baptized. And through the expression of our faith in Him, the Lord gives us the Spirit and is pleased with us. Just as this baptism declared Jesus’ ministry was about to begin, so it does for our own ministries when we are baptized and declare publicly that we are His servants.  

Once the baptism is complete we hear the message from Heaven declaring the Son is pleasing to the Father. This could have been seen and heard by the Baptist or possibly everyone around. Either way it was a proclamation from the Lord. We pictured the trinity with the Spirit in the form of a dove, the Father’s voice, and of course the Son being baptized.