Jesus' Baptismal Prayer

JESUS’ BAPTISIMAL PRAYER

Luke 3: 21-22

INTRODUCTION:

A. The first public act in Jesus’ ministry was to be baptized

1. Jesus was baptized for a different reason that we are

2. Why we are baptized:

a. To show in picture form what Jesus did to save us-- His

death burial and resurrection

b. To testify as to what Jesus has done in our lives-- He

has made us a new creature through the new birth and

we have died to the old man, buried him and are raised

to walk in newness of life

c. Our baptism identifies us with Christ

3. Jesus’ baptism identified Him with us

a. Jesus had no need to be baptized as an act of testifying

about salvation

b. Being the sinless Son of God, He needed no one to die

for His sin-- He had no sin

c. His baptism identified Him with sinful man and as a man

He would die for mankind’s sin on the cross

B. As Jesus was being baptized, He was also in prayer to the

Father

1. Jesus began and would end His ministry in prayer to the

Father

2. Jesus’ entire ministry would be filled with prayer

a. He would often begin His day in prayer

b. He would retreat from the crowds and the limelight to

pray

c. Before every important decision He made, Jesus prayed

d. On more than one occasion, Jesus prayed all night long

3. What an example for us

4. Notice what took place at Jesus’ baptism as He prayed

I. AS JESUS PRAYED, HEAVEN WAS OPENED

A. Heaven’s opening reveals that God is open and receptive to

our prayers

1. God wants us to pray

a. He delights in hearing the prayers of His people

b. His promise to answer prayer is given as an incentive to

encourage us pray

2. When we pray, heaven’s door is opened and we are

ushered unto the throne of grace

a. In this sense, prayer transcends the law of time and

space

b. Prayer initiates Jesus’ High Priestly ministry and He

intercedes on our behalf to present us before the throne

of grace faultless

c. Hebrews 4:16 encourages us to come unto the throne of

grace and boldly make our requests known

3. As we pray, we can do so with the full assurance that He

is open and receptive to hear us pray

B. Prayer also opens the door to allow us to see the things of

heaven

1. Through prayer, we are able to see heaven’s will

a. This is why we are to pray, Thy will be done on earth as

it is in heaven

b. Through prayer, God clears our mind of the obstacles

that keep us from seeing His will-- pride, fear,

limitations we have, tradition, etc

2. Through prayer, we are able to see Jesus on the throne

a. That was the first thing John saw in Revelation when he

was transported to heaven

b. Stephen saw such when he was being beaten to death

c. To see Jesus on the throne gives us the assurance that

He is working things out for us

d. That will give us the confidence to live our lives out for

Him

II. AS JESUS PRAYED, THE HOLY SPIRIT

DESCENDED ON HIM

A. I know that all of us received the Holy Spirit at the moment

we were saved

1. Romans 8: 9 says, Now if any man have not the Spirit of

Christ, he is none of his

2. At the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit indwelt us

with His Spirit

a. God deposited His Spirit inside of us as His earnest or

His guarantee to us that He would fulfill our salvation

and bring us to heaven

b. God deposited His Spirit in us as His seal of

ownership-- as we walk in the fullness of the Holy

Spirit, others can se that we belong to Him

3. Because of His presence in our lives:

a. We can learn the truth of His Word-- I John 2:27

b. We can see fruit produced in our lives

c. We can see people saved as a result of our personally

sharing the gospel

4. Every believer has the Holy Spirit dwelling in him or her

B. But every believer also needs that special anointing for

service

1. Every believer needs to be walking in the fullness of the

Holy Spirit and serving in the power of the Holy Spirit

2. The church at Jerusalem prayed for such in Acts 4 and

God heard and answered their prayer

3. Those special induements of power only come through

prayer

a. The power of Pentecost itself came from a ten day

prayer meeting

b. Spurgeon stated that his success as a preacher came

because his people prayed for him