I. A small country church was having a "baptizing" in a river on a cold January day.
A. A revival meeting had just concluded.
1. The preacher asked one baptismal candidate, "Is the water cold?"
2. "Naw!" he replied.
a. One of the deacons shouted: "Dip him ag'in preacher, he's still lyin'!"
B. Now why was Jesus baptized at all? And why be baptized by John?
II. 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.
A. Jesus base of operations was in the northern area of Israel.
1. He came from the Nazareth a small village in Galilee.
a. Many of his disciples were employed in and around the Sea of Galilee in the north.
b. Galilee was far enough away from the hustle and bustle of Jerusalem with all its political rankling.
2. Jesus journeyed to John.
a. The Messiah comes to the country preacher with poor and disheveled clothing.
b. Jesus the king of kings the Lord of Lords the Almighty, through whom all things were made, seeks out the hermit.
B. John is the one called to prepare the way of the Lord.
1. The Old Testament prophets foretold John’s coming as Elijah the voice calling in the midst of the wilderness.
2. John was probably the most righteous man alive at the time save Jesus.
a. He forsook all sorts of worldly things, living out in the wilderness.
b. He lived on natural honey, berries and whatever else he could find edible.
c. His clothes were tailor made from wild animal skins.
3. John saw his mission to prepare the way for Jesus and when Jesus would come, then Jesus would take over and John would be fed by Jesus.
4. I can imagine how many of us serve on organizations even church ministries and we just can’t wait till the newly elected officers takes over and we can get a break.
C. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
1. John knew his position and his own sin.
a. He could have been very worldly.
b. Boy won’t this look good on my resume.
c. Baptizer of Jesus the Messiah the King of Kings and the Second Person of the Godhead.
d. “He needed me and now He owes me one. I can ask for anything.”
2. Instead John knows his poverty and the indescribable worthy of Christ.
a. All four gospels repeat John’s words
b. Matt 3:11“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. (NIV)
III. 15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.
A. Jesus knew His position for a time was servant.
1. Phil 2:5-8 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! (NIV)
2. “To fulfill all righteousness”
a. Righteousness is simply doing what is right.
b. Doing right is doing what God wants.
c. In everything, Christ sought to do exactly what the Father had planned.
3. John 15:10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. (NIV)
B. It is true that Jesus did not need to be baptized.
1. Baptism was a sign of repentance but under the new covenant it was also a symbol of the inward cleansing of Christ in the believers heart.
2. Rom 6:4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. (NIV)
C. Baptism is the sign and seal of the New Covenant.
1. We die to self and we commit our sins to Christ’s atoning death.
a. We die with Him figuratively in baptism.
b. And we are also raised with Him.
2. How appropriate for the author of our salvation and the maker of this New Covenant to set the example of having this sign placed on Him.
a. Not because He needs salvation or cleansing.
b. But His baptism foretells His coming death, burial and resurrection for us.
D. He demonstrates symbolically what His entire earthly life was to be about.
1. He came to live and die for us and to be raised again from the dead.
2. His submersion in the water is representative of His submission to the divine plan and His vicarious atonement for our sin.
3. His coming up out of water was a dramatic exhibition before hand of His pending conquering of death.
IV. 16As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.
A. Even Jesus did not move without the presence of the Holy Spirit.
1. “Jesus walked this lonesome valley,” is an old spiritual song.
a. But in reality, Christ never walked alone.
b. He had some pretty fickle disciples.
c. But He was never alone for the Spirit of the Living God was present in and with Him.
2. Why a dove?
a. The dove was a symbol of peace and joy.
b. The spirit alighted upon Jesus so He would never ever be alone.
B. The Spirit dramatically and clearly alighting upon Jesus was also a validation of His calling to be the Messiah.
1. It is sort of like a medieval warrior being knighted.
a. The king declares the soldier a knight and then touches him with the sword on this shoulder, then that and then the head.
b. The authority and position is now transferred upon this humble servant.
2. At Christ’s baptism He was being knighted by the King to be the King’s servant and save everyone in the Kingdom.
a. And all the heavenly hosts were lined up watching.
b. Hurrah, hurrah you can hear being shouted.
V. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”(NIV)
A. Three days after terrorists crashed hijacked planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, President George W. Bush designated Friday, September 14, 2001, as a national day of prayer and remembrance.
1. In Washington D. C., the National Cathedral was filled to capacity with invited guests including political leaders, military brass, and four former presidents and their wives.
a. At President Bush's request, 82-year-old Billy Graham, plagued with Parkinson's Disease, struggled to the pulpit to give a stirring sermon.
b. After several religious leaders had spoken, including Billy Graham, George W. Bush strode to the podium.
c. It was his turn to address the American people about impending war.
2. The terrorist attacks had catapulted George Bush into the first test of his eight-month-old presidency.
a. He acknowledged our nation's need for dependence on God.
b. The words of Paul in Romans chapter 8 ("…nothing shall ever separate us from God's love") punctuated his compassionate message to those who felt abandoned by God in light of the death of over 5,000 innocent victims.
3. Having surrendered to the baptism of public scrutiny, George W. Bush returned to his seat and sat down next to the smiling First Lady.
a. His father—former President George Bush—beaming with pride, looked straight ahead but reached his hand across Laura Bush for his son's hand.
b. It was a silent but unmistakable way of saying, "You are my son, and am I pleased with you." Citation: Greg Asimakoupoulos, Naperville, Illinois
B. And pealing from the very throne of Heaven comes the commissioning and the validation of the Jesus the Christ.
1. “This is my Son...”
a. His position is confirmed.
b. He is the very Son of God, second person of the Trinity, and He has come down to do the Father’s betting.
2. “Whom I love”
a. His relationship is affirmed.
b. Jesus did not come down because He displeased the Father.
c. The Father, though willing Him to suffer, loved the Son even the more.
3. “Well pleased.”
a. There is none better definition of righteousness.
b. Living and doing faithfully what pleases God.
c. Putting His will, His plan, His calling above all else.
d. That is pleasing God and that is righteousness.
C. Jesus fulfilled everything.
1. If God the Father had a “to do list” for the Son, when He ascended, it was checked marked completed.
D. This same Christ who completed the Father’s tasking, has the power and the strength to enable us to fulfill the Father’s will in our lives.
1. As we submit to the all faithful one, He empowers us to faithful and righteous.
2. No calling, no divine tasking is impossible when we continually rely on the righteous one.
3. Is there anything more difficult to do for God than what Christ did?
a. Contemplate the mission of Jesus.
b. He finished it all.
c. Now dwell on our calling, our commission from God.
d. Remember alone we could do nothing.
e. But with Him in our lives, it is all doable.
4. Phil 4:13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (NIV)
5. Phil 1:6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (NIV)
