SERMON OUTLINE:
• (1). Jesus and John (vs 13-15):
• (2). Jesus and the Baptism (vs 16-17)
• (3). Jesus and the Father (vs 17).
SERMON BODY:
Ill:
• Saturday night TV has always been a big hitter in the TV ratings war!
• To find that hit show and dominate the airways is key.
• Over the years we have had TV shows like, ‘The Generation Game.’
• ‘Noel’s House Party,’ ‘Gladiators,’ ‘Stars in their Eyes,’ &’ Beadle’s About.’
Ill:
• Then came along Ant and Dec’s ‘Saturday Night Takeaway,’
• A variety show that was really was based on the best bits from previous hit shows.
• One of the most popular parts of that show was their undercover pranks.
• Where the Geordie duo dressed up in disguises,
• In a bid to prank their celebrity pals.
• Having wound up or panicked their celebrity friends,
• Eventually they would put their victims out of their misery and reveal themselves,
• And the celebrity got to see their real identities!
• TRANSITION:
• In this chapter we get to see the real identity of Jesus.
• For thirty years he has been in disguise – Jesus the carpenter,
• But in these verses, he starts to reveal to us his true identity - the Son of God!
This account of Jesus being baptised makes it into all four Gospels,
• With Matthew’s account,
• Being the briefest account of this incident.
• But the fact all four gospels record this incident should tell you of its importance!
• The baptism of Jesus is the launch of Jesus into three years of public ministry.
• It was his coming out party - his grand opening, so to speak.
• And it is also a reminder that the life of Jesus was part of a plan,
• We are told he was born (Galatians chapter 4 verse 4 TLB).
• “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman.,.”
• The beginning of his ministry was also part of God’s timing,
• As we will see in a few minutes time,
• The start of his ministry has a strong link to his death,
• This link, this emphasises reveal to us the real reason Jesus came.
• He came to be the Saviour and not just a teacher and a prophet.
Note:
• Luke in his gospel tells us the age of Jesus,
• He was “about thirty years of age”.”
• (Luke chapter 3 verse 23”
There are several possible reasons for this:
• Cultural reason:
• In Jewish tradition, the age of 30 was considered the time of reaching full maturity,
• You could not be a priest (or a Rabi) until you were 30.
• You could not take up many leadership roles until you reached 30.
• (Numbers chapter 4 verse 3).
• Because 30 was considered the time of reaching full maturity,
• Symbolic Significance:
• Jesus knows what it is like to have to work and earn a wage.
• He is not a pampered prince.
• He has worked hard and at times probably had blisters and calloses on his hands.
• The age of 30 also symbolizes a period of preparation.
• Jesus can identify with us in every way.
Ill:
• When I had hair, I used to go to a barber for a haircut.
• And I remember on when occasion the barber asking what I did for a living.
• So, I told him I was a preacher.
• He replied, “I hope you don’t mind me saying this but, how old are you?”
• I was about 26 years of age.
• He then said, “In Churches people tend to be older, so why should anyone listen to you?”
• Good question!
• His point was what do you know about life?
• My reply was, “That would be true if all I was giving was my opinion,
• But I teach the Bible and my authority for what I say comes from this book.”
• TRANSITION: The point of Jesus starting his public ministry at aged 30,
• Is because he would have been considered mature,
• He would have had greater weight (or life experience) to his ministry.
Now last week you looked at the first part of this chapter (3:1-12),
• Where you met John the Baptizer.
• Matthew describes John and explains that he was the forerunner,
• The one who came to prepare the way for Jesus.
• Quote: Someone summarised John’s ministry as.
• “He came to prepare the way, identify the way and then get out of the way!”
John’s name ‘the Baptist’ was of course a nickname.
• He was not a member of the Baptist Church.
• But came to fame as a man who baptised people by full immersion.
• Christian later took baptism and stole or rather adapted the idea.
• Christian baptism in the Bible looked the same as John’s baptism,
• But they gave to it a brand-new meaning.
• John’s baptism was for people to show they were sorry for their sins,
• And the water represented a symbolic washing.
• As water makes you clean on the outside may God make you clean on the inside.
• Christian baptism (by immersion).
• Represents the Christian being linked to the death, burial & resurrection of Jesus.
• (Romans chapter 6 verses 3-6)
• Christian baptism does not make you a Christian or make you part of God’s family.
• That happens at conversion (“by grace are you saved through faith”).
• (Ephesians chapter 2 verses 8-9).
• Baptism shows we belong to Christ, it is for those we already have come to faith!
• So don’t get the ‘cart before the horse.’
• First: we are saved, Second: we get baptised,
• Third: we commit to serve God in a local Church (that is the N.T. pattern).
(1). Jesus and John (vs 13-15):
• Without announcement, without appointment, without a word being spoken:
• We read in verse 13 of the arrival of Jesus.
"Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptised by John".
Don't miss the impact of these next few verses:
• For thirty years as far as we know:
• Jesus has been working day after day in his father’s carpenter’s shop.
• For thirty years he has simply been the son of Joseph & Mary.
• For thirty years he has simply been just another citizen of Nazareth.
• But now in verse 13 that's all going to change.
• For John, Jesus and the crowd of witnesses gathered.
• This was going to be the start of another important chapter in the history of the world!
• Jesus would put his tools away, leave the family business,
• And for three years become an itinerant preacher!
Note:
• John has been baptising people left, right and centre!
• And he isn’t fussy, tax-collectors, prostitutes, the religious and the unreligious!
• If they are willing to, ‘repent,’ he will baptise them!
In verse 14 notice John's Reluctance to baptize Jesus.
"But John tried to deter him, saying,
"I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?"
Don't miss the point of John the baptisers words:
• 1ll: This would be like Mozart asking me for piano lessons.
• 1ll: Van Gogh asking me for painting lessons.
• 1ll: Pavarotti asking me for singing lessons.
• 1ll: Renaldo or Messi asking me for football lessons.
• TRANSITION:
• John knew baptising Jesus seemed to be the wrong way round!
• So, in case Jesus did not understand, JTB reminds him (vs 14b):
• "You got it the wrong way round; I need to be baptised by you".
Notice: the crowd who would have all been watching:
• This must have seemed so puzzling,
• This must have really confused them.
• I say that because John the baptiser had stood toe-to-toe,
• With the religious heavy weights of his day.
• And not only had he stood toe-to-toe with them,
• He won! He beat them! They backed down, they walked away.
• Not only that:
• John the baptiser was going to preach against the reigning monarch,
• The tyrant king called, Herod.
• He would and preach outside his palace gates.
• Literally on Herod’s own doorstep.
• And not be afraid and not back down.
So, for John the baptiser, the one who feared no man.
• To appear stumped, humbled and reluctant before this stranger,
• Would have seen very odd indeed!
• And if anyone did recognise Jesus of Nazareth,
• Remember to them, he was only a carpenter!
• John trembles in reverence before him.
• Transfixed by this individual.
• Engrossed, absorbed, captivated….
• He was literally stopped in his tracks by the presence of Jesus.
Ill:
• Last year (2023) the hit film, Oppenheimer was released,
• (Telling the story of the man who created the atomic bomb)
• We might not like his destructive inventions, but he was a very clever Scientist.
• J. Robert Oppenheimer once said,
• "The best way to send an idea is to wrap it up in a person."
• TRANSITION: I like that quotation!
• The theological word for all of that is incarnation, meaning "in the flesh."
• Jesus was the incarnation of God.
• Jesus was not just the "idea" but the very Word of God who took on flesh.
• And with his limited knowledge John the Baptist recognised Jesus was different!
• The rest of the crowd would discover that truth over the course of the next three years.
• As they listened to his teaching and were blown away by his miracles.
• Question: Have we discovered who Jesus truly is?
• Question: If yes, what difference does that truth make in our lives?
Pause to ponder verse 15:
• Jesus' response to John in verse 15 sound rather cryptic:
• "Let it be so NOW: it is proper for US (You and I) to do this to fulfil all righteousness".
• Jesus tells John.
• “You don't understand why, but trust me, obey me, because I know why”.
• If I was to paraphrase verse 15,
• I would put it this way.
"By doing it at this time, and in this way, we link up,
we join forces, were on the same side, as we proclaim what is right".
Note:
• John may not understand why,
• But he is wise enough to know that when Jesus says something – you do it.
• John beys the words of Jesus,
• And he agrees to baptize the carpenter of Nazareth, the Messiah, the Son of God!
Question: Why did Jesus have to be baptised?
• The baptism of Jesus was not for repentance like the other people John baptised.
• Even John in verse 14 recognised that,
• By wanting to swap roles,
Answer: I would suggest the baptism of Jesus has to do with identity!
• Jesus identified himself with the sinful people around him.
• The people he had lived among for thirty years.
Ill:
• A friend of mine was invited to lead prayers in Coventry Crown Court.
• Bob who was leading the players went in his suit and carried a briefcase.
• He dressed for the occasion.
• He took with him another friend,
• Ivor who was not taking part and so he dressed in casual clothes.
• As they came out of the room where the prayers took place,
• The hallway was busy with lawyers and criminals and their family members.
• Waiting for their time to appear before the judge.
• Bob couldn’t resist playing a joke on Ivor.
• He dropped his briefcase onto the ground with a loud bang,
• Everyone stopped and looked his way.
• He turned to Ivor, stuck out his hand for a handshake,
• And in a very loud voice said,
• “There you are Mt Cooper, I told you I could get you off!”
• Ivor said, he just went very, very red,
• He wanted to say, “I’m not like you lot” (a criminal) but he could not.
• TRANSITION: In contrast to Ivor,
• Jesus did not care for his reputation or what people thought of him.
• He was willing to identify with sinful people – in life and in death!
• Jesus did this in life.
• Quote: "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them".
• (Luke chapter 15 verse 1)
• He did it in death.
• Quote: " And they made his grave with the criminals but in a rich man’s grave,".
• (Isaiah chapter 53 verse 9&12)
• “He was counted as a sinner, and he bore the sins of many, and he pled with God for sinners.”
Through being baptised Jesus identifies himself with us:
• A picture pointing forward to the cross,
• When he would not only identify with,
• But he would become the bearer of mankind's sin.
Quote: Author and theologian John Stott:
“The concept of substitution lies at the heart of both sin and salvation. For the essence of sin is man substituting himself for God, while the essence of salvation is God substituting.
himself for man”.
(2). Jesus and the Baptism (vs 16-17)
” As 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 alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well."
• Three things to note:
• Three things happened at the baptism of Jesus:
FIRST: Heaven opened.
“At that moment heaven was opened”.
• By using that phrase Matthew the writer,
• Is letting the people know that the kingdom of God has arrived.
• One of the last Old Testament prophets had asked (Isaiah chapter 64 verse 1).
• “Why don’t you tear the sky apart and come down?”
• Matthew tells his readers that God has done just that.
• He has opened heaven; he has torn the sky apart and come down in the person of Jesus!
SECOND: The Holy Spirit has returned.
“…and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove descending on him”.
• Between the Old and the New testaments,
• There had been 400 years where there was no word from God.
• 400 years of heavenly silence.
• No one saying “Thus saith the Lord”,
• No one writing “The word of the Lord came to me saying”
• Just 400 years of heavenly dumbness.
• 400 years of heavenly silence!
Matthew now tells his readers that the long wait is over:
• The Spirit of God is active again.
• The Spirit of God will speak clearly again,
• And if you want to hear him, then listen to Jesus the Christ.
ill: Luke in his gospel adds an extra phrase:
“And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit
descended on him in bodily form (Only Luke records that) like a dove.”
• The Holy Spirit who is by name and nature a Spirit.
• As a Spirit he cannot be seen (invisible),
• Descended on Jesus in what looked like a visible bodily form!
• He appears under the symbolism of a dove.
• (Symbolism of a dove may speak of purity, gentleness and graciousness!)
• In the Old Testament doves were a symbol of the arrival of good news,
• e.g. when a dove brought the news that the flood had ended in the story of Noah.
• It has come to mean the symbol of peace,
• And is regarded as a symbol of the Holy Spirit in modern day Christianity.
Ill: John in his gospel adds:
“…the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.'
• The Holy Spirit remained for a while; it did not immediately disappear.
• (Symbolism is here is the one marked out and approved of the Holy Spirit).
• Jesus was ordained by God for a specific task.
• Jesus was qualified to carry it out!
• And over the next three years he would do exactly that!
(3). Jesus and the Father (vs 17).
“And a voice from heaven said,
"This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
• I like the translation that says:
• "This is my Son, whom I love; in him is my delight.”
The words spoken by God the Father:
• Are words that we find in the Old Testament book of Psalms.
• Words that were originally meant for the coronation of Israel’s king.
• e.g. Psalm 2 verse 7:
• “You are my son; today I have become your father”.
But these words also have another side to them.
• Matthew’s readers would have also been reminded of the words.
• Of Isaiah the prophet concerning the Suffering Servant.
• (Chapter 42 verse 1).
“Here is my servant, whom I strengthen, the one I have chosen, with whom I am pleased”.
• This verse indicates how the Servant will greatly please the LORD,
• By faithfully accomplishing the tasks he was given to perform.
• And Jesus faithfully fulfilled the entire task His Father sent Him to earth to perform.
• (John chapter 17 verse 4, chapter 19 verse 30).
This voice from heaven is far more than:
• Just a fatherly pat on the head; "a well-done son".
• It is a seal of approval as to who Jesus is:
• Up to know he has been "Jesus, son of Joseph & Mary".
• Now he is declared to be "Jesus, Son of God".
• Not only is he declared to be Israel’s king.
• He is declared too as the suffering servant,
• The one who will not just identify with people’s sins by being baptised.
• But he is the one who will bear away that sin through his death on the cross.
Ill:
• A couple found political asylum in this country during the Second World War.
• They came from Eastern or Central Europe,
• And they were not well versed in American culture.
• One day they received an invitation to a wedding,
• And at the bottom of the invitation were those cryptic letters: RSVP.
• In his thick, Eastern European accent, the husband said, "Vife, vat does it mean: RSVP? "
• So, they thought for a while, until inspiration dawned, and the husband said,
• "Vife, I know vat it means: Remember Send Vedding Presents."
• TRANSITION:
• They made a mistake by imaging that the message was a demand,
• When it was an invitation!
• Unfortunately, there are many people who make the same mistake about Jesus Christ,
• And the gospel.
• They think it is a demand when in reality it is an offer—a free invitation!
• Jesus who identified with sinful people by being baptised.
• Invites us to find forgiveness through his death on the cross.
In Conclusion: The key points are:
• (1). Jesus is (of age) ready to start his public ministry of teaching & healing.
• (2). Jesus is revealed to the world as God’s Messiah.
• (3). Jesus vindicates John’s ministry and John vindicates his ministry.
• Mark in his account quotes from the prophet Isaiah.
• (Mark chapter 1 verse 2-3)
“As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way—a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”
• (4). Jesus is acknowledged and declared to be the Beloved Son (vs 17).
• “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
• (5). The baptism of Jesus provided the first explicit mention in the New Testament involving all three members of the Godhead (vs 16-17).
• All three persons of the Trinity were present on this occasion.
• The Son in the water, the Father’s voice from heaven,
• And the Holy Spirit descending upon Him.
So, the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist is full of significance.
• It affirmed Jesus as the Messiah whom John spoke of,
• Revealed the humanity of Jesus,
• Provided an example for others,
• And displayed a beautiful picture of the Godhead among the earliest followers of Jesus.
SERMON AUDIO:
https://surf.pxwave.com/wl/?id=EHE9jkUdkefjL8uXifiW4B9YRSB7dILc
SERMON VIDEO:
https://youtu.be/j2QV27MxcpY
