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
4. If we desire the power of a Spirit filled life, then we must
seek it through prayer
III. AS JESUS PRAYED, HE RECEIVED HIS FATHER’S
ASSURANCE-- this is my Beloved Son
A. As we pray, God will give us continual assurance of our
salvation
1. Doubts about salvation are often the result of straying
from God
a. The devil then accuses us and says, if your were really
saved, you wouldn’t do that
b. The guilt of that sin drives us from God and leaves us
wondering if God still loves us
2. Prayer will keep us in the center of His will
a. As we pray, God will deal with our sin, allow us to
confess it, and then claim His forgiveness
b. Through prayer, we will be continually reminded of His
love
3. Prayer gives God an opportunity to affirm and assure us
B. As we pray, God will give us the assurance that He is with
us
1. That assurance is needed when things are seemingly going
wrong in our lives
2. That assurance is needed when we are fearful about the
future
3. That assurance is needed when we face the time of our
departure from this life
CONCLUSION:
A. Prayer needs to be a daily part of our lives
B. If Jesus needed to pray, how much more do we need to
