Sunday, December 19, 2010

January 3 (Genesis 3; Matthew 3; Ezra 3; Acts 3)


John the Baptist came preaching a “baptism of repentance” to the people of Israel. Those who submitted to his baptism were those who came “confessing their sins” (Matthew 3:6). We should probably understand this baptism to be both symbolic of the cleansing of sin to these “confessors” and of their passing through the waters of God’s eventual judgment. The question, therefore, that we must consider today is: “So if He was without sin why did Jesus get baptized?”

Indeed it seems that this is exactly what was on the mind of John the Baptist. Verse 14 tells us that John tried to stop Him and said, “I need to be baptized by you.” John recognized the spotlessness of Jesus and he certainly understood what his own baptism signified. So why is Jesus coming to him and getting baptized? The answer lies in the response of Jesus to John. He said, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” This is a sweeping statement used by Jesus to convey the idea that He came to complete God’s great redemptive plan in every detail. He came to inaugurate the kingdom of righteousness within the hearts of His people.

The first step in the inauguration of this kingdom was the identification of God’s Savior with God’s people. In other words Jesus had to be made like us in every way for Him to be our faithful representative (see Hebrews 2:14-17).  Though He was sinless and remained sinless throughout His entirely earthly sojourn and for all eternity, yet the Son of God identified with sinful humanity. As one immerses himself in the waters of baptism so Jesus immersed himself in all of mankind’s weaknesses so that He might be able to save us to the uttermost! (See Hebrews 7:24-25 for further meditation)

2 comments:

  1. I never thought of it quite that way. But it will give something to ponder on the way to work. On this is how I looked at that particular event. First let me say that this part of Jesus's life puts goosebumps on me. Very exciting times and for John at that moment had to bring such clarity to his exsistance. Considering when he heard Mary's voice in Elizabeth's womb he got excited, so meeting his cousin (I would say for the first time) had to be the bomb. Next I looked at his baptism as a example for all to follow, Do as I do type request. It wasn't until after he was baptised that he started doing miracles so though I know he had the power to he conveyed that there is power in the baptism too, or after cleansing the flesh. Sorry so long winded I told you this is exciting to me. Bro Doug

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  2. After farther consideration it appears there might be a order in which this happens. First you have repentance, change or purgeing of the vessel(ones self) which Jesus had no need to do but then there is the flesh. Even on God that ole flesh needed purification after all thats the beautiful part that God made himself like us and to endure our same crud, so his vessel too had to be clean to allow the Holy Spirit to enter in. So that being the case, can one fully enjoy the Spirit without being baptised? Now you know how my day starts. Bro Doug

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