The story of the baptism of Jesus is found in all four Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Our reading, Matthew 3:13-17, is Matthew’s version. According to the text, Jesus went to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. The Baptizer was a charismatic character who came with one message. Everything he ate, wore, and said communicated one message, repent! It was the perfect message for his audience. Herod the Great had been cruel and the Roman miliary had been harsh to the people of Israel. Most of the people longed for a religious solution to their intolerable political situation. The people flocked to the desert region to hear John’s message of repentance. He offered them a sinner’s baptism as a sign of their repentance. One of the faces in the crowd was Jesus.
One of our core understandings about Jesus is that he was sinless. That is what made him the perfect sacrifice on the cross. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says,“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
1 Peter 2:22 says, “He committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth.” 1 John 3:5 says, “You know he appeared to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin.” I could go on, but I won’t. You get the point. Jesus was sinless. So, why would the sinless Jesus require a sinner’s baptism? Consider these four things with me.
First, Jesus’s baptism exposed his identity. The people had been waiting for the Messiah a long time. Some hoped John was the Messiah (Luke 3:15). Matthew 3:17 tells us Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah,“And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love, with him I am well pleased.” In other words, God is identifying Jesus as the Messiah. Several years later, he would be the suffering servant mentioned in Isaiah 53. On that horrible day, “Jesus was rejected by mankind. He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him.” Matthew 3:17 eliminated all questions. From that point on, no one questioned Jesus’s identity. He was the Messiah. Never underestimate the importance of correct identification. Jesus’s baptism exposed his identity.
Second, Jesus’s baptism fulfilled all righteousness. In other words, Jesus’s baptism was all part of the divine plan. To underscore that point, Jesus was consecrated by God when the Holy Spirit descended on him like a dove. This was not the first time John had seen Jesus. They were related on their mother’s side, however their family relations are not clear. Some say they were cousins. Some say Elizabeth was Mary’s aunt. Some say they were related in other ways. Regardless of their connection, John believed in Jesus from the very beginning. John understood his role and was uncomfortable baptizing Jesus. Verses 14 and 15 says, “But John tried to deter him, saying I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteous.” John and Jesus were obedient to God’s will. Jesus’s baptism fulfilled all righteousness.
Third, Jesus’s baptism ignited his earthy ministry and marked the beginning of the end of John’s ministry. Students of America’s Civil War will tell you July 4, 1863, is a key date. It was the beginning of the end of the Confederacy – Vicksburg fell along the Mississippi River, the day after the Union claimed victory at Gettysburg. Sadly, the war dragged on for another two years. Jesus’s baptism was the being of the end of John’s ministry. John 3:30 quotes John, who said, “He (Jesus) must increase, but I must decrease.” John was an excellent forerunner, but Jesus was the Messiah. In the next three years Jesus would transform the world and set into motion something new. Christianity is the world’s largest region, approximate 2.3 billion followers. Jesus is the most influential life that ever lived. No followers of John exist today. Jesus’s baptism ignited his earthy ministry and ended John’s contribution.
Fourth, Jesus’s baptism shows us that he completely identified with the sins of mankind. If you use your sanctified imagination, you can picture the crowds coming to John to receive a sinner’s baptism. They needed that baptism because they needed to repent. Jesus was in the crowd not to repent but to relate to the commoners. John 1:14 says,”The Word (Jesus) became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” The incarnation is beyond human understanding, but Jesus’s humility and solidarity cannot be questioned. Jesus’s baptism shows us that he completely identified with the sins of mankind. Let me end with this old preaching story.
A church received a new minister, and the sanctuary was full for his first Sunday where he preached a wonderful sermon about Jesus. The second Sunday came and he preached another wonderful sermon about Jesus. His third sermon was about Jesus. Each week the congregation heard a wonderful sermon about Jesus. This went on for months. Everyone should have been happy, but this was a church. Someone had to complain about all those wonderful sermons about Jesus. One man did and pulled the minister to the side after worship one Sunday. In the corner of the narthex, he confronted the minister. He began by saying, “Your sermons about Jesus are very good. However, you have been here for months and all we have heard about is Jesus. Our world is a complex place and there are many social ills. There are people starving to death. There are diseases that have no cure. There are people who can’t read. There are children lost in slavery and lives being lost in wars. We don’t hear about any of those things. All we hear about is Jesus! Don’t any of those things matter?” The pastor listened patiently and responded, “No! Once the world knows Jesus all those other issues will go away.” I couldn’t agree more. After all, Jesus is the son of God. Our only hope of salvation. In the life of the church, what really matters to you? I hope your answer is Jesus. Augustine of Hippo (354-430) said, “Jesus Christ is not valued at all until He is valued above all.”
Russ Adams 