The Baptism of Jesus

Theme - Jesus Baptism

Text – This is my Son, whom I love, with him I am well pleased (Mt  3:17)

Introduction – Coarse countrified corrective: The Baptizer flashed his

his proclamation across rural Judea like a meteor (Mt. 1:1).

“The axe is already at the root of the tree” he announced.  Those

accustomed to drawing upon the merits of their national icon

found this offensive and unpatriotic.

“Every tree not producing good fruit,” John warned, “will

be cut down and thrown into the fire” (Mt. 2:10 NIV).

While baptizing all who confessed their sins, he delared

The imminent arrival of another kingdom, ruled by a greater person

with a more powerful message.

Among those seeking baptism came a young Galilean and

what followed calls us to consider the lordship of Jesus. John

hesitated, recognizing superiority. “Permit it to be.” Jesus urged.

“It is fitting … to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew

3:1 NKJV). Jesus’ ordination announced his Sonship, declared

new citizenship and revealed a new life in the Spirit.

Jesus’ sonship

The baptismal announcement completed his ordination and

Jesus went preaching (kerussein, Matthew 3:17) what John

Heralded (kerysso, from keryz, a herald, kerussein, Mt 3:1).

New citizenship called for higher loyalty and total allegiance.

Israel accepted the role of chosen people, but linked

Salvation with their national liberation. Tasting freedom under

the Maccabees, they pursued it until 63 A.D. when destroyed by

Titus. John’s word of God’s imminent intervention came after four

centuries without a prophet and this thrilled the faithful but threatened

the faithless.

Matthew viewed Jesus as the promise fulfilled in the empowering presence

of Jesus (Mt 2:5, 1:23, 1:21). I was a young Airman when I met my wife.

We lived on a shoestring in tiny apartments. We ate lots of BLT sandwiches

but we had presence. Like Matthew, presence fulfilled promise.

Generations have since met Jesus and experienced the fulfillment

of Immanuel (God with us). Skeptics label him a fool, a fraud, and some

call him a phantasy, but none dare call him evil. Is it not more rational

to accept his Sonship than to believe he perpetrated history’s most

heinous hoax, thereby deluding us to accept faith, hope, and love?”

God’s Kingdom

Jesus’ sonship pointed higher than Israel. It brought

Heavenly citizenship into the Gentile world, creating a new

community, built on faith in God, and revealing greater

understanding of God’s mission to humanity (Hebrews 8:7-13,

9:15, 28-29).

God’s kingdom is for people of faith, not ethnic purists.

“Whoever does the will of my Father” finds an open door  declared

Jesus (Mt. 12:50). Our New Testament is our New Covenant,

Our peace, the story of the One who “made the two (Jew and

Gentile) one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of

hostility … to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus

making peace … to reconcile  both … through the cross” (Ephesians

2:14-16 NIV).

“The law and the prophets were until John,” Jesus

confirmed, “since that time the kingdom of God is preached and

every man presseth into it: (Luke 16:16 KJV). No mere historic

parenthesis, the church of the redeemed became an expression of

The Spirit’s empowerment, offering God’s grace to everyone

Accepting it.

There is Life in the Spirit

Jesus’ baptism was fitting (NKJV), proper (NIV) “to fulfill

all righteousness.” The time was right (Hebrews 1:1-3). Israelite

nationalism was axed, but repentance opened the door into the

kingdom. Jesus’ baptism clearly evidenced the Trinity, making

us Trinitarians when we accept his Lordship and live under his

Spirit.

The Holy Spirit administers God’s Grace Department. He applies

and distributes what comes from joint-headquarters. He revives our

recall of Jesus, illuminates His Word, quickens our consciences,

renews our minds, and confirms our acceptance (cf. Mt. 3:11;

John 16:8; Ephesians 1:13-14).

Our decadent society compromises men and ministries,

churches and individuals and leaves its stench behind. Charles

Swindoll and his family returned from their vacation to a stinking house.

They found it saturated with the odor of maggot-filled possum

in their attic. They searched feverishly until they found a product

called “Anti-Icky-Pooh,” guaranteed to rid the odors of the dead

and decaying flesh.

A debilitating atmosphere of worldliness sickens today’s church that

Is badly in need of rediscovering the Lordship of Jesus. Truth provides the

fulcrum on which the Holy Spirit’s lever rests. Faith in Jesus’ sonship

is the conveyor carrying salvation.  The Holy Spirit empowers and

brings wholeness and health, holiness and  healing.

He is Lord, He is Lord

He is risen from the dead and He is Lord!

Ev’ry knee shall bow, ev’ry tongue confess

That Jesus Christ is Lord (1)

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1 Worship the Lord, Hymnal of the Church of God, Anderson:

Warner Press. Inc., 1989), p. 223.