Fullfilling all righteousness

Imitate Jesus by submitting to the waters of baptism.

Introduction: During Christmas TNT or TBS did a running marathon of “A Christmas Story” for the 24 hours of Christmas day. Over the years “A Christmas Story” has become one of people's favorite Christmas movies. The reason for its near universal love is simple, its main character Ralphie is very relatable. We can all remember what it’s like to be a kid that really wanted that one toy for Christmas, to hope so desperately to get it on Christmas morning. We probably all believed we were cleverly manipulating the adults around us to buy us said gift for Christmas. Most of us can identify with Ralphie's struggles in a Christmas story, which is why he is such a relatable character. We love characters who are relatable, because we want to be able to identify with them. The ability to identify with someone makes them more endearing to us.

Since Christ is the incarnation of God in the flesh, we too are able to find him relatable. The fact that he experienced this world as a human makes him easy to identify with. The scriptures remind us of this truth. In the book of Hebrews we see this passage (READ Hebrews 4:14-16

Hebrews 4:14–16 ESV

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

This passage makes it abundantly clear that Jesus' relatable nature is what makes him such an endearing savior.

Today we are going to examine another passage of scripture which paints Jesus as a relatable savior, someone with whom we can identify. Today we are going to study a passage where Jesus does something in which nearly all of his believers have done at some point in their lives. Today we are going to look at the story of Jesus' baptism. Turn your bibles to Matthew chapter 3

READ Matthew 3:13-17

Matthew 3:13–17 ESV

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

The first question most people ask when reading this passage is why? Why was Jesus baptized? We know why WE are baptized right? It’s a declaration of our salvation. We are telling people we’ve been buried with Christ and raised with him to live a new life forgiven of our sin. But why did JESUS be baptized? Remember it’s John the baptist who just baptized Jesus. John’s baptism was one of repentance. Obviously Jesus didn’t need to repent, to suggest otherwise is blasphemy.

If you are wondering why Jesus was baptized, then you certainly aren’t alone. Believers all across the centuries have also pondered this question, that includes John the Baptist himself!

The best way to remember John the baptist is by comparing him to another famous John, that would be John Deere. John the Baptist plowed the spiritual soil of the land so that Jesus could then sow the seeds of the gospel behind him. John himself claimed the baptism of Jesus was greater than his, and how John was paving the way for Jesus.(READ Matthew 3:11

Matthew 3:11 ESV

“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

The whole life of John the Baptist was to prepare the way for Jesus to introduce his gospel. Remember when the angel Gabriel told Mary she was to give birth to Jesus, the first thing Mary did was travel to visit her cousin Elizabeth. When Mary announced the news of the upcoming birth of Jesus, John the baptist would leap within the womb of Elizabeth. John’s purpose was made clear at that moment, he was to announce how the kingdom of heaven was at hand.

Imagine John's confusion when the one who is greater than him enters the Jordan River, approaches him and then asks him to Baptize him. John the Baptist resists Jesus' request. He basically asks him the question on everyone's mind. Why are you doing this Jesus? It’s you who should be baptizing me! Jesus would answer John the baptist by basically saying “Just go ahead and do this John, we need to do this to fulfill all righteousness.

John would honor Jesus' request, and he would baptize him. During the baptism itself, the scripture clearly states that Jesus came up out of the water after his baptism. This is an extremely important detail. This tells us that when John baptized Jesus, he fully immersed him under the water. Hence the reason that Jesus came up out of the water. Phillips Baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch would describe baptism in the same manner. The eunuch was described as coming up out of the water. This suggests that baptism was practiced by full submersion during the 1st century. Meaning that Jesus was baptized by a full immersion baptism.

When the baptism of Jesus was completed, the scripture says the holy spirit in the form of a dove descended upon Jesus. A voice from the heavens would declare that Christ is the Son of God, and the father was pleased with him. This mirrors our own baptism. The most famous passage on baptism is Acts 2:38 where Peter tells the crowds to “Repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins, and you shall receive the gift of holy spirit. This passage teaches us that we receive the Holy Spirit upon baptism, which is exactly what we see unfold when Jesus was baptized. Everything about Jesus' baptism mirrors our own baptism. This information is relevant to the last part of our message this morning. There is one detail about this baptism we haven’t yet discussed. This is the answer Jesus gave John the Baptist when he asked Jesus why he was being baptized. Jesus said it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. What does this mean?

Jesus allowed himself to be baptized by John the baptist as a means of establishing solidarity or oneness with the human race. Christ first does this through the incarnation right? Jesus was born of Mary in a stable in Bethlehem. Jesus shows solidarity with the human race by dying, something all humans will experience.

Jesus establishes solidarity with the human race by allowing himself to experience the practice of baptism. When Jesus calls us to be baptized, he’s not asking us to do something that he himself didn’t experience. When Jesus calls us to be baptized, he’s calling us to follow his example by entering the waters of baptism just as he did.

Jesus “fulfilled all righteousness” in this way. Our baptism symbolizes burying our sins. Jesus' baptism symbolizes him burying our sins.

Jesus is the best example of humanity ever to live, and he sets the best possible example for us to live by. He sets the tone and precedent for what righteousness looks like. Jesus obviously didn’t NEED to be baptized, but he did it so he could be the best example for the rest of the human race. He did it to show us what righteousness looks like. Accepting the salvation of Christ, and entering the waters of baptism as Christ entered them.

The conclusion to this message is simple. Follow his example of righteousness. Go and do likewise. Imitate Jesus by submitting to the waters of baptism.