Jesus Baptism destroys unbelief

In Jesus Baptism, John the Baptist is reluctant to Baptize Jesus. He had just been preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” And now, Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John wants to prevent the Son in the flesh from proceeding into the depths of our sin for us. One man, son of the 1st Adam, unbelieving at this moment in time, needs to be changed by the very Word of God. Jesus answering said to him, “Suffer it to be so now: for thus it is becometh (fitting) us to fulfil all righteousness.” Then he (John) suffered Him. 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.”

Jesus, is encouraged by this Word from His Father because now, like He did when He wrestled with Jacob and suffered defeat to him, suffers for us. Descending in our waters of sin, death, and the devil, being made sin for us. In our Baptism we die to our sin and come up clean of all unrighteousness. But one sin always lingers for us…our unbelief. Satan constantly tempts us with “Did God actually say” and so we like Adam and Eve, question God’s Word. We question Jesus Christ’s propitiation for our sins. We question every Word God has spoken through His Son, Jesus Christ, and we refuse to “LISTEN”.

God teaches us why we should repent, second by second, is because our unbelief. This is the man sin after baptism that we struggle with. Why do we doubt? Jesus has said in Matthew 28:20

Matthew 28:20 NKJV

teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

He’s present with us, His Word is solid. The foundation for which hell cannot prevail against it. Jesus is this Word. He repents you in your Baptism. You do nothing but receive His gifts of repentance, belief, faith, hope, and love. Because you receive Jesus Christ, preached into your ear bulbs. Satan, Sin, and Death have no power over the living God. Jesus Christ is with you in the rightly preached Word and His Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Faith given to your ear bulbs, water plus His Word poured over you, and His Body and Blood given to you, all for the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Isaiah preaches Jesus Christ in his sermon in Isaiah 55:1-13

Isaiah 55:1–13 NKJV

“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you— The sure mercies of David. Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people, A leader and commander for the people. Surely you shall call a nation you do not know, And nations who do not know you shall run to you, Because of the Lord your God, And the Holy One of Israel; For He has glorified you.” Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. “For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills Shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; And it shall be to the Lord for a name, For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

Finishing comments

Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, takes our place. He lives the perfect life, with our sin imputed to Him, being put to death by us and the Father, finishing our race for us while uttering the Words of a Champion “It is finished!” He is buried, rests while taking His glory lap in Sheol, is raised in the Father and the Holy Spirit, has compassion to teach His called for 40 more days, and finally ascends so we can be filled and receive the Faith by the Holy Spirit. We can rejoice because there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. We recite the benediction of Numbers 6:24-26 because we do in fact have His peace!

Numbers 6:24–26 NKJV

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ’