Jesus’ Baptism: Peace with God
Notes
Transcript
I. Introduction
I. Introduction
The Baptism of Jesus teaches us about Judgment, Peace, and Renewal. This is all discovered in account of Luke’s Gospel. Judgement is found in the John’s message to the people which leads them to received Baptism a ritual of being cleansed from sin. Both Peace and Renewal are both seen in the descension of the Dove upon Jesus and the in the Word spoken by the Father concerning His Son.
But for the sake of time, I only want to discuss the aspect of Peace that is communicated to us in Luke’s Account of Jesus Baptism; and in order to talk about Peace, I need to share with you an aspect of the Flood account that gives us a visual for what is taking place here at Jesus Baptism.
II. The Dove in at the Flood.
II. The Dove in at the Flood.
The Flood was God’s judgment upon the wicked and evil world because of its sin that He executed. The waters of the deep sprang forth and covered the earth, ridding it of all life and cleansing it of all evil in those days. However, God preserved a family, Noah’s family of 8, and safely delivered them into the new creation after the flood to give a new start to Humanity. As the jugdment of God is being delivered and the flood waters fill the earth, after the allotted period of time, Noah sent out a dove from the ark. It is this aspect of the story that I want to draw attention to in order to better understand what the Dove at Jesus’ Baptism represents.
8 Then he sent out a dove from him, to see if the water was abated from the face of the land; 9 but the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, so she returned to him into the ark, for the water was on the surface of all the earth. Then he put out his hand and took her, and brought her into the ark to himself. 10 So he waited yet another seven days; and again he sent out the dove from the ark. 11 The dove came to him toward evening, and behold, in her beak was a freshly picked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the water was abated from the earth.
The Sending of the Dove reveals three things:
The First sending of the Dove reveals that God’s judgment was still upon the earth.
The Second sending of the Dove reveals that God’s judgment was over and that peace has been made with God.
The Third sending of the Dove reveals that the renewal of the creation has been fulfilled and that Noah and his family may now enjoy new life upon the face of the earth.
Now let’s carry this knowledge with us into Jesus’ Baptism.
II. Jesus’ Baptism (Luke 3:21-22)
II. Jesus’ Baptism (Luke 3:21-22)
21 Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”
In the Gospel Lesson for today we are taken to Luke’s account of Jesus Baptism. In Luke’s account we are given a few specifics that are only found in His account.
Everyone has been Baptized when Jesus comes to be Baptized.
Jesus prays at his Baptism.
The Bodily form of the Holy Spirit was a Dove.
Again for the sake of time, I only want to dive into this last aspect of the bodily form of the Holy Spirit. Here is what we get when we couple the Flood account with Jesus’ Baptism concerning the Dove.
John had been Preaching about God’s Judgment upon sin and wickness.
He invites everyone to repent of their sins and partake in the ritual of baptism to cleanse themselves of their sin.
The People wonder if John has the authority to do this and ask if He is the Messiah.
John denies that He is the Messiah but informs the people that the Messiah is coming and He will remove their sin.
Jesus comes to the water, after the people, and partakes of this ritual along with the People. Not for the repentance of Sin but for the sake of the people to pick up their sin in order to carry their sins as the burden he takes to the cross to face the ultimate judgment for sin in the world. It is His redemptive acts that finally and fully make peace with God the Father so that God and Man can dwell together in peace again.
The Descension of the Dove upon Jesus offers us the image that Jesus will accomplish this peace and what He accomplishes is effective and approved by the Father. The Dove upon Jesus offers us the same message as the Dove at the Flood. That peace with God has been made and that renewal is now ready to take place and lived out through Jesus Christ who the Father is well pleased.
III. The Thing about Peace.
III. The Thing about Peace.
This peace that Jesus offers to those who are you united to Him in baptism, is a really big deal. You may not value peace as much as you should but let me help you get there by telling you that peace with God has been lost until Jesus. Peace is exactly what all of us need to enjoy the life that God intends for us to live.
Peace with God.
From the beginning when Sin enter the world through Adam, when He had once walked in the Garden with God, He was kicked out never to enter upon threat of death by the flaming swords of the Angels. Later God comes down to Israel in a glory cloud and dwelt among them in tents and later temples. But the place where the presence of God was, no man could enter upon threat of death by the swords of the Levites. Only once a year could atonement be made and only the high priest could enter under very specific instructions and even this didn’t guarantee that he would not die. Being with God was impossible for the people. They had to maintain their distance from His Holiness. Sin has cause this great chasm between the Holy God and his people. But Jesus comes and finds favor with His Father, is Filled with the Spirit of God, and makes peace between God and man once for all on the cross. The temple veil is torn and now Man and once again live in Peace with God and His presence is able to reside within His people never to experience death by the sword.
Peace from each other.
11 For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; 12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far) so that I may obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles.
The Baptism of Jesus reveals to us that through Him we have peace with God.
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
So when you read that a Dove descends upon Jesus at His baptism, I hope that it will remind you that as Jesus enters the cleansing waters and takes on the judgment of God upon sin, that the result is Peace with God.
Baptism is a ritual we partaken in so unite our lives with Jesus so that we can experience the peace He accomplished for us.
Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gift of baptism and the way it reveals Your judgment, peace, and renewal through Jesus Christ. Help us to live in the reality of our baptism, knowing that we have been cleansed from sin, reconciled to You, and empowered for new life by the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
