The Baptism of the Son of God

Introduction:

Connection:

Waters of Creation in Genesis—Waters of Judgment in Noah—Waters of Salvation in Moses. Water is very important in the Bible! It symbolizes both the judgment and salvation of God. It symbolizes the Kingdom of God in the reign of King Jesus. It symbolizes the mercy and justice of our Lord and Saviour. Water makes another appearance in the Gospel of Matthew—and this time it falls on the One who is Master of the Seas. This time we see Waters of New Creation in Jesus.

Theme:

The Baptism of the Son of God

Need:

We need someone to bear the waters of God’s judgment, and to grant us newness of life—we need to be brought back into the delightful life of the Trinity. We need peace with God—and we need communion with God. In Jesus we find both! In Christ we find new creation, in His eternal Kingdom.

Purpose:

The comfort the saints in the fulfillment of all righteousness by Jesus Christ and how his baptism proves his saving work for sinners—to leave the saints in awe at the glory of the fellowship of the Trinity—and to exhort the saints to serve God in his Kingdom purposes in the Son.

Recap:

Last Sabbath we had the privilege of hearing about the preaching and ministry of John the Baptist, the Elijah and Forerunner of the Lord Jesus, who preached repentance and the present Kingdom of heaven—who administered baptism and foretold of the Spirit baptism of Christ—who heralded both the judgment to come, and the salvation to be found in Jesus. And here, most unexpectantly, Jesus appears for the beginning of his public ministry around the age of 30.

And so we shall see that the Master of the Seas comes under the Waters of Baptism! Why? That is our question this morning. This is a powerful text, in God’s perfect timing, as we had the privilege of witnesses two baptisms this morning with Eric and Brooke. God is good in working all things together according to the counsel of his will.

Open your Bibles to:

Matt. 3:13-17 ESV

PRAY - PRAY - PRAY - PRAY - PRAY - PRAY - PRAY - PRAY

(1) The Baptism of Jesus Proves He is the Savior of Sinners - v. 13-15.

Matthew 3:13–15 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.

(1) The Baptism of Jesus Proves He is the Savior of Sinners - v. 13-15.

As John the Baptist was baptizing repentant sinners, he had two guests. The first were the Pharisees and Sadducees, the legalists and hypocrites. He rebuked them sharply, as we saw last week. Their repentance was false. Baptist is for those who repent, and bear fruit in keeping with repentance. But here is another guest at the Jordan River, but this time it is the Master of the Seas—the divine Son of God—and John is taken back! He doesn’t rebuke Jesus, but he is extremely confused! This is a baptism of repentance, Jesus, you are sinless, you are Immanuel, you are the Holy One of Israel, you are the Righteous One! Why would I baptize you? you need to baptize me!

Carson: Earlier John had difficulty baptizing the Pharisees and Sadducees because they were not worthy of his baptism. Now he has trouble baptizing Jesus because his baptism is not worthy of Jesus.

But Jesus persists—not confessing his own sins, because he had done—but because he is stepping on to the scene of his public ministry as the Savior of Sinners. He goes through the waters of baptism, not to be washed from his sins—but to show that He is the one who washes sins away—to show that His death, burial, and resurrection is what brings salvation and eternal life! He goes through the waters of Baptism because He identifies with His people, for he was born to save His people from their sins. All that water baptism points to—finds its fulfillment in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And so Jesus says: “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness!” (v. 15).

Jesus came to fulfill the law, to obey the Father, to live the righteous life, to keep the commandments, and to be obedient even to death on a cross—whereby we find redemption, the forgiveness of our sins! If Jesus didn’t go through the waters of Baptism, then he wouldn’t have been identified as the Savior of sinners, and he wouldn’t have been publically anointed as the Christ, the prophet, priest, and king—the Mediator of God’s people. And so the Master of the Seas goes through the Waters of Baptism to prove that He is the Savior of Sinners. As the prophet foretold so long ago:

Isaiah 53:10–11 ESV

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

And so it was necessary, to fulfill prophecy, and to fulfill all righteousness—obeying the precept of the Law, and suffering the penalty of the Law—so that in Him we could be freed from the rigor and curse of the Law—Gospel grace, freedom, life, and peace.

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Jesus fulfills all righteousness, and takes our sin upon Him—so that in Him we could be forgiven of all our sins, and clothed in His righteousness! The great exchange for all who repent and believe!

Throw your sins upon him, and he will throw his righteousness upon you! Throw your lust, your addiction, your hatred, your bitterness, your grumbling, your impurity, your idolatry, your strife, your drunkeness, your selfishness, your falsehood, your moralism, your lying tongue, your love of money, your unbelief, and your many iniquities—throw them upon Jesus; he will forgive and cleanse you, wash and redeem you, restore and save you—and he will clothe you with his perfect obedience, his fulfilling of all righteousness—so that you become right with God by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

Our baptism has significance—because Christ’s baptism led him to the Cross of Calvary & the Crown of Zion. And in Him we have died, and risen again with Him, to reign forever and ever, world without end!

This baptism shows that Jesus is the promised Redeemer-King who is bringing the Kingdom of Heaven, lavishing his people with grace upon grace, as the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world! These waters reveal the mission of Jesus.

France: The most obvious way in which Jesus’ baptism prepares for his mission is by indicating his solidarity with John’s call to repentance in view of the arrival of God’s kingship. By first identifying with John’s proclamation Jesus lays the foundation for his own mission to take on where John has left off. Further, as Jesus is baptized along with others at the Jordan, he is identified with all those who by accepting John’s baptism have declared their desire for a new beginning with God. He thus prepares for his own role in “bearing their weaknesses” (8:17) and eventually “giving his life as a ransom for many” (20:28) through shedding his blood for their forgiveness (26:28). If he is to be their representative, he must first be identified with them [as the Savior of Sinners].

These waters signify that He was the one who would bear our sins, die for our salvation, and rise to new creation life in resurrection power! By grace we are saved!

(1) The Baptism of Jesus Proves He is the Savior of Sinners - v. 13-15.

But not only do these waters prove his Saving Grace—but also His Kingly Sonship:

(2) The Baptism of Jesus Proves He is the Spirit Anointed Son - v.16-17.

Matthew 3:16–17 ESV

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.”

(2) The Baptism of Jesus Proves He is the Spirit Anointed Son - v.16-17.

Our Jesus isn’t just our Savior—he’s also our Lord! Our Jesus isn’t just our Redeemer—he’s also our King. And here we come to his public anointed in the Spirit, his being set apart to the office of Christ, of Messiah, of Mediator—as the Son of God. Here we see the Trinity at the waters of Baptism—because our Gospel is a Trinitarian Gospel; salvation by the Father, in the Son, and by the Spirit!

Ryle: We are told about the presence of all three persons of the blessed Trinity. God the Son, revealed in the body, is baptized; God the Spirit descends like a dove, and rests upon him; God the Father speaks from heaven with a voice. In a word, we have the presence of Father, Son and Holy Spirit revealed. We may regard this as a public announcement that the work of Christ was the result of the eternal wills of all three persons of the blessed Trinity. It was the whole Trinity which, at the beginning of the creation, said, “Let us make man” (Genesis 1:26); it was the whole Trinity again which, at the beginning of the Gospel, seemed to say, “Let us save man.”

And so here we see the Father anointing the Son as King of Zion, of the Church of Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit. Just as the dove came to Noah as the waters of judgment subsided, and a new creation was revealed—so too in Jesus the Spirit descends as a dove to show that in Him we are made new creations as we are born again the Spirit of Peace!

The Kingdom of heaven has arrived, because the Prince of Peace has been anointed, and in his resurrection He took his seat on the throne of David at the right hand of the Father, with all authority in heaven and on earth! The OT prophecies this anointed Son and King, who would also be the Suffering Servant, that would bring the Kingdom of Heaven in his life, death, and resurrection:

Psalm 2:6–7 ESV

“As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.

Isaiah 42:1 ESV

Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.

Acts 2:34–36 ESV

For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’ Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Know for certain, Calvary Bible Church, that God anointed his Son as King in the waters of Baptism, and he took his seat on the Throne in his resurrection. The Kingdom of Heaven has arrived in the Christ, the Son of the living God! And all who repent, and believe enter his Kingdom of grace—which is displayed in their following through the waters of Baptism like Jesus did in the Jordan so long ago. Are you a citizen of his kingdom by being born again? Your baptism is a sign that you are in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ—if you have the Spirit of Christ, you belong to the Kingdom of Christ.

But the Father didn’t just anoint the Son of God with the Spirit to be the King, he also declared with a voice from heaven that this was his beloved Son, with whom He is well pleased! And if we belong to Jesus, if we are united to Christ, which is pictured in our water baptism—then we can know that the Father is well pleased with us, for Christ’s sake! In Him we are made worthy!

Gill: The Father was both well pleased in him as his Son, and delighted in him as his Servant-King, Isa. 42:1; he was pleased with his taking of human nature; with his whole obedience to the law; and with his bearing the penalty and curse of it, in the room and place of his people: he was well pleased with and for his righteousness, sacrifice and atonement; whereby his law was fulfilled, and his justice satisfied. God is not only well pleased in, and with his Son, but with all his people, as considered in him; in Christ he loves them, takes delight in them, is peaceful towards them, and graciously accepts them in the Beloved.

Do you know the saving power of the blood? Have you tasted the sweet love of God in Jesus Christ? Have you been cleansed and accepted through repentance and faith? Have you been plunged beneath the fountain of life? Is Jesus your Savior? Is Jesus your King? Then know this day, that you are His Beloved Child. Just as Jesus was anointed by the Spirit, so to have we received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry, Abba Father (Rom. 8).

Romans 8:31–32 ESV

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Just as Matthew has shown us that Jesus is the true Son and Israel of God, the true Moses and Redeemer—who was called out of Egypt, so now he goes through the waters of the Red Sea, passing safely through to the other side, bringing his people out of slavery, as he is leading them to the promised land of the eternal Kingdom. Jesus already passed through the Red Sea, and by his red and bloody cross, we find safety to walk through God’s wrath on level ground—with no fear of the waters crushing us—for they will only crush the enemies of God who don’t follow Jesus through to the other side!

Acts 2:37–38 ESV

Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

And so we sing with great joy for the redemption that is in our Passover Lamb!

Revelation 5:8–10 ESV

And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

(2) The Baptism of Jesus Proves He is the Spirit Anointed Son - v.16-17.

And so in the Savior of sinners, and in the Son of God—hear now our conclusion for this morning:

(C) The Baptism of Jesus Proves He is the Saviour and Son of God in the Spirit—So Trust in Him for Salvation from Judgment.

In the waters of baptism, we confess to be washed by the blood—as we profess to put our only hope in Jesus Christ, the Savior of sinners, and the Son of God:

Hebrews 10:19–23 ESV

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

Hear these lyrics from one of Spurgeon’s old hymns on Baptism:

Come ye who bow to sovereign grace, record Immanuel’s love; join in a song of noble praise, to Him who reigns above.

Once in the gloomy grave He lay, but by His rising power, he bore the gates of death away: hail mighty conqueror!

Buried with Him beneath this flood, we glory in His death: we own our great incarnate God, and rise with Him by faith!

As saints of old confessed His name, in Jordan’s flowing ride, so we adore the stricken Lamb, renouncing all beside!

No trust in water do we place, tis but an outward sign; the great reality is grace, the fountain blood divine!

Are you trusting in Christ alone and his sovereign grace for salvation from sin, death, and judgment? Have you been cleansed by the blood divine? Have you professed that in the waters of baptism? Then take heart, dear ones—The Master of the Seas passed safely through the Waters of Judgment, and He is alive forevermore! In Him, in the Victorious Son of God, you stand complete, accepted in the Beloved.

(C) The Baptism of Jesus Proves He is the Saviour and Son of God in the Spirit—So Trust in Him for Salvation from Judgment.

Amen? Let’s pray.

Discussion Questions:

(1) Why did John initially resist Baptizing Jesus Christ? And why did he eventually consent to it?

(2) What does it means that Jesus will fulfill all righteousness as the Savior of sinners? How does his Baptism symbolize this?

(3) What does it mean that Jesus is the Spirit Anointed Son of God in whom the Father is well pleased?

(4) How does our union with Christ make us sons of God in the Spirit? And how does this impact our Christian identity and life?

(5) If we are in Christ, and the Father is pleased with the Son, then does that mean that God is pleased with us? How can this be?