The King Revealed

The Baptism That Revealed the Savior

Text: Gospel of Matthew 3:13–17

Big Idea

At the baptism of Jesus, the Triune God reveals the Son and inaugurates His mission as the Savior who stands in the place of sinners.

I. The Sinless King Stands With Sinner

Matthew 3:13–15

“Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” — Matt. 3:15

The Problem John Recognizes

John immediately protests:

“I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” — Matt. 3:14

John’s baptism was explicitly:

A baptism of repentance — Matt. 3:11

Everyone entering the water was confessing their sin.

Yet the only person who had no sin walks into the same water.

Scripture affirms Christ’s sinlessness:

Heb. 4:15 — “yet without sin”

“To Fulfill All Righteousness”

In Matthew, righteousness refers to doing the will of God.

Supporting passages:

Matt. 5:6 — hunger and thirst for righteousness

Matt. 5:20 — righteousness exceeding the Pharisees

Matt. 6:33 — seek first the kingdom and His righteousness

Jesus’ baptism marks the beginning of His perfect obedience.

Where Adam failed and Israel failed, Christ obeys.

Identification With Sinners

Jesus enters the waters not because He needs cleansing, but because He came to stand in the place of sinners.

Old Testament anticipation:

Isa. 53:12 — “He was numbered with the transgressors”

New Testament fulfillment:

2 Cor. 5:21 — “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin”

At the Jordan River:

The sinless one stands where sinners stand.

This moment already points forward to the cross.

Priestly Inauguration Echo

Old Testament priests were washed before entering ministry.

Exodus 29:4 “You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and wash them with water.”

Leviticus 8:6 “And Moses brought Aaron and his sons and washed them with water.”

Jesus’ baptism mirrors elements of priestly consecration:

Priestly Ordination

Jesus’ Baptism

Washing with water

Baptism in the Jordan

Anointing with oil

Spirit descends

Public consecration

Father speaks

This aligns with Christ’s later identity as our High Priest:

Hebrews 4:14–15 “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.”

Hebrews 7:26–27 “For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.”

The Gospel Pattern Begins Here

At the Jordan:

Jesus stands among sinners.

At the cross:

Jesus dies for sinners.

Jordan

Jesus stands with sinners

Sinless among the guilty

Cross

Jesus dies for sinners

Sinless condemned as guilty

The baptism begins the work that will culminate at Golgotha.

II. The Triune God Reveals the Savior

Matthew 3:16–17

At the baptism all three persons of the Trinity are present simultaneously.

The Son

Jesus stands in the water.

The Spirit

“He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him.” — Matt. 3:16

The Father

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” — Matt. 3:17

This passage dismantles modalism.

Not one person playing different roles.

But three persons acting simultaneously:

The Father speaks

The Spirit descends

The Son obeys

Yet Scripture affirms one divine identity.

Later confirmed in the baptismal command:

Matt. 28:19 — “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”

One name, three persons.

The Roles of the Trinity in Redemption

Though sharing one will, Scripture often describes distinct roles:

Father- Decrees and sends

Son- Accomplishes redemption

Spirit- Applies redemption

Examples:

John 6:38–40 — Son doing the Father’s will

John 14:26 — Spirit sent to teach and remind

Eph. 1:3–14 — Father elects, Son redeems, Spirit seals

The Trinity is not abstract theology—it is the God who saves us.

III. The Beginning of the New Creation

Matthew 3:16

Matthew intentionally echoes the language of creation.

Comparison with Genesis:

Creation

Waters present

Spirit hovering

God speaks

Baptism of Jesus

Jordan River

Spirit descending

Father speaks

Genesis 1:2–3 “The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.”

New Testament fulfillment:

John 1:1–3 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

Jesus entering the water marks the beginning of God’s restoration project.

IV. The Father Declares the Messiah

Matthew 3:17

The Father’s words combine two Old Testament passages.

Psalm 2:7 — The Messianic King

“You are my Son”

Royal coronation language.

Isaiah 42:1 — The Suffering Servant

“My servant… in whom my soul delights”

This reveals the nature of Jesus’ mission.

The Messiah will reign.

But He will reign through suffering.

The Identity Satan Attacks

Immediately after the baptism:

Matt. 4:1 — Jesus led by the Spirit into the wilderness

Satan’s temptation targets the Father’s declaration:

Matt. 4:3 — “If you are the Son of God…”

Matt. 4:6 — “If you are the Son of God…”

The question becomes:

Will the Son trust the Father’s word?

Where Adam failed and Israel failed, Christ obeys.

V. Christ’s Baptism and Our Baptism

Jesus’ baptism is unique.

Never again will:

the Father audibly speak from heaven

the Spirit visibly descend

the Son of God be baptized

But Christian baptism points back to this moment.

Key passage:

Rom. 6:3–4 — buried with Christ in baptism and raised to new life

Comparison:

Jesus’ Baptism

Sinless one stands with sinners

Beginning of His mission

He enters the water humbly

Christian Baptism

Sinners united with Christ

Sign of salvation accomplished

We rise in new life

Conclusion: The Savior Who Stands in Our Place

At the Jordan River:

Jesus stands among sinners.

At the cross:

Jesus dies for sinners.

Isa. 53:12 — numbered with transgressors

Matt. 27:46 — “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

And because of that work, believers are baptized:

Matt. 28:19 — into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

You could land the sermon like this:

At the Jordan River the sinless Son of God stepped into the water with sinners.

At the cross that same Son stepped into judgment for sinners.

And now in baptism sinners are united to Christ and welcomed into the family of the Triune God.