Jesus is Baptized
Notes
Transcript
The Baptism of Jesus!
The Baptism of Jesus!
Today we are are going to look at Jesus Baptism. This is a passage that if you have been in a Baptist church for quick minute you have heard before. I hope that we can some new light to a familiar passage.
I don’t know the exact day that I committed my life to Christ. I know where I was and I know what happened but I don’t know an exact day. That may be your experience.
Others may have a written in their bible or in some other fashion some very exact details for their salvation.
For me salvation came at a time in my life that I was a mess, I lived in chaos. I didn’t have beacon/mentor/a guide in my life to literally show me the way.
I had come to the conclusion after some failures in my life that I needed to change.
Because of my upbringing I knew there was a God, I knew there was a Jesus. What I didn’t know is that I could ask for and receive a personal relationship with Jesus and God. Wow!! that was certainly eye opening and life changing.
Jill grew up in church, had a relationship with Christ at an early age. Both of us, at least at our foundation were at the same point. I look back and realize how rough around the edges I was. At least I’ve rounded some of those edges out...
I turned my life over to Jesus in a pretty great Baptist church…with a great Pastor and wonderful deacons.
I commited to being baptised. It was a tough 6 month journey.
I was raised Roman Catholic and had been baptised as a baby.
Our Pastor at the time, was so gentle and explained over and over the meaning of baptism, the symbolism of baptism.
I started going to Bible study on Wednesday nights.
One of the very first sessions was our passage for today.
One of the very first sessions was our passage for today.
Open your bible to the Gospel of Matthew. It is the first book in New Testament. Matthew Chapter 3.13.
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.
Galilee is about 70 miles from the Jordan… This was a hike.
I wonder what compelled Jesus to walk, ride, make provisions to go 70 miles? For us an hour. For Jesus, maybe three days or so.
Jesus was sensitive to leading of His Father.
Principle One - God had a plan
Jesus, although existed with God, was not equal to God. When Jesus came to earth in human form, he was delivered exactly as it was exactly as the Prophets had said for hundreds of years. He was delivered and placed where he was by his Father, God.
We know why Jesus came… to seek and save the lost
We are placed in situations, sometimes we think we are over our heads… but we can call on God to give us strength and courage that will see us through.
We are placed in situations, sometimes we think we are over our heads… but we can call on God to give us strength and courage that will see us through.
God and Christ had a plan…it was not be like a bull in a china shop. He brought his message while hanging our with tax collector, prostitutes, fisherman, carpenters and really the worst that his community could come up with. We’ve lost that zeal…that desire to hangout and especially to hangout with “icky” people.
God’s plan, to seek and save the lost...includes bringing the nuts and bolts of the Gospel to each and ever person. Just like the Wise Men brought the Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh to Christ. God’s offer of salvation is contingent upon us
Acknowledging that Jesus is King and worthy of the Gold
That in the same way that Frankincense is EXTREMELY costly. The cost/debt was paid on the shoulders of Jesus at Calvary. The debt has been paid in FULL!
Myrrh was used during the burial process… an unusual gift for a baby. But its not for Jesus.
We must be in awe and praise God for the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. THANK YOU GOD!!! Thank you God, our future rests on the Resurrection of Jesus
Principle Two - John Made Provisions
14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
John, the Baptist, different that the Apostle John.
He said… stop this Jesus, I’m the one who needs baptising.
The continuous protesting is found in the Greek word de-a-co-leo, translated “deter” or “prevent” in our text. The tense of this word means continuous action. It says John repeatedly protested to Christ about the baptism.
Analytical Bible Expositor: Matthew 2. The Protesting about the Baptism (Matthew 3:14)
The continuousness or persistency of the protesting is found in the word translated “forbad” in our text. The tense of this word means continuous action. It says John repeatedly protested to Christ about the baptism. Opposition to the work of God often is very persistent
Why would he protest so loudly?? John believed that he was not worthy to baptize the Messiah.
Love love to walk people through the process of baptism. I love hearing their excitement, their questions, their seriousness about baptism.
I don’t know that I could catch my breath long enough to baptise Jesus!
John was baptising any number of people when Jesus showed up. John was baptising in the only way that he knew.
3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
John knew that Christ did not need to repent of anything.
Christ was sinless so why should He be baptized in a “baptism of repentance?”
Analytical Bible Expositor: Matthew 2. The Protesting about the Baptism (Matthew 3:14)
John did not perceive that Christ needed to repent of anything, and he was correct. Christ was sinless so why should He be baptized in a “baptism of repentance.” John’s protest was a good testimony of the character of Jesus Christ. What sanctioned the baptism was that though the mode was the same, the meaning was different than the baptism of repentance
What made the difference was that the water was same, the meaning was different than the baptism of repentance. Christ tells us why he was baptised in V. 15
Principle Three - Christ Had Purpose
15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.
Take a look at the verse… “it is proper for US...” Baptism has immense value for the person being baptised and for the person baptising.
“To fulfill all righteousness...” means to complete everything that forms part of a relationship of obedience to God.
In so doing, Jesus identifies with and endorses John’s ministry as divinely ordained and his message as one to be heeded.
The New American Commentary: Matthew 2. John and Jesus: The Messiah’s Baptism (3:13–17)
To fulfill all righteousness” means to complete everything that forms part of a relationship of obedience to God. In so doing, Jesus identifies with and endorses John’s ministry as divinely ordained and his message as one to be heeded.
Christ’s purpose was NOT to bring glory to Himself…but to bring Glory to God
The purpose of this baptism, the one we as baptists celebrate is to demonstrate for the world. We recognize that Jesus died, was buried and rose again and we are redeemed because of what Jesus did. AMEN!!!
That’s what your baptism stands for. And you want the WORLD to know that you are a baptised follower of Jesus Christ.
Jesus Baptism was unique…He was baptised by John, inaugurating
His earthly ministry
His unique ministry
His world changing ministry
16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.
Christ’s purpose was to show the world…that he was God’s BELOVED son.
When John baptised, the people (Men and Women) would frequently stay in the water…confessing their sin and receiving forgiveness.
Jesus did NOT need to do that, he came directly out of the water.
The very most important thing happened after the Baptism
“The Spirit of God...” The Holy Spirit...
descended like a dove and sat on Jesus… Not a real dove but the appearance of one
The Holy Spirit came from heaven and a super natural sound in the voice of God.
For John… This occurrence was very important to John the Baptist, for it signified absolutely that he had just baptized the Christ, the Messiah, the promised one.
33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
We generally take the Spirit’s coming for granted. If you are a follower of Jesus, if you have committed your life to him, you have the Holy Spirit… ALL of HIM! You received 100% of the Spirit when you accepted Christ into your life....
John knew many things about Christ before he met Him face to face—he obviously knew about His sinlessness, for he protested His baptism, but absolute confirmation for John of Who the Messiah was came in the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Christ in plain view of John at the baptism of Christ.
John said, “He that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost” (). John knew many things about Christ before he met Him face to face—he obviously knew about His sinlessness, for he protested His baptism, but absolute confirmation for John of Who the Messiah was came in the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Christ in plain view of John at the baptism of Christ.
John G. Butler, Analytical Bible Expositor: Matthew (Clinton, IA: LBC Publications, 2008), 50.
16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.
The “Spirit of God” descended like a dove...
Why a dove??? The dove gave a good message about Christ. The dove speaks for the purity and good character of Jesus.
At times the dove, motif works
16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
The dove was also used as a SACRIFICE in the Old Testament, this is a fine foreshadowing of the sacrifice that Jesus was one day suffer.
17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
The passion for Christ by God was very great. No love is so great. That this love for Christ was so great is found in both the word translated “love” and in the fact that the definite article is before the word.
The passion for Christ by God was very great. No love is so great. That this love for Christ was so great is found in both the word translated “beloved” and in the fact that the definite article is before the word. First, the word translated “beloved” is from the root word “agape” which is the Greek word for the highest form of love. Second, the definite article in the Greek before the word “beloved” means THE beloved which shows that Christ is the Special One in God’s eyes. The love of God for Christ shows the enormity of the sin of rejecting Christ. It also reminds us that which heaven adores and loves is often not what man adores and loves.
First, the word translated “love” is from the root word “agape” which is the highest form of love.
Second, the definite article in the Greek before the word “loved” means THE loved which shows that Christ is the Special One in God’s eyes.
Analytical Bible Expositor: Matthew 6. The Proclamation after the Baptism (Matthew 3:17)
The passion for Christ by God was very great. No love is so great. That this love for Christ was so great is found in both the word translated “beloved” and in the fact that the definite article is before the word. First, the word translated “beloved” is from the root word “agape” which is the Greek word for the highest form of love. Second, the definite article in the Greek before the word “beloved” means THE beloved which shows that Christ is the Special One in God’s eyes. The love of God for Christ shows the enormity of the sin of rejecting Christ. It also reminds us that which heaven adores and loves is often not what man adores and loves.
The love of God for Christ shows the enormity of the sin of rejecting Christ.
There are other scriptures that talk about this baptism.
Mark 1
9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.
11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
The Luke passage gives us a bit more information
21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened
22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
All three are pretty consistent and have all of the elements of the others.
I want to get back to my story...
I was living in Minneapolis after high school and before college. I have recognized several instances in which someone tried to reach me with the Gospel.
One of those instances was while I was waiting for bus at Lake St. and Chicago Ave.
I had an encounter with a man…who looked a lot like John the Baptist. Pretty ragged, maybe didn’t smell so good, But he had good eyes. I could see something different about him.
He engaged me in a conversation...
“Have you been born again he asked...”
“I looked at him and said, how can I be born again I have already been born.”
I had, no, none, zero knowledge about scripture. I had never opened a bible in my life. I paraphrased this passage
4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.
6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’
That encounter has stuck with for 40 years. I missed the Savior that time and the 3 other times that he had tapped me on the shoulder, that I know of.
By the 4th time around… I got it!!
For a little context Nicodemus is speaking with Jesus. Nicodemus was a pharisee that Jesus was reaching out to with the truth about him. Nicodemus acknowledged that Jesus was doing great signs and wonders.
Let’s look at V.5
5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.
5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan.
Authentic baptism is a combination of the work of the gracious acting God, His Spirit and the believing human.
It is this combination that makes baptism a spiritual reality. It is not a mere human activity
The New American Commentary: John 1–11 (1) The Story of Nicodemus (3:1–10)
Authentic baptism is a combination of the work of the gracious acting God and the believing human. It is this combination that makes baptism a spiritual reality. It is not a mere human activity (such as the ceremony of a priest who believes that the act works automatically or the activity of a person who thinks that human confessing or witness is all that is involved).82 Salvation is always a matter of the interaction between God and the human being. It is this interaction that creates a tension in our Christian lives and in our theological formulations.83
Believe in God, that’s for yourself. Get Baptized to show the world. Your family, friends, neighbors and anyone else that will listen.
That you are a follower of God and you want the world to know.
Jesus introduced himself to the world through water baptism. NOT because he had to … But because he had to.
I want to re-read the scripture for today and I’d like you to stand if you can while I do it. We need to read scripture, out loud in our services.
Mt 3.
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.
14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.
16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.
17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
Please be seated
Joe come and lead us...
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If you are interested in having a discussion about baptism, I would certainly make the time to do that. Talk to me as you leave or give me a call.