Jesus Seeks Baptism

Today, we want to receive a bit more on the baptism of Jesus and the manifestation of the Holy Spirit coming and lighting on Jesus. There are many questions being asked and many thoughts that may be running through our minds.

We set the stage for this discourse by listening to John the Baptist, as he speaks to his disciples and hearers, about Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Matthew 3: 11. From what John has been telling his disciples and followers, we are clear about two important facts and two vital differences between himself and his younger cousin, Jesus. For one thing, he places himself way below Jesus in divine, authoritative standing. He says that Jesus is, more powerful than I. He is honest and boldly open with the fact that, as much as people follow him and praise him for his works in the Lord, Jesus, the Person who is coming after him, is so much higher that says John, his very sandals, I am not fit to carry. Jesus, is given honour, might, glory and merit by John.

You can well understand how John must have felt, when he saw Jesus coming to him to be baptized. We are told that John tried to deter him saying, I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me? Matthew 3: 14. Does this not remind you of Peter and Jesus, when he held Jesus in such high esteem and honour that he tried to deter Jesus from washing his feet? Although on opposite sides, the sentiments are the same. This is what I mean. On one hand Jesus wants to be a servant of the lowest order to His dear friend Peter. As far as Peter is concerned, he should be the one to wash his Lord’s feet, not the other way around. On the other hand, Jesus wants His dear cousin, John, to baptize Him. As far as John is concerned, Jesus should be baptizing him, as Jesus is more powerful than he is.

In both cases, these men, who hold Jesus in high esteem, bow to Jesus’ wishes, as Jesus explained His mind and mission. We listen again to Jesus’ response to John, as was previously quoted. Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness. Then John consented. Matthew 3: 15b. We believe, by faith, that Jesus did the correct thing when He, a Person who never committed one single sin, came to the person who was baptizing sinners. Jesus was not going somewhere, when He happened upon John. No! Jesus deliberately, consciously and resolutely went to John, where John was baptizing people. Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. Matthew 3: 13. Jesus went specifically to be baptized.

Our faith allows us to know and believe that Father God was pleased with this move of Jesus. What proof do we have of this? We believe this to be so, because God confirmed Jesus’ actions by sending the Holy Spirit to come upon Jesus in visible form. John gives this testimony of the coming of the Holy Spirit on Jesus. I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. John 1: 32b – 33. God the Father, is not just pleased with His Son, but He shows His approval by confirming, supporting, encouraging and uniting wholly with Jesus in this move.

Have you ever spent time to ponder this? The One who is the baptizer, with the Holy Spirit, has the same Holy Spirit come down on Him, in the form of a dove, and remain on Him. God, the Father in heaven, chooses to baptize Jesus, the Son, with the Holy Spirit, in visible form, the form of a dove. Are you seeing? Are you hearing? Are you receiving? Are you still a bit intrigued about baptism?

We continue our discourse, tomorrow.