The Baptism of Jesus

Matthew 3:16-17

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, 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 it is proper for us in this way to fulfil all righteousness.’ Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’ 

Dear Cooper:

Today in congregations of God’s Church all over the world we contemplate the Baptism of Jesus. Yes, you are being Baptized just as Jesus was Baptized before you. And as you have guessed by now, people have read these three verses from the Gospel of Matthew, and they have thought a lot about what Baptism is. And, everything they thought about Baptism lead them to ask questions about who Jesus is, and then what God is up to.

If we claim Baptism saves, we must ask: did Jesus need to be saved?

If we claim Baptism is to forgive sin, we must ask: did Jesus have sin?

If we claim Baptism imparts the Holy Spirit, we must ask: wasn’t Jesus one with the Holy Spirit?

Something clearly happens in Baptism. There is certainly an obedience thing going on and there is something related to fulfilling ‘all righteousness.’ Something happens in the water of Baptism, but something also happens in Heaven. Something happens in the human Baptized, but something also happens in God… we don’t know what it is, but it pleases Him.

This is Sunday, so we rest a bit today; I will pick up tomorrow in the blog where I left off yesterday. Today, maybe we can just stand in wonder, see the majesty, and listen in awe to our God who is doing so much to reveal His Love and redeem His people.

This how one man imagined it ... others ponder it differently - perhaps in God's silence about the details He leaves us to wonder ... and that leads us to Him?

t HE

Sunday, January 8, 2017