DUNCAN/Jesus’ baptism: To fulfill all righteousness

DUNCAN/Jesus’ baptism: To fulfill all righteousness

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Please turn in your Bible to Matthew chapter 3:13-17. As we read this passage we see that John the Baptist’s ministry is in full swing. And in the midst of his ministry, our Lord Jesus comes, and He presents Himself to John to be baptized. As a result, John the Baptist is shocked. In fact, John responds, “Lord, Jesus, I am preaching the baptism of repentance to prepare the way for the Lord and You are revealing Yourself to me as the One about whom I have been preaching. Why should I baptize You? You need to baptize Me.” This is a wonderful passage. And there are at least four things that we learn about our Lord Jesus Christ in these verses. First, we observe the humility of Christ. Secondly, we learn about the significance of Christ’s baptism. Thirdly, we observe the Father’s spiritual provision of the Son. Fourthly and finally, we see heaven’s declaration of Christ’s identity.

1. The Humility Of Christ. 

In verse 13, we observe the humility of Jesus Christ. In fact, the first public action of our Lord is to enter into humiliation. Though Jesus is without sin and though He is the one who knows no sin, He will take upon Himself the baptism of repentance. He humbles Himself before John, a godly man to be sure, but still a man and the servant of Christ. John himself sensed that it was somehow inappropriate for him to be baptizing the Lord Jesus, the Messiah and the Lamb of God, who would take away the sins of the world. But the Lord Jesus said, “No John, I will receive this baptism.” Jesus received baptism because He was following the way of His Father.  

My friends, it is important to note that though the world says that if you want to be successful, you must be prideful, you must be self-confident, and you must be assertive, the Lord Jesus says that  the way of glory is the way of humility. Perhaps the Lord has called you to significant ministry as He had called His Son. I not only warn you; I promise you if that is the case, He will cause you to walk in the way of humility. For the Lord has never used an arrogant servant. The Lord humbles His servant before His servant serves Him in the world. If the Lord is calling us to His service, whatever the vocation, He calls us to the way of humility. And our Lord and Savior is the great example of that truth. Our Lord is humble and so we should be too. 

II. The Significance Of Christ’s Baptism. 

In verse 15, we see the significance of Christ’s baptism. What does it mean that Christ was baptized for us? Did it mean that by receiving the baptism of repentance that Christ was repenting for us? No. How could Christ have repented? He never sinned. He forgives our sins by divine power, but He does not ask forgiveness Himself because He is perfect. In verse 15, Jesus says, “Permit it as this time, for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” What does it mean that He was to be baptized to fulfill all righteousness? There are at least four things that we learn about Jesus’ baptism from this passage. First, Jesus’ baptism was an affirmation of John the Baptist’s ministry. Secondly, His baptism serves to confirm the message of John which is that Jesus is the Savior who comes to take away the sins of the world. Thirdly, Jesus’s baptism is a sign of God’s approval of the Lord Jesus and it shows that God has anointed and appointed and equipped Him for ministry. Finally, this baptism fulfills all righteousness because it is a sign that Christ Himself is willing to take on the role as our Mediator. Jesus’ baptism was an act that He performed on our behalf as the Mediator of the covenant of grace. He did not need the baptism of repentance, but He did identify Himself with His people as the One who would be the sin-bearer and the One whose baptism, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, would bring renovation of our hearts and lives.

III. The Father’s Spiritual Provision Of The Son.

In verse 16, we also see the Father’s spiritual provision for the Son. After Jesus was baptized, the heavens were opened and He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and resting on Him. This, in and of itself, was symbolic of the fact that God Himself equipped the Lord Jesus in His humanity to be our Redeemer. It is an awesome thing, my friends, to remember that Christ in His humanity was dependent upon the Holy Spirit in His ministry. He was filled, like John, above measure with the Spirit, even though He was sinless, unlike John. And the very sending of the Spirit in this visible form reminds us that the Lord Jesus, before He served as God’s representative to His people, was Himself equipped by God. This reminds us of His constant dependence upon the Holy Spirit, and it reminds us that we are always dependent upon the Holy Spirit. As we minister to others, we must minister dependent upon the Holy Spirit because we cannot do it alone. 

IV. Heaven’s Declaration Of Christ’s Identity. 

In verse 17, we see the Father’s identification of the Son. The Father tells us from heaven what He thinks of the Son. God, the Father, says, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” For two thousand years, since the time of Abraham, we have been waiting to see the unveiling of the one who would be the deliverer of Israel. Finally, in fulfillment of Psalm 2 and Isaiah 7, the heavens opened at the baptism of Jesus and the Father’s voice is heard from heaven, and He says, “This is My Son.” The affection of the Father is poured out on this Son. As Paul says in Colossians 1, the Son is “the Son of His love.” We will never know to the bottom how much the Father loves the Son. 

My friends, if you have embraced the Lord Jesus Christ, the heavenly Father delights in you just like He delights in His Son. For we have become brothers and sisters in Christ if we are joined to Him. However, this passage also reminds us that we cannot be apathetic about Jesus Christ. If the Father says, “This is My Son,” then you only have two options.  You must reject Him or you must embrace Him. He is the only way to the Father. Let me ask you, “Have you embraced Him today?” Now is the day of salvation. May we embrace Jesus Christ as the One that God the Father has identified as His beloved Son, in whom He is well pleased.






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