JESUS OF NAZARETH: HIS BAPTISM

Intro.
1. Luke 2:49-52 - 18 yrs. passed by in Jesus' life in almost total silence.
2. But now, the last carpenter's contract is completed, his tools are put away, & at the age of 30 (Lk. 3:23) He sets His face toward the work of human redemption His heavenly Father had given Him.
  a. Lk. 2:49 - "I must be about my Father's business."
  b. Matt. 3:13 - Voluntarily begins that business.
3. Matt. 3:13-17 - From His baptism, we not only learn the events surrounding it, but also its purposes & some practical lessons for each of us.

I. THE EVENTS OF JESUS' BAPTISM - Matt. 3:1-17.
  A. News Of John's Preaching Must Have Reached Jesus' Ears.
  1. v. 1-2 - Message: Repent because the kingdom (rule) of heaven was at hand (Kingdom of Jehovah & His Messiah - Psa. 2).
  2. v. 3-4 - Appointed by God.
  3. v. 5-12 - Purpose of his baptism: Baptism of repentance unto remission of sins - Lk. 3:3 (Acts 19:4; Mk. 1:4).
  4. v. 13 - Jesus goes to John to be baptized.
  B. John's Reply - v. 14.
  -Hesitates at the contradictory scene.
  C. Jesus' Request Honored By John - v. 15.
  D. Events At Jesus' Baptism - v. 16-17.
  1. Heaven opened - Holy Spirit as a dove came upon Him.
  2. Voice of approval from heaven.
 
II. WHY WAS JESUS BAPTIZED BY JOHN?
  A. Consider Some Things For Which He Was Not Baptized:
  1. Not for remission of sins - Heb. 4:15; 1 Pet. 2:22.
  2. Not to “ordain” Him into His priestly office - Heb. 5:5-6.
  3. Why was He baptized?
  B. To Fulfill All Righteousness - Matt. 3:15.
  1. Lk. 3:2-3 - Inasmuch as God had authorized John to preach & baptize (Jno. 1:33) -- Submission to John's baptism was an essential item in doing the Father’s will.
  a. Matt. 21:25 - Very reason for His compliance!
  b. Psa. 40:7-8 - Reason He came was to do the Father’s will.
  2. Consequences if He had not submitted to John's baptism:
  a. Omitted obeying a positive command of God (Jas. 4:17).
  b. Have thus sinned & forfeited His role as Messiah!
  c. Lk. 7:30 - Would have been aligned w/ religious hypocrites of His day!
  C. It Occasioned His Anointing With The Holy Spirit - Matt. 3:16-17; Acts 10:38.
  1. cf. Messiah - Isa. 42:1; 61:1-2 (Lk. 4:18ff).
  2. With baptism, Jesus enters His work w/ heavenly endorsements (Holy Spirit; Voice of the Father)!
  D. To Manifest Himself To Israel - Jno. 1:31-34.
  1. v. 32-33 - Enabled John to identify Him.
  2. v. 34 - To then bear witness of Him to Israel.

III. LESSONS FROM CHRIST'S BAPTISM.
  A. Obedience Before Convenience - Matt. 3:13.
  1. Nazareth to Judea (3:1) - Approx. 60 miles.
  2. cf. Argument against immersion Þ “It is inconvenient!”
  3. Acts 24:25 - Faith acts out of conviction, not convenience.
  B. What Baptism Is Þ Immersion - Mk. 1:10.
  1. Necessarily implies He went down into water.
  2. Consider these points against sprinkling/pouring:
  a. Went to the water, instead of having water brought to Him.
  b. He went to "much" water (Jno. 3:23).
  C. The Necessity Of Baptism - cf. Matt. 3:15.
  1. Jesus viewed it as a necessary part of righteousness!
  2. Two aspects of baptism to notice here:
  a. Remission of sins - Mk. 1:4; Acts 2:38.
  b. Act of obedience to a positive command of God - Mk. 16:16; Acts 10:48.
  3. We must see its necessity & see that failure to do so results in remaining in sin!
  D. Baptism Provides a New Beginning.
  1. Jesus - His baptism signaled a new part of His life - Mission as Messiah.
  2. Believers - New life in Christ - Jno. 3:3, 5; Gal. 3:27; 2 Cor. 5:17.
  3. Must live like new creatures! - Rom. 12:1-2
  E. The Importance Of Obedience.
  1. Jesus based His baptism upon this principle - Matt. 3:15.
  2. Matt. 7:21; Heb. 5:9 - Without obedience, we only give lip-service to God!

Conclusion
1. Jno. 3:26-30- With His baptism, the "increase" of Jesus' visibility & activity began.
2. From it, we must learn the importance of dutiful obedience & the emphasis of right conduct in our lives.