THE BAPTISM
(Message by Tanny Keng)
0. Introduction
a) The baptism
(Place: Jordan River; Date: about A.D. 26)
i) 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.” (Matthew 3:13-17 NIV)
1. What is the text all about?
a) John had been explaining that Jesus' baptism would be greater than his, when suddenly Jesus came to him and asked to be baptized! John felt unqualified. He wanted Jesus to baptize him.
b) Why did Jesus ask to be baptized?
i) It was not for repentance for sin because Jesus never sinned. "To fulfill all righteousness" means to accomplish God's mission. Jesus saw his baptism as advancing God's work.
ii) Jesus was baptized because:
@1. he was confessing sin on behalf of the nation, as Nehemiah, Ezra, Moses and Daniel had done;
@2. he was showing support for what John was doing;
@3. he was inaugurating his public ministry;
@4. he was identifying with the penitent people of God, not with the critical Pharisees who were only watching. Jesus, the perfect man, didn't need baptism for sin, but he accepted baptism in obedient service to the Father, and God showed his approval.
c) Put yourself in John's shoes. Your work is going well, people are taking notice, everything is growing. But you know that the purpose of your work is to prepare the people for Jesus.
i) 35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” 37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. (John 1:35-37 NIV)
d) Then Jesus arrives, and his coming tests your integrity. Will you be able to turn your followers over to him? John passed the test by publicly baptizing Jesus. Soon he would say, "30 He must become greater; I must become less" (John 3:30 NIV). Can we, like John, put our egos and profitable work aside in order to point others to Jesus? Are we willing to lose some of our status so that everyone will benefit?
e) The doctrine of the Trinity means that God is three persons and yet one in essence. In this passage, all three persons of the Trinity are present and active. God the Father speaks; God the Son is baptized; God the Holy Spirit descends on Jesus. God is one, yet in three persons all the same time. This is one of God's incomprehensible mysteries.
i) 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19 NIV)
ii) 26 “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. (John 15:26 NIV)
iii) 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. (Ephesians 2:18 NIV)
2. Prayer focus
a) Pray that we are willing to put aside our egos and profitable work in order to point others to Jesus. Also to lose our status for the sake of everyone's benefit.
The End ...
0. Introductiona) The baptism
(Place: Jordan River; Date: about A.D. 26)
i) 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.” (Matthew 3:13-17 NIV)
1. What is the text all about?
a) John had been explaining that Jesus' baptism would be greater than his, when suddenly Jesus came to him and asked to be baptized! John felt unqualified. He wanted Jesus to baptize him.
b) Why did Jesus ask to be baptized?
i) It was not for repentance for sin because Jesus never sinned. "To fulfill all righteousness" means to accomplish God's mission. Jesus saw his baptism as advancing God's work.
ii) Jesus was baptized because:
@1. he was confessing sin on behalf of the nation, as Nehemiah, Ezra, Moses and Daniel had done;
@2. he was showing support for what John was doing;
@3. he was inaugurating his public ministry;
@4. he was identifying with the penitent people of God, not with the critical Pharisees who were only watching. Jesus, the perfect man, didn't need baptism for sin, but he accepted baptism in obedient service to the Father, and God showed his approval.
c) Put yourself in John's shoes. Your work is going well, people are taking notice, everything is growing. But you know that the purpose of your work is to prepare the people for Jesus.
i) 35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” 37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. (John 1:35-37 NIV)
d) Then Jesus arrives, and his coming tests your integrity. Will you be able to turn your followers over to him? John passed the test by publicly baptizing Jesus. Soon he would say, "30 He must become greater; I must become less" (John 3:30 NIV). Can we, like John, put our egos and profitable work aside in order to point others to Jesus? Are we willing to lose some of our status so that everyone will benefit?
e) The doctrine of the Trinity means that God is three persons and yet one in essence. In this passage, all three persons of the Trinity are present and active. God the Father speaks; God the Son is baptized; God the Holy Spirit descends on Jesus. God is one, yet in three persons all the same time. This is one of God's incomprehensible mysteries.
i) 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19 NIV)
ii) 26 “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. (John 15:26 NIV)
iii) 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. (Ephesians 2:18 NIV)
2. Prayer focus
a) Pray that we are willing to put aside our egos and profitable work in order to point others to Jesus. Also to lose our status for the sake of everyone's benefit.
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