The Baptism of Jesus
Main Point: Jesus identified with us in his baptism, we identify with him in ours.
Do I have to be baptized to be saved?
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. —Acts 2:38
There is only one perquisite for baptism: repentance.
In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” —Matthew 3:1-2
John’s message was a call to repent because something better was on the way.
People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. —Matthew 3:5-6
“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” —Matthew 3:11
John’s baptism was only a preview of what was to come.
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” —Matthew 3:13-14
Jesus was sinless and righteous and had nothing to repent and turn from.
Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. —Matthew 3:15
In his baptism Jesus publicly identified with the imperfect people who would follow him.
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. —2 Corinthians 5:21
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. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” —Matthew 3:16-17
Jesus’s baptism reveals to us that his identity comes from his Father.
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. —Galatians 3:26-27
In our own baptism we identity ourselves with Jesus.
Takeaway: When we are baptized we are choosing to identify with Jesus and his death, burial, resurrection, and new life.
Discussion Questions:
How does the baptism of Jesus serve as a model for our own baptism, considering that Jesus was sinless and did not need to repent?
What significance does repentance hold in the context of baptism, especially when John the Baptist emphasized it as a prerequisite for baptism in Matthew 3:11?
In what ways does baptism symbolize a public identification with Jesus?
Explore the connection between Jesus’s baptism and the descent of the Holy Spirit, as well as the voice from heaven in Matthew 3:16-17. How does this moment affirm Jesus’s identity and how does it relate to our identity as baptized believers?
Table Discussion Question: The message emphasizes that in our own baptism, we are choosing to identify with Jesus and his death, burial, resurrection, and new life. How does this choice impact our daily lives and the way we live out our faith?