Matthew 3:13-17 ESV
The Baptism of Jesus
13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
When Mary and Joseph were leaving Bethlehem, an angel warned them that Herod was searching for Jesus to kill Him. The angel told them to go to Egypt. The word says “This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” This was the prophecy of Hosea, we see in Hosea 11:1.
Hosea 11:1 ESV
1When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.
Herod would eventually die and another angel appeared to Joseph and said the one who sought the child’s life is dead, and instructed Joseph to go back to Israel. They settled in Nazareth in the district of Galilee, which also by the way is the fulfillment of another prophecy.
Add a note
Some of the other gospels have some accounts of interactions with Jesus at a younger age, but in Matthew, we pick with Jesus as a man…just before He would begin his ministry. He would have been about 31 years old when he made this journey to the Jordan.
Matthew 3:13-17 ESV
The Baptism of Jesus
13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
Add a note
Matthew 3:13 ESV
13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.
If we were to make that trek today, it is about a 124 km. Do any of you have a smart watch? On my watch I am able to track steps. I average about 10,000 steps a day. 124 km is around 161,000 steps. It is a 26 hour walk if you were to continuously do it.
Why do I mention this? Because the word says Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to see John. Those were 161,000 intentional steps of obedience.
You remember last week that I said submission is not a one and done thing. Jesus in perfect obedience, came to the Earth…but every step He took was in obedience to the Father.
John 5:19 ESV
19So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.
John 8:28 ESV
28So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.
Add a note
Matthew 3:13 ESV
13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.
The word says that He didn’t just come to the Jordan…but He came to “see” John.
Who is John?
John was the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth…and the cousin of Jesus. You remember the account of when Mary went to visit Elizabeth in the hills of Judea. In Luke 1:44, we see John “Jump” in his mother’s womb at the presence of Christ.
Luke 1:44 ESV
44For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
John is referred to as the forerunner of Jesus. John is himself a miracle, as Zechariah and Elizabeth were beyond child bearing years…but God granted them a son.
John was prophesied by Isaiah, when Isaiah said in verse 40:3, “A voice cries in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord: make His paths straight.”
Isaiah 40:3 ESV
3A voice cries:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Add a note
Matthew 3:13 ESV
13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.
When we encounter John in the Gospel of Matthew, we see him addressing the Pharisees and Sadducees who had come to his baptism. They came because the as the word says…all the region were going to him around the Jordan to be baptized.
Matthew 3:7-12 ESV
77But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 9And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
11“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Do you think John was bold?
We can learn from John too. He was bold and submitted. This doesn’t mean that John is without questions…Even John the Baptist had some questions…even after he baptized Jesus…but He chose to believe.
Luke 7:18-23 ESV
Messengers from John the Baptist
18The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, 19calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 20And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” 21In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. 22And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. 23And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
Add a note
So as Jesus came to John, to be baptized, the word says that:
Matthew 3:14-15 ESV
14John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.
Maybe these words resonate in your head:
I’m not worthy…
Jesus says “No…but I am”
It’s not possible…
Jesus says “With me all things are possible”
It’s not what I want…
Jesus says “no, but it is what I want for you, and have done for you”
Gideon
John would have prevented Him saying I must be baptized by you.
But Jesus says
“Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”
Add a note
And the word goes on to say:
Matthew 3:16-17 ESV
16And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Jesus being fully God knew what was to come…but he would soon feel the gravity of these words in the Desert, as He endures temptation.
Add a note
“King of Glory” — Passion ft. Kristian Stanfill
“The Lion and The Lamb” — Big Daddy Weave
“Build My Life” — Pat Barrett ft. Chris Tomlin
“It Is Well” — Bethel Music
Please use the Give Online button on the Home tab.
Every gift helps.
