Believe and be Baptism in Jesus Christ
MATTHEW 3:13-17
The Christ Jesus, who was born for us is also our Savior who was baptized, condemned, crucified, and has risen for us. Today our living Lord promises in Mark 16:16 “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved.” Grant this Lord, unto us all. Amen.
It is only a few weeks ago when Christian’s, the world over celebrated the birth of Jesus and the coming of the Wise Men from the East to visit Jesus,,, and how He was submissive to His parents after age 12 ….
You may be surprised to note, that today’s text shows Jesus as a full-grown man. That is how the Bible recorded the story of Jesus…. From Biblical point of view, there is no account of Jesus’ life between age 12 and 30…for all we know is what we heard last week… He was submissive..
Akwasi, Adjo and my cherished Listener, let us spent little time to refresh our minds on Jesus’ story before His ministry,
Visitation to Jesus
As a matter of fact, when Jesus was less than a day old, few shepherds responded to the message of the angel which proclaimed Jesus as the Savior of the world and they visited and knelt before Jesus in the animal’s feeding-box popularly called the manger and worshiped Him.
Few days later Simeon and Anna worshiped Jesus when He was first brought to the temple. Soon after the temple visit, some Magi, known as wise-men, followed the star of Jesus from the East. Coming to Bethlehem they worshiped Jesus, and gave Him gifts of Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh.
Now In between these 3 babyhood visits including fleeing to Egypt and coming back…. then later visiting the Jordan at age 30.., the only outstanding story in the bible, is at the age of 12. He was submissive.
For 18 long years; there is nothing known about Jesus; nothing at all to identify Him as the world’s Savior sent from heaven.
Then one day, boom!, Jesus stepped out of the shadows of unknown into the birth light of His ministry. The man from Nazareth came to the Jordan River and asked that His cousin John baptize Him.
My dear listeners; I know the word baptizo or baptism as was discussed by Akwasi and Adjo causes confusion for some of you. Let me spend some time to explain using a concept.
In the first century, at the beginning of the Church, the word baptizo was often used to describe the dipping of a light-colored cloth into a darker dye. Once the cloth got soaked in the darker dye, it changed. Those of you in the textile Industry will practically and perfectly understand this illustration.
The transformation is from an original light color to a darker color.
Baptismal Transformation
The extraordinary difference between the baptizo of cloth and the baptizo of sinners is that the process is reversed. God used John, and took the souls of people which were stain black by sin, through the river washing, and those souls become lightened and whiter. He who believes and is baptized shall be saved.
This was a life-saving ministry of John the Baptizer and all people trooped to him in the wilderness, asking him to take them into the river and wash them of their sins.
My dear listeners: Baptizo in other words Baptism was an act John gladly performed for anyone who was truly sorry for their wrongdoings… Baptism is for sinners, and for that matter, when Jesus, the perfect Son of God, came and asked to be baptized; John hesitated and expressed his unwillingness to take Jesus down into the waters of the Jordan.
Akwasi You see, it is significant to note that John was fully aware of his limitations as far as salvation is concerned:……
- John knew his duty was only to call people to repentance, but only Jesus gives everlasting forgiveness.
- John knew he could lead people into the Jordan to be symbolically washed, but it would take the blood of Jesus to cleanse souls permanently….!
Friends above The reason explain ; when Jesus came to be baptized, John was reluctant and protested saying:
- Jesus, You have come to me?
- No, it should be the other way around.
- I need to be baptized by You.
Yes, John knew very well that Jesus needed no baptism like you and me.
- Jesus did not commit any sin which needed the river washing…
I can hear someone saying: pastor if all what you have said is true then why should Jesus Himself ask to be baptized?
Gifts of Baptism
Jesus Himself clearly answered that… it is so to fulfill all righteousness as fore told by the prophets.
Jesus: Motivated by love and compassion, had to experience Baptism. … Please do you remember my analogy that the baptizo of a cloth and that of sinners is a reverse process? Very well, on that note; Jesus was baptized so that, people He loved, people who died in faith; people like you and me, may benefit forgiven of our sins, through the waters of baptism. He who believes and is baptized shall be saved.
Baptizing Jesus, the sins of the world were washed up onto Him… what I mean by washed up is this… when Jesus stepped foot into the Jordan, all the sins in the river heaped unto Him. By so doing, Jesus cleaned all waters to be clean and fit for baptism.
Miracle of Baptism
I want you to understand the sacrifice Jesus did that day, when the Baptizer led Him into the Jordan. On that day the water was so polluted with every imaginable evil. Every evil you and I can possibly do. He who believes and is baptized shall be saved.
Our human eyes cannot see the sins, however they were there in the waters in large quantities: sin of pride, sin of immorality, deceit, gossip, greed, slander, murder..name them. He who believes and is baptized shall be saved.
All kinds of sins were floating in the River Jordan that day. Yet Jesus insisted to go in; He demanded to be allowed in. On the day of His baptism, as the sinless Son of God stood in the water; He stood with slanders, He stood with prostitutes, with the unwanted and the unloved. Yes, Jesus chose to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with serious sinners like you and me. He who believes and is baptized shall be saved.
Paraphrasing (2 Corinthians 5:21)…. “God made sinless Jesus to be sinful, so that in Him you and I and all believers may have and become the righteousness of God”
My Dear listeners I want to ask you individually: Do you understand this kind of love of Jesus? Of course some of you don’t.
Understanding Baptism
The truth is; No sinful human being can on his or her own; begin to understand this kind of sacrificial love which was shown by Jesus. Of course in a helpless state, All you can do is to watch in amazement as God’s perfect Son stepped into the water and took upon Himself the sins of the adulterer, the sin of the drunkard, the glutton, the blasphemer, the thief, and whatever kind of particular sinner you can be.
All you can do is to stand breathless as Jesus willingly, put His feet into the Jordan and come out totally committed to do all He could to save the lost…something which will cause Him His life, a death on the cross…
So when Jesus emerged from the waters of the Jordan, heavens opened, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him, in the form of a dove, and God the Father said with pride:
“This is My beloved Son, in Him I am well pleased.”
- God the Father was well-pleased that Jesus had taken up His work of redemption; a work which would cause Him nothing but frustration and rejection.
- The Father was well-pleased that Jesus was ready to fulfill the prophecies which were foretold about how God’s Son would spend His life rebuilding the broken bridge between sinful humanity and God.
- God The Father was well-pleased that His Son is committed to live and to offer Himself as a ransom for our salvation.
- The Father is well-pleased that His Son will share His precious Blood to overcome sin the sting of death; and eventually destroy death which is the power of satan…
Friends: please do understand that!, Jesus’ walk into the Jordan would not be the last time Jesus would encounter sin. To anyone listening to me, don’t doubt the love of God and the commitment of Jesus, set aside your doubt and criticisms and let us read through the Scriptures.
- In the Gospels, we will see how much and how often Jesus suffered so that through the waters of Baptism may receive faith in the Son of God, who is the only way to everlasting-peace and ever-blessedness.
I leave you with 2 verses: Read Matthew 28:18-20 and Mark 16: 16:
Baptize and be Saved
All powers in heaven and earth belong to Jesus, and the same Jesus is still with us in the form of the Holy Spirit … believe in Jesus and be baptized in the name of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and shall be saved”…… Amen.