Luke 3:21-38 John Baptizes Jesus
“When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”
The Genealogy of Jesus Christ
“Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Janna, the son of Joseph, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Semei, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah, the son of Joannas, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er, the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim, the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattathah, the son of Nathan, the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan, the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.”
This morning, thousands are swarming on both sides of the Jordan River as John the Baptist preaches and then baptizes those repenting of sins. For days, the Holy Spirit has been speaking to John, alerting him that God’s Son is coming to be baptized. When John asks how he will recognize God’s Son, the Holy Spirit tells him that He will descend on the man in the form of a dove. But now weeks have passed, and nothing of the sort has happened. Really, John is about to give up hoping to see God’s Son.
As Jesus approaches the water, John recognizes him as his cousin, but he wonders, “Why is Jesus coming? What has he done, that he needs to repent?” As John stands waist-deep in the water, Jesus puts off his outer garment and stands clothed only with his inner garment wrapped around his waist. Jesus looks at John, nods his head, and enters the water. As John ducks Jesus under the water and then raises him, the heavens open, and a dove flies down, lighting on Jesus’ shoulder. Suddenly, there is a clap of thunder. Although the crowds on the river banks hear the thunder, only John and Jesus understand the words, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” John is both humbled and relieved, for he has recognized Jesus as the Son of God and he has also fulfilled the command of the Holy Spirit. John knows that if he never baptizes anyone else again, he has completed the ministry for which he has been called.
Why must Jesus be baptized at the onset of his ministry? Baptism is a symbol of death and resurrection. Those being baptized confess their sins and then enter the water or have water poured over them as a sign that they have died to their sins, that their sins have been washed away, and that they are now to live new lives. Jesus is beginning his earthly ministry as he will end it, beginning with a symbolic death and resurrection and ending with real death, real resurrection, and ascension into heaven.
What’s the point of the genealogy? Luke the Physician is a very careful recorder. In many cultures, genealogies are critically important. Here Luke traces Jesus’ genealogy back through King David all the way to “the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.” Luke uses this genealogy to prove that Jesus truly is the Son of God. Here Luke records Jesus as the Son of God, humbling himself and undergoing baptism as a sign for all believers everywhere and in every time. By being baptized, Jesus has set an example for all those who will believe in him, that they too should be baptized as a sign of repentance and dying to sin.
I realize that the issue of baptism is a thorny one, for there are some groups that believe in infant baptism as a form of infant dedication, some that believe that infant baptism is sufficient while adult baptism is unnecessary, and other groups who feel only baptism of those old enough to make their own decisions is valid. I am not here to argue theology. Personally, I was baptized as an infant and later as an adult as a sign of my commitment to Christ. I have undergone baptism in the Jordan River, in the ocean at Kona, Hawaii, and even in a friend’s swimming pool. The last three baptisms were symbolic acts of re-consecration to ministry at critical points in my Christian walk and were initiated by those around me who felt God calling them to do so.
My advice on adult baptism is to ask God. If you were baptized as an infant and do not feel God calling you to undergo adult baptism, that’s fine. But I can bear witness that my experiences have been quite meaningful and have certainly far exceeded my expectations. What began as acts of obedience turned into unanticipated manifestations of God’s grace.
Even at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, he always has his eyes fixed on Calvary. Jesus knows he has come into the world as the Lamb of God to be sacrificed for the sins of the world. But Jesus also knows that everything he does will set an example for all those who will believe in him. So Jesus enters the Jordan River, goes under the water, and comes up with signs of God’s approval, consecrating him for ministry.
There’s a wonderful hymn called “Lead Me to Calvary” that expresses the purpose of Lent. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tXhTpXd24s
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us never to forget what You have done for us all the way throughout Jesus’ ministry. Help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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