Jesus Was Baptized Too - Part 1

Galatians 3:26-27 “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.”

This last Sunday, I was up at Bass Lake helping and encouraging my dad as he underwent a successful heart valve replacement procedure. My visits always afford me the honor of attending his congregations Sunday Worship service, and this time a special church outdoor service with a picnic lunch following. As always, Pastor Herk preached, and because there was a special subsequent baptism ceremony, the title of his Sermon was: “Jesus was baptized too”.

We have a tendency to say the “right’ things at the “wrong” time. The old saying goes, (wait for it) “timing is everything”. John the Baptist was the “right” prophet at the “right” time to preach the “good news” of the Savior of the world - Jesus Christ. John baptized thousands of people and the Lord Jesus came to him to be baptized too. Matthew 3:14-15 explains to us that John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. Acts 19:4 tells us that, Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” But, why did sinless Jesus need to be baptized? He was baptized as a sinner in order to be our Savior. Jesus was baptized too, and this was the turning point of history. Redemption begins.

Romans 6:4 “We were therefore buried with him (Jesus) through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

The 1828 Webster’s dictionary defines the word “baptize” as: To administer the sacrament of baptism to; to christen. By some denominations of Christians, baptism is performed by plunging, or immersing the whole body in water, and this is done to none but adults. More generally the ceremony is performed by sprinkling water on the face of a person, whether an infant or an adult, and in the case of an infant, by giving him a name, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, which is called Christening. This is based upon Matthew 28:18-20’s great commission, when Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” We are baptized into Jesus’ baptism. But we may wonder, if Jesus needed to be baptized, are we worth to be baptized? We ask because when we look into the mirror, we see our sinful, helpless, pitiful condition before Almighty God. 

Let's continue Pastor Herk's message on "Baptism" in the next post.

In Christ, Brian