Word of Salvation – Vol.52 No.11 – March 2007

 

Jesus Baptised with Water and Spirit

 

A Sermon by Rev John De Jongh on Matthew 3:13-17

Scripture Reading:  Ezekiel 1:1-3; 2:1-7; Matthew 3:13-17

Suggested Singing:  BoW 174; 198; 522; Rej 337; 489

 

Dear Congregation.

There are some people who start out as just another face in the crowd, but who are destined for greater things. Einstein is an example – I think one of his teachers at school said that he would never amount to much – but as we know now, he was destined for greater things. And every experienced teacher has taught students who are destined to be far greater than they will ever be themselves. Every experienced leader has led people who are destined to be far greater than themselves.

An example from the Bible is David. King Saul reached a point in his life where an evil spirit started to torment him. He looked for someone who could play the harp to help him feel better. One of his servants discovered David the shepherd boy, a brave man and a warrior, who spoke well, and looked good, the Lord was with him. And so Saul had David come and play for him when he was feeling bad.

But then David kills Goliath. And he does well at everything else Saul gives him to do. Saul promotes him to a high rank in the army. People start to sing that ‘Saul has slain his thousands and David his tens of thousands.’ Someone far greater than Saul had come to light, and Saul did not appreciate that, and tried to kill him.

John the Baptist finds himself in a similar situation here. In the crowd of those coming to him looking for spiritual revival comes someone he recognises as far greater than himself, someone destined for far greater things than he would ever achieve. At the time he was just another face in the crowd – but destined for greatness.

Fortunately John doesn’t take Saul’s attitude. John understands that he must become less and Jesus far, far more. And so John becomes instrumental in working out the means by which Jesus identifies with those he came to save, and by which he is commissioned and equipped for the work ahead of him.

Point 1 – Jesus baptised with water

Even though Jesus comes to John’s attention a bit like David coming to Saul’s attention, you see from the first half of this chapter that John knew at least a bit about Jesus. He knew that someone was coming who was more powerful than him, whose sandals he wasn’t fit to carry – John baptised with water, but Jesus would baptise with the Holy Spirit and fire. And so John was on the lookout for him. And then one day there he was – the sinless one, come to take upon himself the sins of the world.

And so Jesus comes to be baptised by John. The strange thing about that is that John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance from sin. But what did Jesus have to repent from? Why did he need to be baptised for the forgiveness of sins?

Is it appropriate for Jesus to be baptised by John? To John it must have felt a bit like the teacher coming into the classroom and sitting behind one of the desks hoping to learn from the kids; or a general coming back from the war he’s just won hoping to benefit from the recruits in boot camp.

You can understand why John is a bit shocked by it all. He needs Jesus’ baptism of fire – his future sacrifice on the cross. He needs Jesus’ baptism of the Holy Spirit – Pentecost and the Holy Spirit poured out on all believers. But here Jesus comes to him to have Jordan River water poured over his head as a symbol of repentance that he doesn’t need to make.

For that matter, we’re in the same boat as John. We need Jesus’ baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire. We need the benefit of the cross and Pentecost. Which still leaves us with the ‘why’ question – why did Jesus come to John for a baptism he didn’t need?

As we expect, Jesus had good reason for it. He came to make right what Adam had made wrong in Genesis 3. Jesus is the new Adam, he’s a new beginning, a new creation, he’s the New Israel, the new King of Israel. But to be all that, first of all he had to be just another one of us, just another face in the crowd. It’s really the message of Christmas – he was already God, but he needed to become one of us, be born as one of us, grow up like one of us, live as one of us, be one of us in every way, except for sin.

And especially be one of the faithful, believing community of his day. But who made up the faithful, believing community of his day? It was the folk going to John the Baptist at the Jordan River to be baptised! So the first thing Jesus is doing here is simply showing everyone that he is one of the new people of God. He’s identifying himself with them, showing himself to be one of them.

Another thing he was doing here was putting himself at the bottom of the heap. He wasn’t out for glory and power, he was taking the way of humble service and leaving it to God to lift him any higher than that. And so he came to be baptised by John, as a servant. He’s the king of the world, but he doesn’t expect John to treat him as king. For the time being at least, Jesus accepts the lower place.

It’s the same thing he was doing later on when he washed his disciples feet – far greater than his disciples of course, but willing to take on the role of a servant.

It makes us think of Philippians 2, where Paul talks about Jesus’ basic attitude being one of humility, “…being in very nature God, [he] did not consider equality with God something to be grasped but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, [humbling himself even to death on a cross].”

The path to greatness for Jesus was the path of humility, identifying with repentant sinners, living as one of them, being baptised as one of them, taking the path of humble service rather than the path of glory, and leaving anything beyond that to his heavenly Father.

We need to take that same path – which is in fact the point of Philippians 2. The way to identify with Jesus is to commit ourselves to him the same way he committed himself to us – to become what he calls us to be, to live how he calls us to live. The way to identify with Jesus is to be willing to take the same path he took, the path of humble service to God and others. And so, an important question to ask yourself is how are you doing at that? Are you working hard to achieve greater power and glory for yourself, or are you living a life of humble service to God and others? How do you plan to take the next step along that road in the coming week?

Point 2 – Jesus baptised with the Holy Spirit

As well as identifying himself with us, Jesus had a job to do as our representative, and so the other thing that happens here at the Jordan is that he’s commissioned and equipped for his great saving work.

It’s a bit like when kids start at a new school. You want them to be ready. As parents you race around making sure everything’s in place, enrolments, uniforms, bags, books. Or it’s like starting a new job – you need to be commissioned, given a position in a company. And you need to be equipped, have the right qualifications, tools, clothes.

And here at the Jordan River, after identifying with those he came to save, Jesus is commissioned and equipped for the work ahead of him.

It might remind you of the way some of the prophets, priests and kings of the Old Testament were commissioned, like Ezekiel. In his first verse he writes, “… while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.” And here, too, as Jesus came out of the water after his baptism, the heavens were opened, and people saw things you don’t see every day – like the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus like a dove. Today when we commission someone great, like a king, or a general, we put on a big ceremony – bands, celebrities, flashy uniforms, expensive clothes, big buildings, broadcast right around the world. Jesus’ commissioning wasn’t like that, but in its own way it was more spectacular than anything we could achieve, and far more important.

Taking a further reference from Ezekiel: “[the Lord said] to him, ‘Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.’ As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet…” You can probably think of a few prophets, priests, and kings of the Old Testament who were anointed with oil at one stage or another and who had the Spirit of God come on them in that kind of way. An example is 1 Samuel 10 when Samuel anoints Saul – it describes God’s Spirit coming on him in power, and Saul prophesying. Or 1 Samuel 16 when Samuel anointed David and the Spirit of the LORD came on him.

And all of these ‘anointed ones’ of the Old Testament pointed forward to the ultimate Anointed One, the ultimate prophet, priest and king – Jesus. So that, finally, on the banks of the Jordan River, Jesus is confirmed to be that ultimate anointed one, the Messiah, as God filled him with his Holy Spirit. Heaven opened, and Jesus was commissioned for his task.

As well as being commissioned, Jesus was also equipped for his task. When the Holy Spirit came on the Old Testament prophets, priests, and kings, they weren’t only commissioned, but provided with everything they needed for their job. And so was Jesus.

It’s like when we finish study at high school or university, or finish our apprenticeship, and graduate, ready to head into a job – we’ve been equipped for the task, provided with everything we need to begin.

You see it in practice with the Old Testament judges and kings – straight after their anointing you read of them going out and leading Israel to victory against God’s enemies. The judges delivered Israel from the Midianites or the Philistines. Saul led Israel to victory against the Ammonites. David led Israel to victory against Goliath and the Philistines. And if you look to the very next chapter in Matthew, Chapter 4, you discover the enemy that Jesus came to defeat. The physical enemies of Old Testament Israel fall into the background. And Jesus takes on the enemy who has been behind all the Old Testament enemies – Satan himself.

Here at the Jordan, a voice from heaven says, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

These words remind us of Old Testament messianic passages like Psalm 2 where God says from heaven, “I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.” … “You are my Son; today I have become your Father. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.” Jesus is commissioned for his task, equipped by the Holy Spirit, and God himself acknowledges him as his beloved Son with whom he is pleased.

You can see the same sort of thing happening again at Jesus’ transfiguration in Matthew 17. Peter, James and John see Jesus revealed in his heavenly glory, his face shining like the sun, his clothes white as light. Moses and Elijah appear and talk with him. A bright cloud surrounds them, and a voice from the cloud says, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” Jesus is God’s Son! We need to listen to him!

Conclusion

As we leave this passage, we know that something important has happened here. Jesus, the ultimate king, God’s own Son, has come to earth as a man, to introduce into the world something new, the era of salvation, his eternal kingdom. At the Jordan River he’s commissioned and equipped for the task. He’s prepared now for his three years of ministry that end with the cross, resurrection, ascension and Pentecost.

As you read on from here, you’re anticipating how all of this is going to develop. How is he going to introduce his kingdom into a world where Satan is prince? We shouldn’t be all that surprised that already in the very next passage he tackles the prince of the world head on. Then he begins to preach his message, which is the same message John brought, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” He begins to practise his authority as the true and good king by healing the sick, and casting out demons. And then in the Sermon on the Mount, like God with Israel at Mt Sinai, he lays out the principles of his kingdom.

John’s disciples were all a part of this before it even began, repenting from their sins, straining to enter the kingdom of heaven. And we can be a part of it, too. Are you a part of it? Jesus has done his work, but have you responded to who he is? Is he your king? Do you live for him? Have you found your way into his kingdom of salvation?

Because that’s what this is all about. You can either stay in the kingdom of Satan – the kingdom of sin and death, sickness, and hell. Or you can enter the kingdom of heaven with Jesus as your King – the kingdom of righteousness and life, healing and heaven.

Everyone is a citizen in one of these two kingdoms. In which kingdom is your citizenship?

Amen.