Matthew 3:13-15

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.

Can you imagine it? There you are, baptizing sinners in the river and up walks Jesus, the Messiah, asking you to baptize him next. John knew He was the spotless Lamb of God and as such, Jesus the Christ had no need to confess or repent or be baptized. So, John did what I think any one of us would do – he punted and tried to turn the reins over the Jesus. Jesus refused and was baptized.

Theologians for the past two thousand years have spilled a considerable amount of ink discussing why Jesus chose to be baptized, but I want to focus on what it means for us as His followers today. When Jesus was baptized, He was identifying with sinners…with us. When we get baptized, the reverse happens. We are identifying with Him…with His forgiveness and His Lordship over our lives. Jesus did so publicly, and so He calls us to do the same.

Have you entered into the waters of baptism? Doing so won’t save you, but it will bless you. As the great Anglican Bishop J.C. Ryle once said:

“We ought to regard the sacrament of baptism with reverence. An ordinance of which the Lord Jesus Himself partook, is not to be lightly esteemed. An ordinance to which the great Head of the Church submitted, ought to be ever honorable in the eyes of professing Christians.”