“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Matthew 3:11 (NKJV)”
I have always found something curious about John the Baptist… His role in the bible, and his character. This is not just an ordinary man. This is a guy who lived in the wilderness, who wore camel’s hair as an outfit, and ate locusts and wild honey. This is the guy who baptised people in the Jordan river as they confessed their sins.
“Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. Matthew 3:13-15 (NKJV)”
John the Baptist, standing in the river watches as the man whom he preaches about, humbles himself and asks to be baptized. If I was him, I am pretty sure I would have done the same thing… After all who is John the Baptist to baptize Jesus?! Jesus speaks the truth, and with that, John baptizes Jesus.
“And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him… Luke 3:22 (NKJV)”
The Holy Spirit appears to us all in different ways; sometimes it is a feeling, other times its audible but in the case of Jesus , the Holy Spirit descends upon him in a bodily form like a dove! What an amazing sight this must have been for all those around them.
“Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Mark 1:11 (NKJV)”
So we just saw Jesus be baptised. We know that it is going to be special, because John himself was unsure if he should be baptizing this man, and as he comes out of the water the Holy Spirit descends onto Jesus like a dove. Suddenly there is a voice; but where is it coming from? Heaven of course! This is where we hear God the Father’s words for his son, “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Tweet This).
Wow. I hope and pray that when I finish what God has in store for me, that God will tell me that he is pleased with what I have done. What an honour. What a blessing!
What about you? Would you like to hear the words, “well done” or “I am pleased” from God when you finish what God has in store for you? Let’s be sure that our focus is less on what is happening in the world, and more about what God wants us to do.
Let’s pray.
“Dear Heavenly Father,
We thank-you today for the story of your Son’s baptism. We thank you for this wonderful time of year, where we are reminded why it is that we are here, and what you have in store for each and every one of us. Remind us during this busy season what it is that you want us to accomplish, and show us where we can set an example, just as your Son did when he humbled himself to be baptised.
In Christ’s name we pray,
Amen.
Defying Shadows 