Study of
Jesus - Index
Sunday, August 22, 2010 am
THE LIFE OF JESUS (5)
The Beginning of His ministry (2)
The Baptism of Jesus
When we consider the importance of Jesus to our salvation and as
the example we are to imitate to please God (cf. 1 Cor. 11:1), it is
good for us to study His life and consider lessons that we can apply to
our own lives. Today, I want
to examine another event in His life – His baptism.
Last week we presented a lesson about John the Baptist.
This John was the baptizer of Jesus.
In our lesson this morning we want to notice three things: 1)The
purpose of John’s baptism; 2)Why Jesus was baptized; 3)The importance of
baptism to us.
a.
It was
described as “a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” (Mark
1:4, Luke 3:3)
It was a baptism of water (Matt. 3:11, John 1:26, 3:23 – much water) and
involved immersion – the word means to be immersed or dipped (not poured
upon or sprinkled). “To dip, dip in, immerse” (Thayer), “to dip in or under, to immerse.” (TDNT)
b.
In
reality, John’s baptism was a baptism of preparing the way for Jesus.
John 1:29-31 notes John saying, “I
did not know Him, but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I
came baptizing with water.”
c.
Were
those who were baptized by John actually saved?
The wording is identical to that which Peter preached on the day
of Pentecost (Acts 2:38). I
believe that one could be saved by John’s baptism (which we know came
from God – Matt. 21:24-27), much in the same way obedience to the Law of
Moses could save one – looking forward to the blood of Christ.
Before the coming of Christ, God made provisions to save those
who obeyed Him. The
sacrifices of animals for sin were made and accepted by God knowing that
Christ would come.
Rom. 3:25 speaks of Christ being a propitiation by His blood…God has “passed
over the sins that were previously committed.”
d.
However, at some point, John’s baptism was no longer valid.
When Christ died on the cross, He nailed the Old Law there (Col.
2:14). Also, whatever other
laws He might have accepted (cf. Rom. 2:14-15) were done away with as
well. In Acts 17:30-31 when
Paul spoke of the ignorance God overlooked he noted that God now
commands all men everywhere to repent.
We know John’s baptism was no longer valid because of accounts in
Acts (Ac 18:25-28 – Apollos; Ac 19:1-5 – in Ephesus).
e.
So the
baptism of John is not something of particular relevance to us today, as
all who had contact with John are long since gone on to their reward in
heaven.
Like the Law of Moses, the baptism of John accomplished its purpose.
If one today comes teaching the baptism
of John he ought to be rejected.
II.
Jesus is baptized
a.
The
account – Matt. 3:13-17, Mark
1:9-11, Luke 3:21-22, John 1:29-34.
We read that while John was baptizing in Jordan, Jesus came to him to be
baptized. John, recognizing
who He was noted, “I have need to
be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” (Matt. 3:14)
Following this, per Jesus’ instructions, John immerses Jesus.
b.
Why was
Jesus baptized? An interesting
challenge: Since John’s baptism was “for the remission of sins” and
Jesus had no sins, why was He baptized?
Did He need to be baptized?
i.
NOTE: This
question is sometimes asked by those who think that baptism is not
necessary for salvation.
They reason that Jesus was baptized not because He was guilty of sin,
but because he had no sin, so we do not need to be baptized to have our
sins removed, but because our sins have been removed.
To this I would challenge one to acknowledge that he is like Christ
(having no sin) and ask if his mission was the same as that of Jesus
while upon this earth.
Second, as we shall see, this does NOT concur with numerous passages
associated with our baptism in scripture.
c.
Why was
Jesus baptized? We are given a reason in Matt 3:15 where Jesus said, “Permit
it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all
righteousness.” What did
Jesus mean in this?
i.
First,
consider that the baptism of John was commanded by God!
His work was not his own as he prepared the way for the Lord
(Matt. 3:3). We noted in a
previous lesson that His work was from God, being prophesied of.
Because it was a command of God, to obey it was “fulfilling all
righteousness.” In the act
of baptism, Jesus demonstrated the importance of obedience at all times
AND a commitment to obey God the Father.
ii.
Second, it
was expected that John would baptize Him.
In John’s account of this event, we note that John identified
Jesus as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John
1:29). He goes to elaborate
noting, “This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is
preferred before me, for He was before me.’
I did not know Him, but that He should be revealed to Israel,
therefore I came baptizing with water.” (Jn. 1:30-31).
He would then relate to the Spirit descending upon Jesus when He
was baptized (Jn. 1:32-34) and note that it was A SIGN to him who Jesus
was.
NOTE: I believe that the words of this text in John (1:29-34) were
recorded AFTER Jesus was baptized.
John saw Jesus AGAIN and introduced Him.
Thus, John HAD TO baptize Jesus to fulfill God’s instructions to him.
Thus this baptism fulfilled “all righteousness”
iii.
Third,
Jesus set an example for us.
If He was willing to be baptized even though He had no sin, what does
that say about us considering the sins we DO have that need to be taken
care of? In so doing, Jesus
demonstrated His “righteousness.”
iv.
Fourth, it
is also suggested by some that when Jesus was baptized, He was looking
toward His death and resurrection for our sins.
He would have known HOW baptism would be the act that puts one in
contact with His death, burial and resurrection (Rom. 6:3-4).
He would have known that baptism would be necessary for one to
BEGIN a new life in Him (Gal. 3:27).
Thus He demonstrated a willingness to do that which we would be
expected to do to come in contact with His blood.
d.
The
baptism of Jesus was the BEGINNING of His ministry.
Following His baptism, we read that the Spirit of God descended upon Him
like a dove and the voice of God announced, “This
is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
John’s account declares that this act was a SIGN identifying the
Messiah. Image hearing this
voice on that occasion. It
would have been an awesome scene.
BTW, note that present are the Father, the Holy Spirit and Jesus
Christ.
III.
Do
we need to be baptized today?
a.
While many
today do not want to accept the necessity of baptism, it is clearly
taught in scripture. It is
associated with obedience to God, the blood or Christ AND our salvation.
b.
Perhaps
the biggest point of discussion concerning the necessity of baptism has
to do with works salvation.
It is reasoned that because baptism is an action, it makes our salvation
works based which is contrary to Ephesians 2:8-9 and much of the
emphasis of Romans. However,
such is a misunderstanding of the works Paul addresses in that text.
He is speaking of meritorious works or actions with which you
earn something. Obeying God
is simply an act of faith.
An action taken simply because God says to do so with the promise of the
reward when we comply.
IF baptism is a meritorious work, then when we are baptized we have
EARNED our salvation. Furthermore, it would be simply about being
immersed in water (and many religions cannot even get that right). But
scriptures clearly teach baptism is USELESS without faith.
In fact, we learn that it is NOT the water that saves one, but
the act of obedience (cf. 1 Peter 3:21).
INCIDENTALLY, if truth be known, the average denominational teacher
believes you have to DO SOMETHING to be saved (i.e. Believe, say the
‘sinner’s prayer’, confess you are a sinner, etc.), UNLESS they are a
true Calvinist or Universalist (and then what you do doesn’t matter).
Therefore, it is really not a
question of doing something, but WHAT one has to do to be saved.
c.
Scriptures
teach that baptism is a part of our salvation.
i.
First one
must believe (John 3:16, Mark 16:16, Rom. 10:9-10)
Then he must repent – Luke 13:3 & 5, Acts 2:38)
He must then confess Jesus as the Son of God (Rom. 10:9-10)
Finally, he is baptized AFTER he has done all these other things
ii.
Mark 16:16
- Jesus taught it. Also Matthew 28:19-20, John 3:5 (the water is
reference to baptism).
iii.
Acts 2:38
– Peter taught it on the day of Pentecost, the day the church began.
iv.
Acts 22:16
– Paul taught it as he recounted his own conversion.
NOTE: This text associates baptism with “calling on the name of
the Lord” (cf. Romans 10:13).
v.
Romans
6:3-4 – associates the act of baptism with the death, burial and
resurrection of Christ.
Notice that we crucify the old man (Rom. 6:6) and “just
as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so
we also should walk in newness of
life.” (Rom. 6:4)
NOTICE when the “newness of life” takes place – when we are raised out
of that “watery grave”.
vi.
Galatians
3:27, we are baptized “into Christ” and therefore we “put on Christ” in
baptism.
vii.
1 Peter
3:21, comparing how Noah and his family were saved through water, “there
is also an antitype which now
saves us – baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but
the answer of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of
Jesus Christ,…”
d.
And thus
we can see that baptism IS necessary today.
The scriptures are too clear to set aside the importance of this
act of obedience.
These are a few
lessons to consider when we examine the baptism of Jesus.
He obeyed the Father “to fulfill all righteousness” and we too
need to obey the Father. It
is the ONLY way we can be righteous.
Rom 6:16-17, “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves
slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin
leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?”
One final thought,
Just as baptism was the beginning of the ministry of Jesus, it is the
BEGINNING of our new walk with Him!
What about you? Will
you begin your walk with Him today?