Why was John the Baptist Baptising?
As we learned yesterday, John the Baptist was preparing people for the coming of the Messiah. He was prophesied by the prophet Isaiah (the same one who prophesied about Jesus)- Matthew 3:3 “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”
How was he preparing the people for the way of the Lord? Through BAPTISM. Baptism is the physical and spiritual act of cleansing oneselves and accepting that Jesus is God. John the Baptist said he was sent by God to baptise with water and this was a symbol of repentance. Repentance is accepting that you have fallen short of the glory of God and you need a saviour.
John says Baptism brings revelation of who Jesus, which was his ministry John 1:29;
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”
Now I pose this question, if you haven’t been Baptised what is stopping you?
As you ponder on the question, let’s look at Jesus’ Baptism in Matthew 3:13-17
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
I remember a lady from my church who had been a Christian all her life. During a Baptism services she was one of the people to be baptised amongst others who were new to the faith. I was surprised as I thought she has been baptised the whole time I knew her. When she gave her testimony, she said she was convicted when the heard the scripture about Jesus being Baptised. She said, that even Jesus, who was perfect, had no fault and did not need to be cleansed got baptised (to fulfill all righteousness) who was she to think that she didn’t need be Baptised.
If we are desiring to be like Christ, then we must do the things he did and one of those things he did was to be Baptised.
Prayer
Help me to do the things you called me to do,
I am willing but my flesh is strong,
Help me to build my spirit.
In Jesus mighty name,
Amen!
Matthew 3 John the Baptist Prepares the Way
In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”
4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 “I baptize you with[b] water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with[c] the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
I pray that this devotional will be revelatory to someone today , IJN Amen
Very profound indeed. Which begs the question…why do we baptize babies? Is there scriptural evidence to support this?