The Trinity, Fully Revealed: The Baptism of Jesus

For some reason when I think of John the Baptist, I think of a street corner preacher, an individual who is not well dressed and yet there is a strange attraction to his uniqueness. John’s clothing was unusual; he wore a “camel’s hair garment, secured by a leather belt.” His atypical diet consisted of locusts and wild honey; and he was not sociable. His attributes were not an attractive combination, but his message attracted many.

John was the miracle child of an elderly couple, Zacharias and Elizabeth, a priestly family related to Mary, the mother of Jesus. John was filled with the Holy Spirit at birth and must have known his mission from childhood. The angel Gabriel informed Zacharias that John would turn people toward the Lord by preparing them for their Lord.

When John’s unique character and preaching attracted the priests in Jerusalem, they inquired about his identity. He told them he was not the promised Messiah, but he was fulfilling an Old Testament prophecy, preparing people for the arrival of God in the flesh.

He preached about the coming kingdom, the need to repent, and the warning of judgment. His message of repentance exposed people as sinners. He declared their need for repentance and radical change in their behavior. After confessing their sins at baptism, they were to bring “fruit worthy of repentance.” Without fruit (changed character and actions), there was no real repentance. Many people in the Judean countryside and Jerusalem were drawn to John’s message and were baptized in the Jordan River.

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. 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 lighting on him. And a voice from Heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Matthew 3: 13-17 (NIV)

Remarkable happenings occurred in this short Bible passage. First, Christ takes his place among the people. He came to earth as a human being to identify with them as a sinner and an individual. He submitted to baptism for repentance and forgiveness even though He was without sin. This was the proper way for Him to obey God completely. In identifying Himself with humanity, Jesus launched His public ministry. He became God with us.

Secondly, Jesus was authenticated from Heaven. The Spirit of God came down from Heaven and a voice from Heaven said, “This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.” This verified Jesus as the Son of God in keeping with the Old Testament prophecies.
Lastly, and yet extremely important, this was the first evidence of the Trinity. All three persons in the Trinity were present at this momentous event. The Father spoke about His Son, the Son was baptized by John, and the Spirit came upon the Son. What a spectacular sight this must have been!

How do you think John felt as he baptized Jesus and experienced this event? Later, he gives a glimpse of his feelings.

The friend who attends the bridegroom [Christ] waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less. John 3: 29b-30.

Can we humble ourselves, knowing the humility and humanity of Christ, and confess our sins with true repentance? To show true repentance, can we change our character and actions to become more Christ-like? Can we be like John, put ourselves aside and point others to Christ?

Dear Heavenly Father– As we examine this momentous event, we praise You for Your vision and understanding of our needs. We thank You for the baptism of Jesus and claiming Your obedient Son with Your affirming words. We repent of our sins, for we are not worthy of Your love. We thank You for showing us great love and for giving us the Holy Spirit. We know we can call on Him to help us change our character and our actions in keeping with Your will. Help us be like John by putting ourselves aside and pointing others to Christ. In Your Holy and Precious Name, Amen.

This devotion was written by Julie Johnson, member of the writing team at Sheridan Lutheran Church. If you are interested in joining the writing team, contact Amy Wagner. For previous devotions and more information, check out our devotions page.