John (the) Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins…
REFLECTION
John’s baptism does not forgive sins but prepares the hearts of people to acknowledge their guilt and readies them for God’s mercy that the Savior promises…Jesus is that Savior.
JOHN THE BAPTIST’S TESTIMONY TO HIMSELF.
SCRIPTURE
And this is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites [to him] to ask him, “Who are you?” he admitted “I am not the Messiah.” So they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?”* And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”
So they said to him, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?” He said: “I am ‘the voice of one crying out in the desert, “Make straight the way of the Lord, as Isaiah the prophet said.”
….*“I baptize with water;* but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” *JOHN 1:19-28
VOICE CRYING OUT IN DESERT
INTRODUCTION
The Baptism of Jesus is not just another story of Jesus told in all four Gospels but THE STORY. It says all we need to know about who Jesus is and our relationship to Him.
Jesus is our Savior and we are the ones He came to save. Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21, and John 1:29-34
The Old Testament, the promise, and the New Testament, the fulfillment, come together. The call to repentance by the prophets of the Old and call to repentance of John the Baptist in the New. We also have the Passover lamb that delivered the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt in the Old and the Lamb of God who delivers us from our sins in the New.
REFLECTION
John the Baptist asserts he is not the Messiah, the expected one. John could have out of pride taken their adulation and sycophancy, but no, he told the truth. There was no deceit in John the Baptist. John was all about truth. Repent, the kingdom is coming, be ready, prepare yourselves, your salvation is at hand.
John bears witness. What kind of witness are we? John the Baptist knew his place in the Divine Plan. Do we know our place?
BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD
JOHN THE BAPTIST’S TESTIMONY TO JESUS.
SCRIPTURE
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God,* who takes away the sin of the world He is the one of whom I said, A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ I did not know him,* but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.” JOHN 1:29-34
Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” Jesus said to him in reply, “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. Matthew 3:13-15
REFLECTION
John protests that he should be the one baptized by Jesus but Jesus says let it be done for now for sake of righteousness. What is this thing called righteousness?
“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land. Jeremiah 23:5
In the New Testament Joseph foster father of Jesus is described as righteous. And her husband Joseph, since he was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. Matthew 1:19
Righteousness may be described as oneness with God….no separateness between my will and God’s will. So Jesus is telling John the Baptist it is the Father’s will for a time. Let it be!
Jesus did not have Original Sin or any other sin. Jesus’ insisted on Baptism by John for an example to others who were in need of reconciliation and new beginnings due to their fallen state, weakened wills, clouded minds, and unruly appetites. Conversion was the message,
When Jesus was immersed in the waters of John’s baptism He took on all the sins of the world, and carried them to redemption on the cross. Jesus emerged from the waters of Baptism, affirmed by the Father, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
THIS IS MY BELOVED SON WITH WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED
After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened…the Spirit of God descended like a dove… And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” JOHN 1:26-32
John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove* from the sky and remain upon him…. Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.” John 1:32-34
REFLECTIONS
John the Baptist witnessed the Holy Spirit affirming Jesus as the one sent by God. John testified to the others gathered, this man is the Son of God. How are we in testifying to others that Jesus is the Son of God…there is no other to follow. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Jesus is that sacrificial lamb who sacrifices himself for us that our sins may be forgiven… sin has no more dominion over mankind…Blessed be God!
The Father affirms the Son’s mission…”This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased…Here is your Savior!
CLOSING
At our Baptisms we become adopted sons and daughters and heirs to heaven. At our Baptisms we reject Satan and all his works and empty promises. At our Baptisms we are made righteous, cleansed of our sins, infused with sanctifying grace, and configured to Christ…an initiation that sets us on our journey back home to the Father.
THINGS TO PONDER
HE MUST INCREASE, I MUST DECREASE!
JOHN 3:30