He Did It
Jesus was sinless. He was born without sin because His Father was God. By not having an earthly father, a sinful nature was not passed to him through the bloodline. He then lived a sinless life and grew up believing in God and having a relationship with Him. This is evidenced by the story of when he was just twelve years old and having discussions with the religious leaders. When His mom expressed her concern over His absence and having to return to find Him, He simply said, “Didn’t you know I would be about my Father’s business?” So we know that at an early age, Jesus was aware of God being His Father and desiring to do His will.
Fast-forward to when He is older. His cousin John the Baptist has entered his ministry and is baptizing at the River Jordan as a prophet sent from God. Jesus goes out to John.
Matthew 3:13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” 15 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. 16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Have you ever struggled with what Jesus said to John to get John to baptize Him? “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” If Jesus was sinless, why would He need to be baptized? This is what goes through the minds of many.
Under the Old Covenant, anytime Israel had a prophet sent from God, they were expected to believe him and act on his instruction. The Prophet was their way of knowing what God desired. A Prophet communicated God’s will to the people. In other words, John’s baptism of repentance in preparation for the coming Messiah was God’s will.
John the Baptist was a Prophet sent from God—but not just any Prophet, the greatest Prophet because he was the one sent to proclaim the coming of the Messiah (also known as The Anointed One) and prepare the way for Him. The act of preparation was being baptized. So, those in Israel who acknowledged John as a Prophet went to the Jordan to be baptized by him and prepare their hearts and minds for the arrival of the Messiah. Jesus submitted Himself to the Prophet, as everyone in Israel was expected to do by God. Jesus acknowledged John as a Prophet and as doing the will of God by submitting Himself to John’s baptism.
Jesus was expected to enter into His ministry through the steps God desired, not His own way. The first step in that process was submitting to John’s baptism. So, it is true that the Father was pleased with Jesus before He had done anything in ministry, but it would not be true that the declaration came before Jesus had done anything at all. Jesus submitted Himself to the Father’s will in the moment.
The amazing thing is that once that surrender is accomplished, Jesus comes up out of the water, the heavens are opened to Him, He sees the Holy Spirit coming upon him like a dove, and that Father declares, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” The Holy Trinity was manifest in one moment in time at that river Jordan.
The Father’s will drew Jesus to a place of surrender. Jesus believed God ordained this Prophet to do this, and His act of submission substantiated His belief. That act led to seeing the heavens open and the Holy Spirit come upon Him. The Father declared His pleasure, and then the Holy Spirit led Him to the next step.
If Jesus desired to please the Father by doing His will, shouldn’t we? If Jesus submitted Himself to water baptism because it was God’s will, shouldn’t we? If Jesus needed the heavens open through surrendering Himself to the plan of God and thus being filled with the Holy Spirit to be able to go to the next step of His purpose, shouldn’t we? He did it! Jesus believed and acted on what He believed. This moment gives us a picture of what our new creation reality is meant to look like. We, too, are called to surrender to the will of God in a faith that is followed by an act in accordance with the will of God. He did it, and now we get to do it.
