Larry Devich
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Tuesday of Lent 2 - The Baptism of Jesus
Read: Matthew 3:1-17 (If you have time, John 1:29-34)
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and
saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" (Mt. 3:1-2)
When Malachi prophesied that the Lord would come, he also declared that
Elijah would come first (Mal. 3:1; 4:5) to prepare the way. This Elijah was
John the Baptist, who even dressed like Elijah (2 Kgs. 1:8) as he preached to the
crowds in the wilderness. John's entire preaching can be summed up in one
sentence: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
“Repent,” said John, calling upon the people to be turned from their sin and
misconceptions of a messiah, so that they would be ready when the Messiah
appeared. And then, “the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” he proclaimed. Why?
The kingdom of heaven was at hand because the King was at hand. God in flesh
was coming to the Jordan River.
So Jesus came to be baptized by John, over John's objections. After all, why
would the sinless Son of God need to be baptized like all those sinners?
Because the Son of God had become flesh to take their place; so He was
baptized just like them on the way to the cross. To confirm that the King was
there, His Father anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and declared from heaven,
“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”
Where is He? There He is, coming out of the Jordan.
In St. John's Gospel, there's little attention given to Jesus' actual baptism;
instead, John highlights another facet of the day. John the Baptist, who has been
preaching that the King is coming, now directs the attention of all to a man in
the crowd and cries out, “Behold the Lamb of God, that takest away the sin
of the world!” (Jn. 1:29). Once again, there He is, standing among the people
He's come to save—so ordinary-looking that John the Baptist has to point Him
out. Immanuel is living up to His name.
But John has added another name: the Lamb of God. Strange name for a
King and Conqueror. Lambs aren't good for much, except for sacrificing...or
dinner...which is exactly what John is getting at. Way back in Egypt, as the
Lord sought to free His people from Pharaoh, the tenth plague was the death of
the firstborn (Ex. 12). The Israelites were spared that night because they
slaughtered the Passover Lamb, spread its blood on parts of the door, and then
ate the rest of it as a meal. When the Lord Himself came through to carry out
the judgment, He passed over the houses of Israel.
As John points out the Savior, he also declares how Jesus will save. Like the
Passover Lamb, He will be sacrificed. Like that Lamb, His blood will be shed
to save the lives of His people. And, as the eternal Passover Lamb, His body
and blood will be given as a meal to His people, to strengthen and preserve them
in the one true faith. It won't look like much to the world; but then again, a lot
of Egyptians thought the Israelites were crazy for spreading blood on their
doors. Until the next day.
Look at the Jordan: there He is, the Lamb of God, baptized for you...on His
way to the cross for you. ¶ 3/06/2007 05:10:00 AM 0 Comments
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and
saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" (Mt. 3:1-2)
When Malachi prophesied that the Lord would come, he also declared that
Elijah would come first (Mal. 3:1; 4:5) to prepare the way. This Elijah was
John the Baptist, who even dressed like Elijah (2 Kgs. 1:8) as he preached to the
crowds in the wilderness. John's entire preaching can be summed up in one
sentence: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
“Repent,” said John, calling upon the people to be turned from their sin and
misconceptions of a messiah, so that they would be ready when the Messiah
appeared. And then, “the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” he proclaimed. Why?
The kingdom of heaven was at hand because the King was at hand. God in flesh
was coming to the Jordan River.
So Jesus came to be baptized by John, over John's objections. After all, why
would the sinless Son of God need to be baptized like all those sinners?
Because the Son of God had become flesh to take their place; so He was
baptized just like them on the way to the cross. To confirm that the King was
there, His Father anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and declared from heaven,
“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”
Where is He? There He is, coming out of the Jordan.
In St. John's Gospel, there's little attention given to Jesus' actual baptism;
instead, John highlights another facet of the day. John the Baptist, who has been
preaching that the King is coming, now directs the attention of all to a man in
the crowd and cries out, “Behold the Lamb of God, that takest away the sin
of the world!” (Jn. 1:29). Once again, there He is, standing among the people
He's come to save—so ordinary-looking that John the Baptist has to point Him
out. Immanuel is living up to His name.
But John has added another name: the Lamb of God. Strange name for a
King and Conqueror. Lambs aren't good for much, except for sacrificing...or
dinner...which is exactly what John is getting at. Way back in Egypt, as the
Lord sought to free His people from Pharaoh, the tenth plague was the death of
the firstborn (Ex. 12). The Israelites were spared that night because they
slaughtered the Passover Lamb, spread its blood on parts of the door, and then
ate the rest of it as a meal. When the Lord Himself came through to carry out
the judgment, He passed over the houses of Israel.
As John points out the Savior, he also declares how Jesus will save. Like the
Passover Lamb, He will be sacrificed. Like that Lamb, His blood will be shed
to save the lives of His people. And, as the eternal Passover Lamb, His body
and blood will be given as a meal to His people, to strengthen and preserve them
in the one true faith. It won't look like much to the world; but then again, a lot
of Egyptians thought the Israelites were crazy for spreading blood on their
doors. Until the next day.
Look at the Jordan: there He is, the Lamb of God, baptized for you...on His
way to the cross for you. ¶ 3/06/2007 05:10:00 AM 0 Comments
