Why Jesus Was Baptized

Imagine a long line of people along the bank of a river, the Jordan River. They stand, watch, whisper to each other, each waiting their own turn.  The next in line wades out to John the Baptist, publicly confesses their sins, and is then immersed under the water, symbolically freeing them of their sins.  

Why were they doing this? Where did their sins go? 

And the biggest question of all, why did Jesus arrive to be baptized too?  He didn't have any sins to wash away. He was the only one there who was without sin, and would in fact be rendered dirty by the water of sin instead of being cleansed by it.

Jesus wasn't there to purify himself.  Nor was Jesus there to set a good example.  It wouldn't make sense that the Father would express such pleasure and delight in His Son just for providing the demonstration for his followers to imitate.  It's bigger than that.  

In this one pivotal moment, Jesus, pure and sinless, took up our sin when he was baptized.  The water that symbolized washing away sin and a sign of repentance became a filthy frothy basin of sin that Jesus would bear upon his shoulders for us. Through his baptism, he initiated the act of taking away the sins of the world (John 1:29), beginning the forward motion of the divine plan. 

Jesus' choice to be baptized was showing His Father his willingness to take the journey to the cross.  And THIS is why the Father was so pleased with him.   



  

A Birthday Party for Jesus - A Theological Perspective

While I was preparing for a 2^nd grade Sunday School lesson in the church classroom on a December evening (ten years ago), the children’s minister casually mentioned that she had a theological problem with birthday parties for Jesus.  She said it gives children the idea that Jesus did not exist before He was born as God-in-flesh in Bethlehem.

True, the Son of God, the 2^nd person of the Trinity, existed before all creation.  He had a distinct personal existence during the Old Testament period as evidenced in Scripture.  For Him and through Him the whole work of creation was done. 

But at a finite point in time, He assumed humanity and was born as a baby.  The pre-existent Christ became man.  The Word became flesh (John 1:14).  He emptied Himself, taking the form of a bondservant and was made in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:6).  He was birthed.

When we celebrate the ‘birthday’ of Jesus, we celebrate the Son of God becoming man in the flesh.  Fully God, he also became fully man through the means of the Holy Spirit’s union with Mary.  Celebrating the birthday of Jesus is commemorating the day toward which all of history had been moving and pointing before the manger.  It is a celebration of the act of God the Son taking upon Himself a human nature, human flesh and breaking into history to be born, to live, to die, and to be resurrected.

A birthday party for Jesus – simple in a child’s eye, but theologically profound.

No More Mr. Nice Guy (Speaking the Truth in Love)

Jesus wasn’t just a “nice guy”.  Yes, he overflowed with love, compassion, and care.  He put these emotions into action by providing food to the hungry, healing the sick, comforting the broken-hearted, and offering forgiveness to the shamed.  But he also didn’t hesitate to get in their faces when they needed it.  He called the Pharisees a “brood of vipers”, overturned the tables in the temple, and pointed out things that needed fixing.  He told stories with shocking and thought-provoking endings that insulted some people and opened the eyes of others.  Jesus wasn’t “nice,” yet He was without sin.  He spoke the truth in love.

I don’t want to be just a “nice lady,” but I don’t want to be witchy either.  Being like Jesus is a little tricky – a sort of balancing act.  You can’t go around calling people vipers or pointing out their flaws and expect to have the same effect that Jesus did.  You can’t just give people whatever they want or need and flaccidly smile with the hope they understand God’s love.  You must speak the truth in love.

How do you speak the truth in love? A few things I’m learning and hoping to practice more:

1) Know when to speak and when to be silent.  Sometimes Jesus explained himself and sometimes he kept his mouth shut even in the midst of misunderstanding.  He allowed himself to be falsely accused for a time so that later people would understand.  It’s not only a matter of timing, but a matter of how many words as well.

2) Keep in step with the Spirit.  When I’m in a situation where an instant response is required, sometimes my response is a natural fleshly knee-jerk reaction that kicks in the wrong direction.  If I can keep in step with the Spirit and ask for His continual filling, in the critical moments of my response, I can answer rightly and reflect the words God would have me speak.

3) Seek God’s perspective and wisdom. I have to remind myself that it’s not about me, and it’s not even about them.  Rather, it’s about Him and showing off His greatness.  His bird’s eye view of the situation is not only global but encompasses all of time – past, present, and future. My street view is limited – I can’t even see around the next corner nor where I’ve been without a mirror, so I need to obey and trust His navigational system. I need to be courageous to speak as He leads.

4) Keep my eyes on the cross and the love and grace that emanates from it.  Only in grasping and remembering what Christ has done for me can I then possess enough love and grace to give to others.  If I have the greatest gifts but have not love, I have nothing. 

Love is essential.

My Top 5 Favorite Reasons





At this very moment, here are my top five favorite reasons

why Jesus Christ suffered and died:

1.     To show that the worst evil is meant by God for good.

2.     To take away our condemnation.

3.     To enable us to live for Christ and not ourselves.

4.     To show the wealth of God's love and grace for sinners.

5.     To free us from bondage and fear of death.

As I contemplate the depth of the meaning of the cross and reflect on its significance in my life, I am certain my top five will change! For 45 other reasons, check out John Piper's book The Passion of Jesus Christ: 50 Reasons Why He Came to Die.  (Read it for free at: http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/online-books/fifty-reasons-why-jesus-came-to-die). 

Photo from  http://freeartisticphotos.com

Was Jesus Emotional?

My husband sometimes describes me as a moody person.  At times, the tears come quickly or the laughter erupts more readily than others. Sometimes I feel gushy and express my love and appreciation at the smallest things, while other times my tongue is sharp and my patience slim.  Pulling the reigns on my emotions requires self-discipline to prevent them from negatively controlling my words and actions.

Since I want to follow the pattern of Jesus, I have to ask, how much were emotions a part of His life?  I have never imagined Jesus as an emotional person, yet I know He had emotions.  He experienced laughter, tears, compassion, and anger, but He did not sin.  

Sinclair Ferguson discusses the true, deep humanity of Jesus in his book In Christ Alone, saying “Jesus’s sinlessness should not be equated with emotionlessness.” In fact, it is quite the other extreme.  He cites the example of illness and death of Lazarus when Jesus wept (John 11:35), deeply affected by Satan’s reign in sin and death. 

Jesus could see human need with perfect clarity and feel it with ‘unparalleled intensity’ compared to our foggy awareness. “His holy humanity experienced heights and depths of emotion unknown by sinful humanity” (p. 70).  When He resurrected Lazarus from the dead with a single command, the ultimate miracle, I wonder what He felt then? 

Can you imagine experiencing all the emotions of womanhood without sinning?  To experience all the highs and lows without your thoughts going down paths they shouldn’t go?  To allow them to drive you to closer in intimacy with God? 

Whether I experience the high peaks of joy or the low depths of despair, I want my emotions to be ignited by the Holy Spirit within me.  I do not want my emotions to rule me, but sometimes they propel me into action that might otherwise lie dormant.  I resolve to cherish all the emotions that come with the gift of womanhood so that God may use them to transform my character.