Mon.’s Devo - Jesus’ Debut

Read Luke 3:21-23 While John was still baptizing, Jesus came to him to be baptized. According to Matt 3, John tried to talk Jesus out of being baptized by him. John said that it was Jesus who should be baptizing him. Jesus’ reply was (paraphrased), “Please baptize me now, for I must do this to fulfill all righteousness”. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all wrote that they saw the dove come down from heaven and heard God say, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” John gives us more insight. He says that God had told John beforehand, “Upon the one you see the Spirit descending and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” He also relates that the moment he saw Jesus walking toward him, God spoke this out of John’s mouth, “Behold! The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Then John turned to the people and said, “this is the one whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me, ‘I did not know Him: but that He should be revealed to Israel, so I came baptizing with water.” In other words, John came doing a sign: baptizing in water. This sign was just a picture of what Jesus would do. The water can wash away dirt just like the power of the Holy Spirit can cleanse your heart. John came painting the picture; Jesus walked out of the picture in human form. This act on this day was how God chose to present Jesus to the world. On the day Jesus was born all heaven sang, but only a few shepherds heard it, then Jesus was whisked away to hide out in Egypt. He came back to Nazareth and lived a very secluded life hidden away in a carpenter’s shop. He was now thirty, the age men went to war, and it was time to come out and fight. So it is not coincidental that as soon as he made his debut he was led into the wilderness to take on the devil. Lord, let your Holy Spirit descend on us like a dove and remain.