Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Luke 3:21 When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized . . .
LIKE US . . . BUT NOT LIKE US
Jesus was like those who came to the Jordan River in this respect: He was human flesh and blood. He was a humble and devout man who sought to do God's will and keep His word. He was one of them, like us--but not like us.
People came to John the Baptist confessing their sins. They admitted their guilt. They confessed their sins. They sought God's forgiveness. They came to have their sins washed away. Their hopes were grounded in the Savior whom John promised was coming to set them free.
May God grant us His grace that we always come confessing our sins honestly from the heart and seek His forgiveness! Let's not pretend that God is unaware of our pet sins and guilt, but come with open hearts seeking His forgiveness. We have sinned. We have deserved God's wrath. We look to the Savior Jesus to set us free from sin and guilt and the wrath to come. He will not disappoint.
For while Jesus came as one of the people, He was different from them in this respect: He was without sin. He didn't have a sinful nature. He didn't have guilt to confess. Jesus "committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth" (1 Peter 2:22; see also 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15).
He didn't need baptism to wash away sin. Still, in coming to be baptized, Jesus placed himself alongside all the people. It was fitting, for because of His completed work baptism is effective (cf. 1 Peter 3:21). Jesus' completed work, his life, death and resurrection, stand behind the waters of baptism and confirm that He can wash away sin from us and our children.
