Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be
baptized by him. But John questioned him: “I need to be baptized by you, and
you come to me?”
But Jesus, answered, “Allow it now, for this is the fitting
way for us to fulfill all righteousness.”
Jesus, when he was baptized, went
up directly from the water, and the heavens opened before him. He saw the
Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him. A voice out of the
heavens said, “You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased.”
The next day, John saw Jesus coming to him, and said,
“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of
whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who is above me, for he was before me.’ I
didn’t know him, but for this reason I came baptizing in water: that he would
be revealed to Israel.” John testified, saying, “I have seen the Spirit
descending like a dove out of heaven, and it remained on him. I didn’t recognize
him, but he who sent me to baptize in water, he said to me, ‘On whomever you
will see the Spirit descending and remaining, the same is he who baptizes in
the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.”
Reflections
Jesus was both known and unknown to John. As
a relative, John would have known Jesus to be a righteous man, not one who
needed to be baptized to signify the forgiveness of his sins. What John had not
known before, though, was that Jesus was far more than just a good man. At his
baptism, Jesus was touched by God’s Spirit and affirmed in God’s love. Have you
been baptized? Did you experience the presence of God’s Spirit and the depth of
God’s love?
Prayer:
Help me never imagine, Lord, that I could truly help others without both your
Spirit and your love in my life.
No comments:
Post a Comment