What is the Role of The Holy Spirit at Jesus’ Baptism?
Good Morning Friends,
Words rarely do justice to the topic of the Holy Spirit. Describing our relationship with God the Father, the Body of the church, Jesus and the Spirit that binds us together is difficult at best. For the frozen chosen I think the common experience of the Holy Spirit is of the spirit of grace conceived at our baptism and birthed as our fruits mature and we witness to our faith. But people experience the Holy Spirit in a variety of ways and how you experience the Spirit might be and should be in some ways different than how I do. The hope is that however we experience this love, the person of the Holy Spirit, that this gift, this miracle might produce in us something that builds up others as well. It is though grace not judgment, transformation not information, joy not fears that we experience this universal love. Therefore today’s devotional is a joyful testimony to and celebration of the reality of The Holy Spirit at Jesus’ Baptism. And so we ask: What is the Role of The Holy Spirit at Jesus’ Baptism?
Scripture: See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.
Malachi 3:1 (NRSV)
A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Isaiah 40:3 (NRSV)
and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
Romans 5:5 (NRSV)
John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Mark 1: 4-8 (NRSV)
By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.
Galatians. 5:22–23 (NRSV)
Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:38 (NRSV)
Message: Today there is not much controversy about it, but in the early church there was some debate about why Jesus was baptized. He after all did not need if for the repentance of sins. Some say it was to fulfill the prophecy and that probably is the best answer. But an equally good answer I think is that the person of the Holy Spirit sets the stage for the anointing and identifying of the Messiah, the beloved Jesus, in the act of baptism. Isaiah and Malachi
promise something very special and new in the life of Jesus that is unlike any other who has come before. The Magi who came from the East and gave gifts to the Christ child knew it, the religious leaders and political figures knew it. After 400 years of prophetic silence there is growing anticipation in the land among the people that the Messiah is coming. The stage is set for the appearance of the Messiah and people are coming to be purified in the ritual of baptism as they await the Messiah and the Jewish leaders feel the energy among the people. And the leaders of the day know the scriptures and know what John baptizing people means. God is preparing the hearts of His people to receive the Messiah and that moment of unveiling is at hand. All the righteousness that is of the law and the prophets is to be fulfilled in Christ. All the covenants are to be fulfilled. And Jesus’ baptism is part of that fulfillment for the gift of the Holy Spirit that conceived Jesus is the same gift of the Holy Spirit that descended on Jesus at His baptism and is woven together at the Transfiguration. And friends, this is the same Holy Spirit that was shared at Pentecost and is experienced by believers today when the Spirit’s purpose is served in acts of faith and hope and love and unity. Friends, we should give more thought to baptism of Jesus but even more to our own baptism by Jesus. Remember that Jesus baptizes too but not with water but with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
Pray we seek to fulfill a righteous relationship with God as did Jesus at his baptism. Pray we identify with the Messiah. Pray we are baptized by him with the Holy Spirit. Pray we are thankful the Jesus has become one with us, so that in him through the gift of the Holy Spirit we might become one with God. Pray the Holy Spirit descend on us like a dove into our hardships and pain and give us peace.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 