Our scripture this week is Matthew 3:13-17.
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
Matthew 3:13-14
John knows who Jesus is, and understands at least partially what He has come to do. When Jesus asks to be baptized, John is confused and objects. Why would the Son of God need to baptized by a human? Why would He need to be baptized at all?
Jesus hears the bewilderment in John’s question “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” (verse 14). He isn’t the kind of Messiah that John (or anyone else) expected. Jesus will deal with this during His whole ministry. John will ask Him “Are you the one to come or should we look for another?” (Matthew 11:3). Peter will object to having the Lord wash his feet (John 13:8).
They were not expecting a serving savior, one is willing to get down in the very pit of human existence with us. However, Jesus doesn’t see any human thing as being beneath His dignity. He comes among us and lives as we do, ready to show that anything we go through He is willing to go through with us, even death. Jesus loves and saves us because He knows what it’s like to be us. Don’t let human things get in your way of a relationship with Him.
Loving Lord, we stumble and fall and we resist Your efforts to pick us back up because we are ashamed. Help us to see that You are willing to forgive us even before we turn to You. Amen.