Also posted at… TheHeartseekerBlog.wordpress.com
January 3
“It is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” (Jesus – Matthew 3:15)
John was all the rage. Hoards of people came out to see his gig daily.
Listening intently. Feeling their hearts moved. To seek God. To re-commit their lives to serving him wholeheartedly.
Many of them found themselves in the waters of the Jordan – longing to be cleansed, made afresh and anew. Yearning for their past failures and missteps to be washed away. Being publicly baptized to demonstrate their eagerness to renew their faith in the One true God.
There was the overwhelming sense of something extraordinary in the air.
Then The day came. The one John was always preaching about. Messiah was coming… riding on the voice of the one who was sent to prepare the way. The Messiah that the whole nation had been hoping and longing to see. The One, John declared, whose footwear he was unworthy to untie.
The One was standing in the Jordan! Along with all the other penitent sinners who were seeking cleansing and consecration. John recognized Him – and then something stirred so deeply in his heart… that unworthiness… a deep sense of being undone.
“Why are you here?” John pleaded… “I need to be baptized by you… and do you come to me?”
John was right. The One Who is greater should baptize the lesser. It’s how it always should be. And the Messiah should humble Himself to no one!
But Jesus’ words surprised John – and even as He spoke them, John knew His words rang true.
“Let it be so now. For it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”
Jesus wasn’t concerned about appearances. He wasn’t mindful of status. Or pecking order. Or what others might think.
All that mattered was righteousness. Doing what God would do. Doing what was right. At all times. Always.
And what was right was for the Messiah to be consecrated for service.
Jesus didn’t need to be cleansed that day. He had no sin. He needed the world to know that He was sent with special orders – to love humanity, to serve humanity, to bring the Kingdom of God to where that Kingdom was lacking… or missing altogether. Jesus had come under divine orders.
And proper servants of the Most High, needed to be consecrated into that service. Publicly. Before all persons. Humbled. Anointed. Called to pour out One’s self for the good of all others.
And so it happened. John plunged Jesus beneath those consecrating waters…
How did God respond to such an eagerness for righteousness?..
“This is My beloved Son, with Whom I am well pleased!”
TheHeartseeker's Blog 