Thursday Devotion: Matthew 3:13-17

A reading from Matthew the third chapter:

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" 15 But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased."

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In this passage we see Jesus walking up to John in order to be baptized, just like the hundreds of people who came before this trip. Naturally, John threw a fit because Jesus was the messiah and should be the one to do the baptizing--it was kind of his MO, being the son of God and such. However, it had to be done. In order for Jesus to fully participate in the physical world in which he was residing he needed to experience baptism like we do.

God became flesh.

God came to earth.

God joined us in the mire and muck.

God was baptized by John in the river Jordan.

In being baptized, Jesus sends an open invitation for the rest of us to join him in the experience. We too can experience the heavens opening up, and God referring to us as the beloved as we bring pleasure to God. We are welcomed into that kingdom through the actions of Jesus in the river. This is because we are then joining him in the death and ressurection. It is our invitation to die and rise again in Jesus.

We are buried.

We die.

We are raised.

We live a new life in Jesus.

It is this invitation that opens our hearts to the newness that is created through God... and then the spirit hits.

Let us pray:

God we must thank-you for sending Jesus to show us the path toward becoming your beloved. Through his baptism, death and resurrection we are created new in your eyes and are wrapped up in your grace. We ask that you continue to press down on us so that we might remember and recall your presence in our lives, so that we might continue to freely live in the world today. Empower us, guide us and sustain us as we travel forth into your glory. Amen.