This past Sunday we had the opportunity to celebrate people’s choice to obediently declare their faith through baptism. My desire this week is to share some reflection pieces around baptism, but the encouragement isn’t reflecting on this faith practice, as much as it is, reflecting and challenging the steps of our faith journey.

The reason I share it that way is because baptism is a declaration of something more inside. But that’s not the only way or reason why we need to declare our faith. My hope is that you will see within the passages this week, with baptism as the center point, you will see other opportunities to deepen your faith.

Today’s passage is the first time we see baptism specifically in scripture and it is Jesus’ baptism.

Matthew 3:13-17- 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, 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, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

I love Jesus’ posture. John acknowledges, “I shouldn’t baptize you, you should baptize me.” Essentially saying, “you are greater than I, I am not worthy to baptize you Jesus.” But Jesus shows us humility, shows us trust and it is defined within the scripture as righteousness, right living according to God’s standard.

Because of his posture, trust and humility, it allowed Jesus to be baptized by John, which allowed this to be declared as Jesus came up out of the water. “This is my son, whom I love, with him I am well pleased.” This declaration of God upon Jesus is a declaration of identity and purpose. Jesus is loved and he lives out of the purpose that God is already pleased with him. There is nothing he needs to do to earn or prove for his father to be pleased with him.

Our faith is marked by the same identity and purpose. When we step into the faith of Christ, we are his sons and daughters, dearly loved and accepted, that is the freedom we need to live in. The challenge is, can you take a look at your life and your relationship with God and ask- what are you doing to prove you are worthy to be loved? Or as the CEB version says, “God found happiness in Jesus,” can you say that God finds happiness in you, simply for being your Heavenly Father?

Sit with God around your identity and purpose and the reality that you go through a lot of other motions to live out a different identity and a purpose of earning.
I would also encourage you to sit with this song as a model of living this out.

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