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Matthew 3:13-15
In our previous lesson of Matthew 3:7-12 we learned of the self-centered hearts of the Pharisees and Sadducees as they were seeking their own form of righteousness that was not correct in the eyes of God. We learned about the humility of Jesus in washing the feet of His disciples in setting the example for us to follow in humility to Him as we seek to be a reflection of Him to the world today.
In this next passage of Matthew 3:13-15, Jesus has come to John the Baptist to be baptized. We now see a proper example of a heart full of humility to Jesus as is that of John the Baptist. He is amazed at the request of Jesus to be baptized by him – one who, like the rest of us, is in need of being baptized by Jesus. And Jesus also represents this proper heart of humility as He humbles Himself to be baptized by John the Baptist. Jesus, in all His glory being the deity of God in human form, lowers Himself to the ways of man in this sinful world to show His obedience to God through baptism – a public display of one’s faith in God. But Jesus tells John the Baptist in Matthew 3:15 (NKJV), “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”
This is an example of the awe-inspired humility of Jesus, and of our proper response in humble obedience to Him.
We know that Jesus came to save us from sin (John 3:16-17), but we also need to be aware that Jesus also, in the saving grace of God, came to set the example for us of the ways in which we need to conduct our behavior in faithful obedience to Him. He did not just come to tell us how to live, He displayed for us in His own physical life how we should live in obedience to God and He set the example for us to follow. Salvation in and through Christ Jesus is not just saying the words and believing – it is living a renewed life, in Christ! James teaches us in James 2:18b, 22 (HCSB), “Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith from my works…You see that faith was active together with his [Abraham] works, and by works, faith was perfected.”
Dear LORD,
Humility and obedience to You are two things that are very hard to learn in this self-centered world. But You have set the example for us through the physical life of Christ Jesus, that we too should humble ourselves in obedience to You through following the lead of our Savior that You would be glorified through our lives – in Christ! Please help us to understand and experience that the blessings You will fill our hearts with for our obedience to You are incomparable to anything we could ever experience in this world. Please let it be so LORD. In Jesus name I pray, amen.