Matthew 3:16
When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
O that each of us could hear these words from the Father. "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." To be found fully and completely in God's will. To be growing in faith. To be about the Lord's work. To be acknowledged by God. To know the Spirit's power in my life.
All the gospels record this event in Christ's life, so that it in itself speaks of the event's importance. John the Baptizer tries to persuade Jesus he doesn't need to be baptized, and then gives in to "fulfill all righteousness" (Mat 3:15). Not only did John probably not understand this, I suspect that neither can we fully know why the most righteous man who ever walked this earth needed to be baptized for righteousness' sake.
Notice the Spirit of God touching the Savior in the form of a dove. God surely didn't want the crowd to miss this, and neither should you. Here's the point. When God decides to touch your life in a special way, it is with the Spirit coming on you in power. Sure, you won't see a dove when the Spirit comes down, but just as surely as the Lord was touched of the Spirit and empowered for ministry in his life, you will be too when you surrender to the Lord's work in your life.
John baptized for the remission of sins, dunking sinners who had repented and turned from their sins. They were baptized in water in a familiar Jewish way to tell the world of their new commitment. In the same way, the Spirit baptizes our hearts when we turn from our sins and when he decides to reach out and touch our lives in power to fulfill the Lord's ministries today.
O that the Spirit would be poured out on the hearts and lives of all people today. Not only would the Lord be glorified, but the change of lives that comes with an outpouring of the Spirit, there is no doubt our entire world would be changed.
LORD JESUS
May you be pleased with my life. I've turned from my sins and I've followed your example in water baptism. Now may your Spirit continually touch me so I know your power and sustainment in serving you all the days of my life. Amen
See also Luke 3:22
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