Matthew 3 - The Baptism Of Jesus

Hope In Tigard

If I hadn't told you, would you have known that this Sunday, we will be celebrating Jesus' baptism? I don't blame you if hadn't! But I am reflecting on the fact, this week, that this is something that we almost never give a thought to- the baptism of Jesus.
As I was studying this week, I found that the Sunday of the Baptism of Jesus used to be like Easter to the early church. Maybe like Christmas or Easter for us now. It was the Sunday that you just didn't miss. It was the sermon that you just had to hear. About the baptism of Jesus- that God anointed his Son with his Holy Spirit and with power to go out and save the people from their sins. It's certainly worth celebrating! And we certainly will. But why has the significance of this Sunday gone so far away?
I've got a couple ideas. Maybe it's just that everyone is holidayed out by this time of January. We've done Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and now we're done partying. Maybe that's way. Maybe it's that most people don't understand what baptism is really for (even most Christians!). Maybe I'll put the question to you- do you think we don't think about Jesus' baptism because we are missing just how badly we need it?
This Sunday, as we get into Matthew 3:13-17, we'll see our deep need for baptism, and even more, we'll see our Savior who came down into the water to save us from our need.
In the end, this Sunday isn't about our celebration of an event. It's about us seeing just how badly we need a Savior, and seeing just how saving that Savior is.