Matthew 3 13-17 details the Baptism of Jesus.
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
fulfil 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.”
Jesus coming to John at the river Jordan marks an important moment in the
Gospels. This is where it all really begins indeed, as we get a glimpse into the
purposes of God and why Jesus came. And it’s noticeable that Jesus doesn’t start
with ‘all guns blazing’. Quite the reverse. The Son of God begins his ministry
with an act of submission, one that John was clearly not expecting as his question
to Jesus shows.
Jesus, it would seem, needed to start his ministry with the right attitude:
submission to God’s will. Without this, the mission of salvation could not have
been accomplished. Submission is not a popular word these days as it may be
confused with being a doormat, letting others walk all over you.
But this is the complete opposite of what Jesus was doing. Submission to God’s
will means knowing and doing what is good and right and true, even when
others laugh at you, or think you are mad; even when they oppose and
intimidate you, perhaps physically. That requires great strength – of character,
of mind, of purpose.
Jesus, as we hear in the Gospels, is on the side of the weak, the helpless, the
people at the margins. He is the servant.
Following Jesus means surrendering some privileges, perhaps particularly
religious privileges. Sometimes we have to learn the painful lesson that what
fitted at one time can become a hindrance and a restriction and we have to
move forward.
So, what does this mean for us?
We are all at the start of a New Year and for some the beginning of a new role
within the church. We ALL need that same attitude of humility and submission
to the will of God, that same desire for justice that comes from the heart of God,
and – through the power of the Spirit within us – that same strength and
determination to see it though. We need to have the right attitude, just as Jesus
himself did.
Prayer
Dear God, as we start a new year as the church family of Reigate Park we ask
your blessing upon each of us. We ask for your strength and guidance to see us
through whatever is ahead of us in 2025. May we always be aware of the needs
and concerns of others and act accordingly. Amen
Sue Knight - Local Church Leader
Taken from the February 2025 Edition of The Record