In Luke 3:21-38, we have the story of Jesus’ baptism followed by a long, detailed list of his ancestry. The genealogy serves as an account to remind Luke’s readers of where Jesus came from. He was of a royal line, tracing back through David himself. Jesus was indeed a Jew who had come to be the Messiah for all of Israel, even the whole world. At His baptism, Jesus hears the words, “You are my Son, my dear Son! I am delighted with you.” This seemingly small confirmation, or encouragement, served as a little bit of a push for Jesus to begin his public ministry. These simple words also pointed in the direction that Jesus’ ministry was going to go. The statement was reminiscent of the words of Isaiah saying that the Messiah would be the servant who would suffer, but would come again. Clearly, the story of the baptism of Jesus is a huge moment in Luke’s Gospel. It shows us where Jesus came from, who he was, and where He was going to go. In our own baptism, His story becomes our own. We, too, receive confirmation from God. We get to look back and see our Spiritual ancestry as we are called children of God.
-In what ways does reflecting on Jesus’ baptism impact the way that you view your baptism?
-In light of this perspective on your baptism, how might this alter the way you consider the spiritual journey ahead of you?
(Written by Cody Poinsett)