What are you willing to do so that you do the right thing? Are you willing to give up your preferences? Are you willing to do something that appears to have no value? What if it seems so small as to be insignificant? Will you do it to do the right thing?
Most of us want to do the right thing. We often speak about doing the right thing and tell our children to do the right thing. Yet, there are times when we simply cannot bring ourselves to do it. It may be a small thing or far too big for us to take on the challenge.
Jesus did something that He did not need to do…on the face of it. After all, John was baptizing people for repentance and forgiveness. Jesus is the only One to walk this earth without sinning. So, we might surmise that He had no need of being baptized by John. Yet, Jesus stated it should be done to fulfill all righteousness.
What is the righteousness Jesus is fulfilling? First, He is obeying the Father’s will. Second, He is identifying with the very people He came to save. He is filling to the full His mission on earth by doing the right thing to start His ministry. He first does what He will later command His disciples to do.
In Jesus’ baptism, we see the Trinity revealed. The Son is being baptized. The Father states he loves the Son and is well pleased with Him. The Spirit descends on the Son as He comes up out of the water. Though we may not fully understand every detail of what happens in the spiritual realm, we can be sure that God is in the midst of baptism.
I pray we all know that Jesus fulfilled all righteousness. I pray we see the Father, Son, and Holy spirit in baptism. I pray each one of us remember and reflect on the meaning of our baptism. Jesus fulfilled all righteousness. Reflect on your baptism. Remember the significance of it.
Matthew 3:15: But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.
Marty Pressey 