Matthew 3:15

  “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”

Jesus wants me to baptize Him? Shouldn’t He baptize me? Will I lose credibility with my followers now that Jesus is here? These people are here to hear from me? What do I do now that Jesus is here? ….. I can only imagine the thoughts that were running through John the Baptist’s head. All of these years he had been preparing the way and now he is face to face with everything he has been preaching and hoping for. Standing with the One he just prophesied about…. The One who “is coming after me”, the One whose sandals he wasn’t even worthy to carry. And now….. Jesus wants John to baptize him? Well this is awkward…. It reminds of when someone applies for a job and is clearly over qualified.

But Jesus doesn’t allow the social norms to define Him. He twists things up a bit. …

Here we see Jesus set the table for things to come. He literally becomes flesh, experiences temptation, and even allows another human being to baptize Him, fully knowing that John is not worthy to even wear His shoes. Talk about humility and obedience…all to fulfill his purpose and to fulfill righteousness.

Obedience floods this story- from both John and Jesus. Both of them humble themselves for the sake of obedience. Both of them disregard social norms for the sake of obedience and we begin to see things like never before! Only things that come from obedience to the Lord!

I think we could all agree that the Lord calls us to go against the grain, to be obedient when it doesn’t all make sense. What does that look like in your life? What is Jesus asking you to do? Is it a a simple invite to church to a non-Christian? Is it time to extend grace and forgiveness to someone who, by the world’s standards, does not deserve grace. Maybe, just maybe, if we humble ourselves before the Lord and begin to be obedient in what He asks of us, then we will be begin to see things like never before!

-Taylor