Before He Did Anything

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Matthew 3:13-17 "Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, 'I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?' Jesus replied, 'Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.' Then John consented. 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. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.'"

Think

Imagine sitting in the third row at church with your leg bouncing uncontrollably. In a few minutes your name will be called, and you will walk up the steps into a pool of water in front of a room full of people. You said yes to being baptized weeks ago. Now you are wondering why. What if you slip? What if someone from school is out there? What if everyone can somehow tell you still have questions?

If you have ever stood in that line, or thought about it and decided "not yet," you know baptism is not just a ceremony. It is the moment something private becomes public.

Jesus stood in a line like that too. In Matthew 3, crowds are coming to the Jordan River to be baptized by John, a rugged prophet who has been telling people to turn away from their sin and get ready for God to move. Then Jesus walks up and gets in line with everyone else.

John's reaction is honest. He tries to stop Jesus and says it should be the other way around. John understood that his baptism was connected to repentance, and Jesus had nothing to repent of. He had never sinned. So why was he in the water?

Jesus tells John it is right to do this to fulfill all righteousness. In other words, this is what obedience looks like. Jesus was not being baptized because he needed forgiveness. He was stepping into the same water as the people he came to save. He was standing with us. This moment also marked the beginning of his public ministry. Before the miracles, before the crowds, before the cross, Jesus started with a step of obedience.

Then heaven opens, the Spirit comes down like a dove, and the Father speaks. He says this is his Son, whom he loves, and that he is well pleased with him.

Notice when God says that. Jesus has not preached a sermon yet. He has not healed anyone. He has not done a single thing that would make anyone's highlight reel. The Father's love was not a reward for his performance. It came first.

That matters for you, because so much of your life runs on performance. Grades, stats, followers, auditions, and rankings are constantly telling you where you stand. It is easy to believe God works the same way, that you have to earn your spot before he will call you his. Baptism tells a different story. It is not a trophy for having your life together. It is a response to a relationship Jesus already made possible.

Think about a wedding ring. The ring does not create the marriage. The promise does. But the ring is a visible sign that tells everyone, "I belong to someone." Baptism works a lot like that. Paul explains in Romans 6 that going under the water illustrates being buried with Jesus, and coming up illustrates being raised to new life with him. It is a picture of his death, burial, and resurrection, the very things that made your relationship with God possible. It is also your first public step of obedience.

For Jesus, baptism was the start of his ministry. For you, it can be the start of yours. Ministry is not something only pastors do. It is what happens when a person who belongs to Jesus starts living like it at school, at practice, at home, and online.

So where are you? Maybe you have trusted Jesus but have never taken this step. Maybe you were baptized years ago and have forgotten what it meant. Either way, the voice at the Jordan is worth hearing again. God is not waiting for your performance before he loves you. For everyone who belongs to Jesus, the love comes first, and the obedience grows out of it.

Apply

Take the next step – If you have trusted Jesus but have not been baptized, talk with a parent or a Mix staff member this week about what that step would look like.If you have been baptized, write down when it happened and tell one person why you did it.

Pray

Jesus, thank you for stepping into the water and standing with people like me. I spend a lot of energy trying to prove I am enough, and honestly, I am tired. Help me believe your love comes before my performance. Give me courage to follow you publicly, even when I am nervous. In Jesus' name. Amen.