Jesus is Baptized

Luke 3:21-22. Monday, Jan. 5. [19] Standing among all the other penitents is the one person in all of human history who never had sins to repent of--and yet he is there! Jesus chooses to identify himself with our condition. Notice how at the very place where the people were preparing for the coming of the Messiah, at the waters of baptism, the witness comes from heaven addressed to Jesus personally, "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." As Jesus humbled himself and committed himself to the way of the cross, the Father speaks and honors his Son. When Jesus chose to be immersed in the waters of baptism, as he went down into the water, he demonstrated prophetically, his own death and burial and resurrection. In so doing, he invests water baptism with its Christian significance--death, burial and resurrection with Christ (Romans 6). It is at this juncture, in this token of redemption, that the heavens open and God identifies himself with Jesus, "You are my Son!"