Scripture to Read: Luke 3:21–38
We close out Luke 3 today and God led Luke to write this in Luke 3:21–23: “Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, ‘You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.’ 23 When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being, as was supposed…” As God used John the Baptist to preach the gospel, many Jews repented of their sins and chose to be baptized. This was huge because Jews were never baptized; only Gentiles who desired to convert to Judaism were baptized. Then we read that Jesus was baptized, not because He was a sinner who needed repentance, but because He identified Himself with sinful man. Jesus knew He came to take on Himself the sins of all mankind, from Adam to the last person who will ever be born. God reminds us in Philippians 2:6–7, “who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.” Jesus chose to humble Himself in every way, and His humility would lead Him all the way to the cross to die for sinful mankind. God the Father spoke, fulfilling Psalm 2:7 and Isaiah 42:1. Jesus is God the Son and He surrendered His all for all mankind (Ephesians 5:2).
Challenge & Application
Jesus came and humbled Himself, identifying Himself with sinful man. How do you now live to identify yourself with Him?
How do you see God using you this year as you walk in obedience to Him?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!