Matthew 3:13

Matthew 3:13 says, Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.  Jesus came to John one day to be baptized by him.  This, among other things, would show the legitimacy of John's ministry. and would also show the validity of baptism.  John was not just acting on his own, but was following the leadership of God.  We need to make sure that God endorses our actions today when we say we are doing anything in His name.  Verse fourteen declares, But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?  John was not going to baptize Jesus, saying he needed to be baptized by Jesus instead.  John questioned why Jesus came to him instead.  I don't believe that it is wrong to question whether or not what we believe God is calling on us to do is the right thing or not, but only for clarification and not claim that we know more than God does.  Verse fifteen states, And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.  Jesus told John that it was the right thing to do for the sake of righteousness.  Then, John baptized Jesus.  Jesus set the example for us to follow.  Baptism did not save a person then and it doesn't now.  Baptism then and now identified a person as a follower of Christ.  Though Jesus could not follow Himself, he could identify Himself as the Messiah Whose actions were to be followed.  We need to follow the example of Jesus, but we also must listen to Him to know what we need to do in life.  Verse sixteen declares, And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:  When Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens opened and He saw the Spirit of God descending on Him.  Jesus' baptism was a little more dramatic than any other before or since.  God showed His approval of what Jesus had done.  Though we will not have that dramatic sign of approval when we are baptized, we still have God's approval when we are baptized after we accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord because it identifies us as followers of Christ.  Verse seventeen adds, And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  God gave His endorsement of Jesus as the long awaited Messiah and His own Son.  Jesus alone is the only begotten Son of God, but we can become the adopted sons and daughters of God by putting our faith in Him.