JOURNEY TO THE CROSS
LUKE 3:21-23
For
Jesus, the journey to the cross began with the journey to the Jordan River. G.
Campbell Morgan noted, “The baptism of Jesus separated between His private and
public life.”
The Gospel writers seemed to rush past the early events in Jesus’ life and move toward the cross. The Scripture detailed more of the last twenty-four hours of Jesus than it included in the first thirty years.
I. Surrender that shadowed Jesus’ cross (3:21)
A. Town (Nazareth–Mk. 1:9; Galilee–Mt. 3:13)
B. Trade (carpenter–Mk. 6:3)
C. Teaching (servanthood–Jn. 13:12-14)
D. Thinking (humility–Phil. 2:8)
E. Title (Lamb of God–Jn. 1:29)
Jn. 1:29 [ESV]. The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
The baptism of John could only carry repentance half-way. Only the Lamb of God could take away the sin confessed.
Gen. 22:7 [ESV]. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”
Rev. 5:12 [ESV]. saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
F. Time (Mt. 3:14-15)
Mt. 3:14-15 [ESV]. John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"
15. But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented.
1. Incarnation of an eternal priest (Heb. 7:16; Num. 4:30)
2. Identification of a sinless priest (Heb. 4:15)
Heb. 7:26 [ESV]. For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
G.
Campbell Morgan wrote, “His being baptized was an act by which He consented to
take His place among sinners. John’s baptism was that of repentance. There was
no room for repentance in Jesus, and yet because of His devotion to their
redemption, He took His place with them.”
Father Damien so identified with the lepers that the missionary acquired leprosy. Damien said, “Whenever I preach to my people, I do not say, ‘my brethren,’ as you do, but ‘we lepers.’ People pity me and think me unfortunate, but I think myself the happiest of missionaries.”
G. Talk (Lk. 11:1)
H. Temptation (Lk. 4:1)
The Allied invasion of northern Europe in WWII began in Normandy, France, 6 June 1944. The largest amphibious landing in history transported 156,000 U. S., British, and Canadian troops across the English Channel in over 5,000 ships and 10,000 planes. Dwight D. Eisenhower delayed the invasion planned for June 5 because of the worst Channel weather in twenty-five years and crossed the next day to the Normandy coast.
The waters of baptism for Jesus preceded the war in the wilderness and the beginning of the campaign that led to the victory at the cross. Jesus crossed the waters of Jordan into the battle.
II. Signs that signaled Jesus’ baptism (3:22)
Jn. 1:33 [ESV]. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
A. Access (heaven opened–1 Pet. 3:22; split– Mk. 1:10)
1. Undefiled (30 years)
2. Unclouded (God’s perfect man)
B. Anointing (Spirit descended–Is. 61:1; Lk. 4:14; Jn. 3:34; Acts 10:38)
1. Direction of the dove (Gen. 1:2)
2. Disposition of the dove (Gen. 8:11)
Jn. 1:32 [HCSB]. And John testified, “I watched the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He rested on Him.”
John
MacArthur explained, “When He became a man, Jesus did not lose His divinity. He
was still fully God in every way. In His deity He needed nothing. But in His
humanity He was here being anointed for service and granted strength for
ministry.”
C. Affirmation (Father spoke)
• Transfiguration (2 Pet. 1:17)
• Crucifixion (Jn. 12:28)
1. Son (Ps. 2:7)
2. Servant (Is. 42:1; Suffering Servant–Is. 53)
The Father viewed from heaven and affirmed the mission of His Son. He saw the place of Jesus’s death far off. The day after Marine 2nd Lt. John Thomas “J. T.” Wroblewski was killed in Iraq in April 2004, his father made a promise. John W. Wroblewski vowed that he would someday visit Ramadi, the place where J. T. died. He wanted to see some of what J. T. saw in the final hours of his life. John Wroblewski wanted to “put a wreath where my son was shot.” This trip would be unusual, and perhaps unprecedented, a military-accompanied trip into Iraq.4
III. Symbol that started Jesus’ ministry (3:23)
A. Trinity (Mt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14)
Jesus did not join the Trinity at the baptism. Deity did not visit Jesus at the baptism and vacate Jesus at the cross. Jesus entered and exited this earth as fully God and fully man.
B. Truth (Lk. 12:50)
1. Crucifixion
2. Resurrection (Mt. 16:21)
C. Typology (Rom. 6:3; 1 Pet. 3:21)
1.
Immersion (Mt. 3:16; Thayer–to dip,
submerge;
Naaman–2 Kg.
5:14)
Jn. 3:23 [ESV]. John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized
2. Identification
Baptism typifies denial of the self-life, death to the old life, and devotion to the new life. Baptism declares public identification with Jesus (Mt. 10:32).
During
the Civil War a group of Confederate soldiers walked through the Southern town
of an elderly lady. The old woman ran into the house, got the broom, put it on
the shoulder, and got in the back of the line of those Confederate soldiers. As
the old woman marched with the broom on the shoulder, somebody said, "Granny,
that broom will not do any good, you cannot fight with that." The lady said,
"Oh, I know I can't fight, but I just want everybody to know whose side I am
on." Baptism identifies on whose side a person stands.
a. Death
b. Burial
c. Resurrection (Col. 2:12)
1 Cor. 15:3-4 [ESV]. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
In baptism Jesus, the Son of Man, willingly identified with the sons of Adam, who ought to be willing to identify with Him.
• Willing to go walk (Jesus went 80 miles)
• Willing to get wet (Jesus went down into the water)
• Willing to give witness (Jesus went out to the wilderness with sinners)
Missionaries
told recently of Mushka (not real name) who sat at the meeting of local
Christians with a huge smile–missing one tooth. His family knocked the tooth out
trying to make him give up Jesus, Mushka’s new best friend. Even with a missing
tooth, Mushka exuded joy as he waited for the baptism of five new believers from
a West African, Muslim area. Some of the believers could not be there–they were
in prison for their faith in Jesus. After another believer was released from
prison, his friend said he, too, wanted to follow Jesus. The Christian asked
him, “Didn’t you see what they did to me in prison?” The seeker responded: “Yes,
that is why I want to become a Christian. No one would go through that if they
were not telling the truth.”
What keeps a person from baptism?
• Disrespect to the ordinance. Some have not been baptized since salvation.
• Disregard to the order. Some have not been baptized after salvation.
• Disreverence to the One. Some have not been baptized because of no salvation.
The summer breeze, made ripples on the pond
Rattled through the reeds
and the willow trees beyond
Daddy in his good hat, mama in her Sunday
dress
Watched with pride, as I stood there in the water up to my chest
And the preacher spoke about the cleansing blood
I sank my toes into that East Tennessee mud
And it was down with the old man, up with the new
Raised to walk in the way of light and truth
I didn't see no angels, just a few saints on the shore
But I felt like a new born baby, cradled up in the arms of the Lord
Amazing grace, oh how sweet the sound
There was glory in the air, there was dinner on the ground
And my sins went for many, were washed away and gone
Along with a buffalo nickel I forgot to leave at home
But that seemed like such a small, small price to pay
For the blessed peace of mind that came to me that day
And it was down with the old man, up with the new
Raised to walk in the way of light and truth
I didn't see no angels, just a few saints on the shore
But I felt like a new born baby, cradled up in the arms of the Lord
This road is long and dusty, sometimes the soul must be cleansed
And I long to feel that water, rushin' over me again
Down with the old man, up
with the new
Raised to walk in the way of light and truth
I didn't see no angels, just a few saints on the shore
But I felt like a new born baby, cradled up in the arms of the Lord
I felt like a new born
baby, cradled up in the arms of the Lord.