This is Spoken Gospel.

We’re dedicated to seeing
Jesus in all of scripture.

In each episode, we see what’s
happening in a Biblical text

and how it sheds light
on Jesus and his gospel.

Let’s jump in.

Matthew tells us that the prophet Isaiah predicted a
voice that would announce the coming of Israel’s Lord.

Matthew tells us that John the Baptist
is the voice and Jesus is the Lord.

Crowds come to John to be baptized.

And John explains that his baptism
is temporary and preparatory.

It proclaims the coming of the kingdom but
will be eclipsed when the king finally comes.

The king would baptize with
the Holy Spirit and with fire.

Jesus arrives at the water
and asks John to baptize him.

When he comes up from the water, Matthew
gives us a portrait of the Trinity: You have God

the Son in the flesh, God the Spirit as the
dove, and God the Father as the voice saying,

“This is my beloved Son”.

This unique display of God’s presence
is meant to ratify Jesus as the one
Israel has waited for.

John’s promise that Jesus
will baptize with the Holy Spirit

foreshadows the day of Pentecost
that we read about in Acts 2.

On that day, people who put their faith in
Jesus were immersed in the waters of baptism

but they were also
immersed in the Holy Spirit.

Now, Jesus identified
with us and our sin when

he participated in a symbolic act of
confession and repentance in baptism.

But the baptism of Jesus
identifies us with him, his holiness,

and his power when we
are covered with his Spirit.

Jesus also mentioned a baptism of fire.

John elaborates that this
fire is one of judgment.

Those who do not repent from their sins
and put their trust in the coming Lord
would face an unquenchable fire.

This is the baffling beauty of the Gospel.

The one who has every right to judge the world
for their sin instead takes on the sins of the world.

And we will also be
raised to resurrected life,

which is pictured through our
rising from the waters of baptism.

When we are, we too will hear a
similar proclamation made over us—

that we are called sons
and daughters of God.

We are adopted into God’s family
through Jesus.

Through the gift and the indwelling of the
Holy Spirit, we are brought into relational

intimacy with the everlasting
trinity that we see in this passage.

And that is really good news!

So, I pray that the Holy Spirit open your eyes to
see the God who prepares his people for their Savior.

And may you see Jesus as the sinless
one who takes the place of sinners.