Why did Jesus do what Jesus did?
There are some things that Jesus did that we would expect Jesus to do.
We might expect Jesus to welcome children. You can hardly have a starring role at Christmas if you're not child friendly.
If we recall that Jesus is the Son of God then we might very well expect Jesus to perform miracles, calm storms and generally show the world just who is in charge.
We might even expect the one who called himself 'Savior' to actually do something dramatic like dying in order to rescue the people he loved.
There are some things that Jesus did that we would expect Jesus to do.
And then there are the things Jesus did that we just would not expect Jesus to do.
Why did the Son of God allow himself to be opposed, ridiculed and even humiliated by mere humans?
And why did the one who calls himself 'Savior' prove so unable to save himself from a brutal and horrible death?
But the one that's puzzling me this week is this - just why did Jesus get baptized?
Luke writes this: When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too.
Jesus was baptized.
The Son of God went and got himself publicly baptized.
Why did Jesus do what Jesus did?
Thankfully there are some clues.
Jesus identified himself with us.
And by identifying with humans Jesus also modeled for every human the right way to life.
If we are to live right - then we need to follow Jesus.
This weekend one of our young people will be getting baptized.
It's a sign that they have accepted Jesus' offer of forgiveness.
And it's a powerful symbol too that they have chosen to follow Jesus wherever Jesus goes.
Why did Jesus do what Jesus did?
Jesus did what Jesus did so that, in the words of Isaiah: "..all people will see God's salvation."
Would you dare to do what Jesus did?
Keith Wilson, 06/09/2018