With: The Baptism of Jesus

Jesus entered our situation, God in physical space and time, Immanuel, God with us. He chose, on purpose and with purpose, to settle in a town that was not where most would expect the King of Creation would make His home.

And at the beginning of His ministry, His revealing as the Messiah, He took a position of submission.

Rather than a parade, a victorious king entering the capital city leading His army and tossing out the spoils of war, Jesus went outside of town to meet the odd-looking prophet who happened to be His cousin. Rather than asserting His claim to the throne, He chose a symbol of repentance and rebirth, the initiation ritual to identify with the Jewish religion.

Why would He do this? Here are the ideas we're tossing around in our MidWeek Small Groups:

• Jesus intentionally submitted to baptism to demonstrate His humanity.
• Jesus intentionally submitted to baptism to give us a picture of what it means to receive new life.
• Jesus intentionally submitted to baptism to show His submission to the Father.

Of all the people who deserved to assert His rights and claim His authority, Jesus could have. Of all the people who really don't deserve the kindness we have received, our response should be to follow His example in humility and in submitting to each other in love.