Called By God: The Baptism of Jesus

This powerful message invites us to reconsider what it means when God calls us into relationship with Him. Through the lens of Jesus' baptism in Matthew 3, we're confronted with a beautiful paradox: John the Baptist's reluctance to baptize the sinless Savior. This hesitation mirrors a pattern woven throughout Scripture—from Adam and Eve's doubt, to Abraham and Sarah's laughter, to the Israelite spies' fear of the Promised Land. We see ourselves in these moments of reluctance, those times when we decline God's call because we don't understand His ways or feel unworthy of His attention. Yet the profound truth emerges that Jesus didn't need baptism for forgiveness, but chose it to fulfill all righteousness and establish a new way for God to have 'face time' with His people. This isn't about a perfect God demanding our obedience; it's about a loving Father persistently reaching out, declaring over us what He declared over Jesus: 'You are my beloved child with whom I am well pleased.' The question becomes: when God calls, will we answer, or will we let our hesitation keep us from experiencing the fullness of relationship He offers?