Epiphany 1 with Matthew

Matthew 3: 13-17

The New Testament writers offer several reasons or signs for their belief that Jesus is the Son of God. In John 1, he is The Word who was in the beginning with God. In Romans 3: 4 Paul says 'He was declared to be Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead…' Here, Matthew tells us that God declared Jesus to be his beloved Son at his baptism, v17. However Matthew is probably not claiming that Jesus was adopted by God at his baptism because he has already gone to great lengths in his birth stories to underline the miraculous nature of Christ's birth. Some see in this passage a story of the time Jesus first became aware in himself of his special relationship with the Father, and his mission. OR the time the Messiah (King) was anointed, as at a coronation, (Messiah=Christ/Anointed one), and so began his mission.

Baptism for Jesus seems to have been a watershed - an accepting of a mission and a role, a role which was to cost him dearly. OUR baptism is in part a baptism into discipleship, and following Jesus for us too will always involve cost. Baptisms are occasions of great joy, rightly so, but they are also times of commitment to the way of Christ.
Preaching point How far do we, accept the cost of living the faith into which we have been baptised?