THE VOCATION OF THE SON OF MAN

There seems to be so much confusion about the beginning of Jesus' ministry, particularly the very beginning with His baptism. This is sometimes taught as an example of our baptism. If Jesus humbled Himself and was baptized, could we do anything less? We should be baptized because Jesus was baptized. There is nothing in His baptism that corresponds with our baptism! He was baptized on an entirely different basis than we are baptized. We are baptized into His death, therefore we are buried with Him in baptism. The reason is that our old man should be destroyed or done away with. We are baptized so that our body of sin would be done away with that we should no longer be slaves of sin. At our baptism the fear of death is erased. Our baptism is the preparation for our resurrection, Etc.

None of those things and deficiencies were the experience of Jesus. His nature was from above so there was no old man after the likeness of first Adam's fall. The body of sin didn't exist. His was not a baptism into death and preparation for resurrection from the dead. His resurrection was the result of the completion of His purpose and His life of obedience. Our baptism is our entering into His victory and participating in His Life through resurrection. His baptism was not a washing away of sins.

None of us can stand on the same ground as Jesus when we are baptized. He didn't need to stand on the same ground as us. Was this just another Jewish ritual as has been taught? A ritual washing that was practiced by many religions of that time ? If this act of baptism was not necessary or just a ritual, why did God, the Father, show up to observe. Why did He speak His approval?

JOH 1:29 The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him, and *said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! JOH 1:30 "This is He on behalf of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.' JOH 1:31 "And I did not recognize Him, but in order that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water." JOH 1:32 And John bore witness saying, "I have beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. JOH 1:33 "And I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, 'He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the one who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.' JOH 1:34 "And I have seen, and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."

MAT 3:13 Then Jesus *arrived from Galilee at the Jordan {coming} to John, to be baptized by him. MAT 3:14 But John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?" MAT 3:15 But Jesus answering said to him, "Permit {it} at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he *permitted Him. MAT 3:16 And after being baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, {and} coming upon Him, MAT 3:17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased."

LUK 3:23 And when He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, There are many questions that could be asked as to why Jesus waited so long to begin His ministry. Maybe He could have started when He was 18. It may have been more impressive if He had begun as a child evangelist. Why all these wasted years when He could have been serving God and winning souls. At the very least He could have been out knocking on doors and speaking about God and His purpose.

Why did John the baptist wait so long to begin his ministry? Was he dragging his feet and it took this long for God to press him into service? Maybe when John knew what his call was that he hid out in the wilderness until God found him. If he was going to announce the Son of God, he should have had a more impressive testimony before the people so they could accept his witness. It doesn't seem reasonable that God would choose a hermit who had strange eating habits and dressed in strange clothes. He even had a rather sharp tongue and insulted those who came to be baptized. The man that baptized Jesus soon became a convict in prison and was executed. We would probably suggest that Jesus get rebaptized.

Many things here are confusing if we evaluate Jesus' baptism with ours. We should see that His baptism was on an entirely different basis than ours. Our baptism has to do with bringing our past life to a final conclusion and a transition into a whole new life and way of life. A resurrection into newness of life. There was nothing wrong with Jesus' past life and no transition was necessary. Then what is the basis of His baptism?

At 30 years of age the sons of Aaron could begin active service as a priest of God. Before that they were in apprenticeship training. 30 years was the time of maturity. The time of preparation and testing of character. Childish things were behind and seriousness of decision was now come. The Bible doesn't say why this particular time was chosen but it is clear that John's whole ministry was focused upon this one time. He completed his ministry and God immediately put in the sickle and reaped. It is also clear that the whole scene of the Jordan was carefully prepared by God and He showed up for this particular moment and stamped His approval upon it.

Neither was Jesus' baptism a picture for us of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This cannot be used as a proof text to show that at water baptism everybody automatically receives the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Since Jesus' baptism was on an entirely different basis than our baptism, it says nothing about our receiving the Holy Spirit. The scriptures say that the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus and was seen in the form of a dove as a witness to John that Jesus was the messiah of Israel. Since the Holy Spirit is invisible He had to make Himself visible. The one who sent John to baptize said the one upon who you see the Spirit descending and remaining is the promised one who is to come. He (Jesus) is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit came upon Jesus to anoint Him for ministry. ACT 10:38 "{You know of} Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and {how} He went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the devil; for God was with Him.

LUK 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are downtrodden, LUK 4:19 To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord. "

This is not to say that the Holy Spirit does not anoint us for the same ministries but that the Holy Spirit gives to one a particular ministry and to another a different ministry. All are not called to the same ministry and therefore require different gifts and anointing. Jesus was given the Holy Spirit without measure. That is not the case with us.

John announced Jesus' vocation. JOH 1:29 The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him, and *said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! No other man had or could have had, or will ever have, this same calling or ministry. There is only one Lamb of God that can take away the sin of the world. This was His primary call and His vocation. (His job and His business). Following His resurrection His ministry was expanded. In His primary call He made disciples to carry His message to the uttermost parts of the earth Etc. Until He actually became the sin bearer of the world there was no message to deliver. They preached the Kingdom that was at hand and healed the sick, cast out demons Etc.

Between the crucifixion and the baptism of the Holy Spirit, His disciples were further taught by Him for 40 days. 10 days before the baptism of the Holy Spirit Jesus warned them not to try to do any ministry until they were filled with the Holy Spirit and power. When the day of Pentecost was fully come, the Holy Spirit descended from heaven to fill them and anoint them for ministry. Jesus instructed about 500 but only 120 showed up for Pentecost at the upper room.

Then what is the significance of Jesus' baptism and the anointing of the Holy Spirit and the acknowledgement that Jesus was the Son of God and that God was well pleased.

30 years had passed since Mary had given birth to the One who was going to fulfil this great promise to Israel. By this time there probably were few who even remembered about His supernatural birth and the prophesies concerning Him. It appeared that these words concerning Him had just fallen to the ground. Now that moment when the prophesies were to begin to be fulfilled had come. The first thing that Jesus did was to go to the Jordan to be baptized by John. John was baptizing for repentance saying "repent for the Kingdom of Heavens is at hand". He also announced that the One who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire had come. Repent means to change your mind, to change your direction. Jesus didn't need to change His mind or His direction. His was not a baptism of repentance as John acknowledged. John thought Jesus should baptize him.

Jesus' reply was that He must fulfil all righteousness. He must acknowledge before God His right standing with God. At His baptism, Jesus acknowledged and accepted His call and vocation as sin bearer for the whole world, as John had proclaimed. He was not mearly humbling Himself and relating with the sinners of His day and proclaiming His oneness with them. He was announcing that He was the one who would take away the sin of the world. As the son of man that was his call and vocation and his commitment. As the Son of God He was qualified and equipped.

To teach that Jesus Christ was punished for the sin of the world is misleading. God was not punishing Jesus with our sin. Jesus gave Himself to do the will of God, which was to be the sin bearer for the world. He took upon Himself the sin of the world and as the scape goat, carried the sin away.

At Jordan, Jesus publicly identified with the sin that He, Himself, would carry away. This baptism also showed the conclusion of the Old Covenant was at hand and that the Kingdom of God was also at hand. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is related exclusively with the New Covenant. His submission to the will of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit is seen immediately following the Holy Spirit coming upon Him. Immediately the Holy Spirit led Jesus up into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil. Immediately following His temptation, His ministry began.

Ministry can only begin when there is a full surrender to do the whole will of God and whatever that means. To do the will of God means to be led wherever the Holy Spirit wills. All ministry under the New Covenant is done by the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

When Jesus had fulfilled His ministry and ascended to the right hand of God, He received from the Father the gift of the Holy Spirit which He poured out on the day of Pentecost. This is what enables us to also fulfil the will of God by obeying the will and leading of the Holy Spirit.

If we miss the revelation of God's eternal purpose we will be confused as to why it is essential that we each one do the whole will of God. If God's purpose was just to send Jesus Christ to die for our sins then the Baptism of the Holy Spirit would be optional. If God's purpose is to bring many sons to Glory and to perfect them by their doing the whole will of God then the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is essential.

We participate in His death at baptism and not in His baptism. Our burial at baptism does not relate to His burial in baptism but His burial following His cuucifiction. Our resurrection relates to His resurrection out of the tomb, never to die again. In all this we are dealing with revelation and faith and not with a literal experience where we can identify the experience with the five physical senses. It has spiritual significance rather than physical significance. Revelation feeds faith while physical experience needs constant renewing or unbelief takes over. For example: we cannot experience Jesus Christ raising from the grave. We have to stand on that truth by faith. On the other hand we can experience the new birth and we can experience water baptism and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Our beinging seated with Him in heavenly places is something that we stand on in faith.

Many preach that eternal life is a gift from God and we can receive "IT" By faith. Eternal life is not something receive apart from God. What we receive is God Himself. In Him is Life and apart from Him there is no life. Jesus said "I am the way, the truth and the life". The power of His resurrection life in us must be worked out in us until His resurrection life is manifested from us. PHI 3:10 that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; PHI 3:11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. PHI 3:12 Not that I have already obtained {it}, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.

Whether the things that God works into our lives are ours by experience or by faith, they each one must produce a change in our lives that we can identify. We may not understand it but we recognize that something has been added or something has been taken away. However, we should not fix our gaze upon what God has done but on the God who did it.