Scripture Matthew
3:15 (NIV)
"Jesus replied, 'Let it be so now; it is proper for
us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.' Then John consented."
Matthew 3:15 holds a unique place in all of Scripture —
these are the very first words Jesus speaks in the Gospel of Matthew, and
remarkably, the first words attributed to Jesus in the entire New Testament. He
doesn't open with a sermon or a miracle. He opens with a request for humility.
Standing at the Jordan River, John the Baptist was caught
off guard. He knew exactly who Jesus was — and he wanted to stop Him. "I
need to be baptized by You," he said, "and You're coming to me?"
But Jesus looked at him and said, "Let it be so now. This is the right
thing for us to do — to fulfill all righteousness."
Here's what makes this moment stunning: Jesus had no sin.
There was nothing for Him to repent of, nothing to wash away. And yet He
stepped into the water anyway — not for Himself, but for us. His baptism was
not an act of confession. It was an act of solidarity. He was choosing to stand
right alongside us, in our mess, in our brokenness, as a declaration of what He
came to do: take on the full weight of our sin and carry it all the way to the
cross.
"All righteousness" isn't just about being morally
good. It's about the complete, saving plan of God — the whole redemptive
mission Jesus came to fulfill. And what's beautiful is that He said "for
us" — not just for Himself. He pulled John into the story too,
affirming that John's ministry was real, that his voice in the wilderness had
always been part of God's design.
When Jesus came up from the water, the Holy Spirit descended
on Him like a dove, and a voice from heaven rang out: "This is My
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." The Father, the Son, and the
Spirit — all present, all in agreement. This wasn't just a baptism. This was
the official launch of the most important mission in human history.
What strikes me most is this: Jesus' very first words were
about laying aside His rights and choosing the lower place — not because He had
to, but because love required it. And that same posture — humble, obedient,
willing to go low for the sake of others — is what He invites us into every
single day.
When we stop insisting on our own way and surrender to God's
plan, something opens up. The Spirit moves. The Father speaks. Grace flows.
That's
the promise tucked inside Jesus' very first sentence.
"Let it be so now — for this is the right thing to
do." — Jesus, Matthew 3:15
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