Christmas draws our focus to the manger—the baby, the shepherds, the wise men. But have you ever looked deeper, past Bethlehem to see the whole story? The eternal Lord of glory didn’t cling to His rights or status; instead, He laid aside His privilege and became a servant, subjecting himself to mockery, torture, and eventually the shame of the cross. But the Christmas story doesn’t end in humiliation. Christ was raised from the dead and is now seated at the right hand of the Father in glory; and one day, every knee will bow before Him and every tongue will confess that He is Lord of all!
Jesus’ Baptism: Affirmed by the Father
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Why was Jesus baptized, even though He had no sin to repent of? First, it marked the beginning of His public ministry and vividly foreshadowed how it would end—with His death, burial, and resurrection. Second, it was God’s public affirmation that Jesus is “the Son of God,” a title reserved for the promised Messiah. This was no ordinary baptism. It was a line drawn in the sand for every watching eye, every questioning heart, and every doubting demon that the Messiah now stood in their midst. Some fell down in worship. Others clenched their fists in rage. Jesus’ baptism was both a declaration and a commitment, setting Him on an unshakable path to the cross, where the symbolic He enacted would become the brutal and beautiful reality that sets every captive free!
