Father, help us to show that we want to please you. Allow your spirit to rest on us.
Why do we have to be baptised?
There are quite a few reasons that apply to us. It symbolizes our death and resurrection, the washing away of our sins, our commitment to following God's commands and our association with Jesus, etc.
So why was Jesus baptised?
I can only think of two reasons. (Perhaps you can think of others as part of the questions.) These are;
Jesus went to the River Jordan to meet John in order to be baptised by him. He could have stayed beside the Sea of Galilee or gone somewhere else, but he knew that he had to go to see John.
John also knew that Jesus would come to him. It was John's job to prepare the way for Jesus. He knew his job would be over when he saw the spirit descending like a dove, and that Jesus would start his ministering then.
Some illustrations show an actual dove landing on Jesus at his baptism. I'm not sure if that is the case, or if it means that the spirit 'descended' just like a dove coming in to land. Anyway it's not important, but it is interesting to note that John till had his doubts while in prison and sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus if he was the promised one. As always, Jesus didn't give a single answer but told the disciples to report to John what they had seen.
The important things to remember about baptism, are that it will be taken when the person is willing to submit to God, that the person must realise that they need to be baptised and be willing to do something about it. Baptism is not for infants.
Jesus wanted to be baptised, and so does anyone who wants to please God.
Can you think of any other reasons why Jesus may have wanted to be baptised?
Why did the spirit descend on Jesus like a dove, not some other way? Do you think Jesus didn't have the Holy Spirit before then?