To Fulfill All Righteousness

WHY WAS JESUS BAPTIZED?  Matt 3:13

WHAT WAS JOHN'S BAPTISM?  Matt 3:2

• A Baptism of Repentance - preparation
• Needed by all men - but not Jesus

WHY DID JESUS WANT TO BE BAPTIZED?

• To fulfill all righteousness - v. 15b
• Like a man, Jesus humbled self -
• Nothing left undone - needed or not.

GOD THE FATHER HONORED THIS! - v. 17

• Twice in Scripture - Mount - Transfiguration
• God will honor all who sacrifice self will to this principle!

WE NEED TO FOLLOW THIS EXAMPLE!

• There are things we don't HAVE to do that are still necessary to fulfill all righteousness
• What about Baptism - not for Salvation
• First step of obedience after Salvation
• By Immersion - do you want a symbol of a symbol, or the real thing?
• Jesus did - why so much resistance?

THERE ARE MANY OTHER SMALL AREAS

• Grace before every meal?
• Prayer and Bible reading daily?
• Passing out tracts?  Witnessing?
• Tithing of all income - gifts too!
• Keep short accounts with God - honesty, promptness, kindness, courtesy, cleanliness
• Keep a spiritual journal -
• Go the extra mile for God - you can survive without doing these things, but is your own Christian life worth so little to you?
• If you want to "get by", then you need John's message - "Repent, Prepare ye the way of the Lord!"
• What about a public decision?  All the world could see Jesus be baptized - nothing hidden, secret!  All who know you know you are a sinner, why not let them know that you don't like it any more than they do, and that you really want to fulfill all righteousness, too?