In Luke 2 we see Jesus’ statement that he must be about his Father’s business, but he was 12 years old. Then Luke moves quickly to when he was about 30 years old and begins his public ministry.Luke tells of John the Immerser who had a stirring message about Jesus (Luke 3:15-20). He tells his disciples that Jesus is greater than me! “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Luke 3:16).John’s message was to repent— to get their lives in tune with God’s will and the coming of the Messiah. While Jesus also preached repentance, John was pointing to Jesus’ greater message that would involve judgment. In the next verse John explains, “His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”Later he will say, “He must increase, but I must decrease' (John 3:30). John pointed to Jesus and we want to do that too—the greatest example of all! This is why Luke tells us about the baptism of Jesus.We wonder why Jesus wanted to be baptized, as he was sinless! Matthew records the discussion between John and Jesus, where John insists that he should be baptized by Jesus. However Jesus had something to teach.Jesus is not baptized to have sin removed, but he is giving us an example of humility and obedience to God. Discipleship requires a humble spirit. We are to submit ourselves to God’s will as followers, learners,— apprentices. If we are going to follow Jesus we will have to humble ourselves and submit to His Lordship. Admitting that we need God’s help requires humility.Then a remarkable event happened. After being baptized, Jesus prayed. Then Luke tells us, “and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove…” (Luke 3:22). Luke is the only writer to use the word that is translated “bodily form.” It means that the Spirit came down in a visible, physical way; something that they described as “like” a dove. Now a dove was a sacrificial offering used by the poor who could not afford a lamb.Whatever they saw, we are not sure, but for those who saw this event,
