Who baptized Jesus at the beginning of His public ministry?

The Answer

Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John the Baptist, His forerunner who had been preaching repentance and preparing the way for the Messiah. John initially objected, saying he needed to be baptized by Jesus instead, but Jesus insisted it was proper to fulfill all righteousness. As Jesus came up out of the water, the Spirit of God descended like a dove and the Father spoke from heaven.

Before Jesus preached a single sermon or performed a single miracle, the Father declared His love and pleasure over Him. The affirmation came before the accomplishment, not after it.

So much of our striving comes from getting that order backwards. We work to earn approval, to prove our worth, to finally hear 'well done.' But in Christ, God's love for us is not the reward at the end of our performance — it is the foundation underneath it.

Today, before you accomplish anything, let this truth settle in: you are loved first. Everything you do can flow from that love rather than grasping for it.