Matthew 3: Let Jesus Have His Way in Your Life

Introduction

Roberto Salemi preaches at the Assemblies of God evangelical church (ADI) in Turin on a very well-known text: the baptism of Jesus, in Matthew 3:13-17. He admits he could not find a better title than to take up a phrase from the account: John allowed Jesus.

The detail might seem unimportant. Yet Matthew takes care to record it. John starts by opposing Jesus, then he stops resisting, and that is when the heavens open.

This message raises a simple question: when Jesus comes into your life with a word, a mission or a correction, do you oppose him, or do you let him have his way?

Message Outline

1. An Almost Surreal Conversation

John and Jesus were relatives and knew each other very well. Each knew who the other was and what role he had to play.
John preached repentance, a "very direct" message from a man who did not mince words. He added baptism to it, as a sign that people understood they needed God's forgiveness.
The baptism of Jesus is a public testimony, like the one each of us gives when we are baptized, of the work Christ has done in our lives. From that point on, Jesus begins his ministry publicly and wants to be recognized as the Christ.
"Everything was very linear." And yet this conversation takes place, "almost surreal, if you think about it."

2. John Opposed Him

"But John would have prevented him, saying, 'I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?'" (Matthew 3:14). The preacher admits that he found this reaction "a little strange."
Put yourself in John's place: he baptized sinners who wanted to return to God, and now the One whose story and mission he knew, by revelation of the Holy Spirit, steps forward. It is precisely because he knew him that he should not have opposed him.
"An attitude that is certainly regrettable, but terribly close to our own." Jesus comes into our lives with a message, a purpose, a mission, a new vision, an encouragement, a direction, sometimes a rebuke, to make us take "a small step forward" in spiritual growth.
And sometimes we say: "No, Jesus, this is not how things should go."
John's doubt was reasonable. "But it was not God's will" for him in that situation. We sometimes set our reasonable doubts against God's choices and claim to teach him which direction our lives should take.

3. Our Plans and the Lord's Purpose

Solomon had learned it: "The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from Yahweh" (Proverbs 16:1). And again: "There are many plans in a man's heart, but Yahweh's counsel will prevail" (Proverbs 19:21).
The preacher does not say that we should have no plans, desires or opinions. But when we gave our hearts to God, we told him: "Take care of us, guide our lives."
Why do we oppose him? Sometimes because we think we have enough experience to know how things work. Sometimes because our desire to see certain things happen is so strong that it stands against God's will.
Jesus may show you a vice to remove, a habit to change, or encourage you to be more faithful in prayer, reading or service. The answer is then to stop raising "our useless protests" and to embrace his will.
"Is Jesus the Lord of our lives?" We all answer yes. Then everything depends on the place Christ holds and the trust we give him. "If Christ is in our boat, even the fiercest winds will be tamed."

4. Jesus Insists and Brings Us into His Work

John opposed him, but Jesus answered him. "Glory to God for all the times Jesus insisted with me," says Roberto Salemi, for all the times he came back to stand before his heart.
"Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness" (Matthew 3:15). Jesus could have gone into the Jordan alone. He does not want to do things alone: he wants to bring us into his work.
"Obeying God's will is never easy. Trying to obey God in our own strength is impossible. But doing it with Jesus becomes natural."
The baptism of Jesus is not a minor event: it fulfilled prophecy and set the tone for his whole ministry. John took part in God's work, but he was not asked to do it alone. Jesus was telling him, in short: "Let's do it together."
The preacher recalls Jesus' words about his yoke, which is light (Matthew 11:30): serving not in our own strength, but with him, where he has placed us.

5. Ready to Obey Rather Than Simply Ready

You may go through seasons of sadness because you do not feel able to accomplish God's will: too complicated, too big, and you feel neither prepared nor worthy.
"Jesus is not looking for people who feel ready, he is looking for people who are ready to obey him." He was not looking for John the Baptist because he was ready, but for a John the Baptist ready to obey.
Serving Christ is a joy, and obeying his will becomes simple to the extent that we do it with him. Hence the call to cultivate a personal relationship with Jesus, to depend on him and to listen to his word.
Our lives will always carry a sign reading "Work in progress," just like John the Baptist's. We can say: "I am not able to serve you, to be faithful to you, to obey you. Do it yourself." But Jesus is willing to be with us, to encourage us and to fill us with the Holy Spirit.

6. After Obedience, the Heavens Opened

John accepted God's will, they fulfilled together what is right, and "behold, the heavens were opened" (Matthew 3:16).
How many times do we pray: "Lord, reveal yourself, fill us with the Holy Spirit, open the heavens"? Here, no prayer is mentioned beforehand. There was an act of obedience, service and humility: John humbled himself, stopped opposing and allowed Jesus.
"The same rule applies today." How many hours must we pray to see the heavens open? This text shows an act of humility and obedience, then the heavens opened.
We do not know whether the Spirit took the appearance of a dove or whether a dove actually landed on Jesus, "but it does not matter": they heard a voice from heaven and saw the Trinity. God was making himself known.
What is asked of us: to be like John the Baptist, "humble instruments in Jesus' hands," with a true, living relationship with him that we can feel.

7. From "No" to "Yes, Lord"

How many blessings would John have lost if he had insisted: "No, I will not baptize you"? The event would have taken place anyway, and Jesus would have found someone else. "Think of how many blessings we lose because of our stubbornness."
The image offered: let our will be taken by the hand by Jesus Christ, and let him lead us where he wants. By obeying, by letting the Holy Spirit transform our hearts and by nourishing our relationship with him, we will see the heavens opened over our lives.
John started from a "no" to Jesus and arrived at seeing God make himself known.
Maybe you came in with a "no" or a "not yet": "Lord, this is not the time, I am busy with something else," or "Lord, you made a mistake with my family, I would have done it differently." You can leave having seen God's work in your life.
We are "unworthy servants" (Luke 17:10), but God wants to do something with us, because his will is good and perfect. The closing prayer: "Lord, yes. Maybe I do not have the strength, or the abilities, maybe it is not the right time, but if you tell me something, I want to say yes." And: "Lord, I want you to be the one who acts. In my life, in my home, in my service."

Key Takeaways

John's doubt was reasonable, but it was not God's will. Our reasonable objections can make us resist Jesus.
We have many plans, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails (Proverbs 19:21).
Jesus does not want to act alone: he brings us into his work. Obeying alone is impossible, obeying with him becomes natural.
Jesus is not looking for people who feel ready, but for people who are ready to obey him.
Before the heavens opened, there was an act of humility and obedience: John stopped opposing and allowed Jesus.

Personal Application

In which area of your life are you telling Jesus right now: "This is not how things should go"?
What vice to remove, what habit to change, or what commitment to prayer, reading or service is Jesus showing you today?
Why do you oppose him: because you think you have enough experience, or because a personal desire is stronger than his will?
Do you feel too unprepared or too unworthy to serve? What would change if you did it with Jesus rather than in your own strength?
Which "no" or "not yet" can you turn into "yes, Lord" this week?

Verses Cited

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did John the Baptist first refuse to baptize Jesus?

John knew who Jesus was. He said to him: "I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?" For Roberto Salemi, it was a reasonable doubt, but it was not God's will for John in that situation. We sometimes do the same thing when we set our own reasoning against God's choices.

What does "to fulfill all righteousness" mean in Matthew 3:15?

Jesus could have gone into the Jordan alone. He chose to bring John into his work: "for us to fulfill." The preacher sees a principle here: obeying God in our own strength is impossible, but doing it with Jesus becomes natural, because he wants to make us participants in his work.

Why did the heavens open at the baptism of Jesus?

Roberto Salemi stresses that no prayer is mentioned before this moment. There was an act of humility and obedience: John stopped opposing and allowed Jesus. Then the heavens opened, the Spirit descended like a dove and a voice was heard from heaven.