1/28/25

Luke 3:21-22 NASB95 Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”

In Luke's account of Jesus' baptism, we see that Jesus was praying, and upon His prayer and baptism, all three persons of the Trinity come together. The Son is Baptized and prays. The Holy Spirit descends in bodily form from the heavens onto the Son. While this is going on the Father speaks audibly to the Son and proclaims His pleasure in the beginning of His earthly ministry. In one verse, we see The one and only God revealed in His three distinct persons, all of which are One God.

The importance of prayer is shown as it involves all three persons of the God Head. Jesus explains in John 16:23 NASB95 “In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you.

When you pray, you are to pray to the Father in the name of Jesus. However, it goes even further. When you pray, you are to allow the Spirit to guide you and to pray in strength through you. Paul tells us this in Romans 8:26 NASB95 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;

So prayer is to the FATHER in the name of the SON by the power and guidance of the HOLY SPIRIT. It is no wonder Jesus, in obedience to the Father, put so much emphasis on prayer during His earthly ministry. Jesus frequently went off alone to pray not to mention the times he prayed corporately. He started His ministry in prayer. The way Luke ties it into Jesus' baptism I believe He was praying during His baptism. Thus His ministry started through baptism and prayer. People ask me about baptism quite often. I tell them it doesn't save but it is very important. The rest of the gospels focus on the baptism. Both happen again on the day of Pentecost (the start of the church). So, as we are part of the church, let's put a great emphasis on prayer and baptism. It identifies us with all three persons of the God Head and membership into the body of Christ.

Love Bro. Scott