And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizer with the Holy Ghost.
Jesus humbled himself and submitted himself to the baptism of John. In so doing he identified himself with sinners. The father showed his favour to the Son by giving him the Spirit. The Son now shows favour to his brothers by giving to them the Spirit. The baptism of the Spirit is the culmination of the work of Christ in us.
John predicted the coming of one who would fulfill two roles, the Lamb of God and the baptizer in the Holy Spirit. As the Lamb, Christ was sacrificed to take away sin and to justify the unjust. As the baptizer in the Spirit, Christ provides his very presence and life to the believer. One naturally follows the other. His blood makes clean a place for his Spirit to dwell in. As his disciples our message is that the Lamb of God has come and paid the price for sin and the Son of God now sit's at God's right hand and pours out his Spirit.
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