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Matthew 3:13-17
"Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’"
The Great Ministry Begins
Jesus was 30 years old when he was baptized by John the Baptist. Jesus did not need to be baptized for spiritual reasons, but he did so to fulfill the law and establish a pattern for us. Baptism symbolizes death and rebirth. In Jesus case it symbolized the beginning of his ministry and may relate to Jewish rituals regarding the preparation of priests. In Exodus we learn that priests had to be washed with water as part of the process of being prepared for their priestly duties. After his baptism, Jesus begins the earthly ministry that is recorded in the gospel accounts.
When does our ministry begin?
Jesus gave us a great commission when he departed from the earth. He told us to go to all nations and make disciples, baptize them and teach them everything he taught. Our ministry begins when we become disciples of Jesus.
How do we do that?
Not everyone is going to be a missionary to foreign lands but each of us can fulfill the commandment of Jesus by following his commands. Our lives and our words are a testimony to Jesus Christ.