The gospel of Matthew opens and closes with the theme of authority and speaks of the arrival of the Kingdom of Heaven. With this in mind, let us see how these passages in Matthew help us to understand how the church is God’s kingdom.
(A) The King baptizes with the Spirit (Matt 3:11-17)
We begin with this account of John the Baptist who baptizes. John tells the people that he baptizes with water for repentance, but Jesus who is coming after him is mightier (Matt 3:11a). The word “baptise” means “immerse” in Greek. John therefore is baptising people, immersing them in water, as a sign of their repentance. In doing so, the people are leaving behind their old lives and are turning to God in obedience.
Jesus, who comes after John, is greater than John. John also says that this greater One will come to baptise, not with water but with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matt 3:11b). Jesus’ baptism is of fire and will distinguish between His wheat and the chaff (Matt 3:12). Jesus seems to sort and gather those that belong to Him, while judge those that are not His. But what has baptism got to to with this? Baptism is an act that is done to us by someone else — same with sorting.
We are baptised in the Spirit by the Son. As He does it, we realise whether we are His or not. The baptism by the Spirit marks us out as His, separated from those that are not His. Baptism is inherently a public act through which God’s people are known for who they are.
Then, Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptised by him (Matt 3:13). John wanted to prevent this, saying that he needed to be baptised by Jesus (Matt 3:14). Jesus then replied that it is righteous for Him to stand before John, in the place of a sinner, to be baptised. It is important for Jesus to be identified as a sinner. In doing so, it caused the Father to declare that He is well pleased with this Son (Matt 3:17), who though He is perfect and is not a sinner, stands publicly to identify Himself as one.
Jesus did not need to be baptised, but was baptised. Jesus was enacting a greater plan of righteousness. His act of baptism was not a concession of His own sin. He is actively obeying the Father and pleasing Him. He stands with His brothers in His baptism, as man’s representative. And as one who has identified Himself with sinners, He is immediately tempted.
The heavens were opened when Jesus emerged and the Spirt of God descended like a dove, coming to rest on Him (Matt 3:16). The voice of the Father declaring His pleasure was also heard (Matt 3:17).
The Triune God shows up.
(B) The King ushers in a heavenly kingdom (Matt 4:1-17)
The Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (Matt 4:1). Jesus was in the wilderness for forty days and forty nights (cf. Deut 9:18) and he was hungry. Then the tempter came and tempted Him in 3 ways — food, safety and power (Matt 4:3-10).
How will this beloved Son of God obtain food, safety and power? Jesus answers each temptation by quoting specific parts of the OT. More precious to Him than food is every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matt 4:4, cf. Deut 8:3). He is committed to trusting God for His safety (Matt 4:5-7, cf. Ps 91:11-12). He will also trust God for power and seek to worship Him only (Matt 4:10, cf. Deut 6:13).
Through this, we are shown a new Moses, Adam, Israel who passes the test, as angels come and minister to Him (Matt 4:13).
Matthew establishes a new era in his narrative in the next set of verses in Matthew 4:12-17. Jesus moved and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that the writings of Isaiah in Isaiah 9:1-2 will be fulfilled (Matt 4:12-16). With the arrival of Jesus, the people who had lived in darkness have seen a great light. Matthew is showing his readers how the kingdom of heaven arrives. It arrives through Jesus’ baptism, after He had overcome temptation without sinning and Jesus finally begins His public ministry, marking the arrival of the Kingdom.
And there is no such thing as a Kingdom without a King. There is also no such thing as a King without a realm to rule over, or a realm without borders and walls. The heavenly Kingdom has arrived and people can enter in only if there is a way to distinguish between those who can enter in from those who cannot.
The King has brought in His heavenly Kingdom as people are starting to be baptised. What is needed is repentance and faith — turning away from sins and turning to Christ — which is marked by baptism. Do you belong to Him? How will you respond to Him?
(C) The King with authority calls for discipleship and baptism (Matt 28:16-20)
We turn to the end of the book of Matthew. Matthew 28:16 takes place after the death and resurrection of Jesus. The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. Mountains were where people left the world to meet God. When the disciples saw Him, they worshipped Him but some doubted (Matt 28:17). The resurrection was not a given and even his disciples doubted.
Jesus goes on to speak about authority (Matt 28:18). With the arrival of the Kingdom of Heaven comes an authority problem as another kingdom now wages war against this earthly kingdom. Jesus declares that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him (Matt 28:18). With this authority. Jesus calls them to go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Trinitarian God and to also teach them to observe all He has commanded them (Matt 28:18-19). His disciples are charged to go out into the world to proclaim Jesus’ victory to them.
What is this baptism that Jesus speaks of? This baptism, unlike John’s, was done in the name (singular) of the Trinitarian God. John only understood that he was calling people to turn away from their sins, but was still not clear about how Jesus is the Son. A valid Christian baptism is a Trinitarian one.
Notice how there is no mention of water here. What matters is not the water, but the name by which one is baptised in. A believer who is baptised in the name of God is joined to this Trinitarian God.
This is how disciples are made.
What is the prerequisite? It is that they are born again. This is the Spirit baptism spoken of earlier. The Spirit brings about new birth and regeneration (Jn 3). And churches are made when Christian are baptised upon regeneration.
The Church is God’s Kingdom. Conversion is the requirement for entry. Baptism is a sign of our conversion. This also means that there is no baptism without a church, no church without members and no members without a body.
Who makes disciples, teach and baptise? It is the church’s job.
What has your attitude been to the church, to the heavenly Kingdom? If the Kingdom is not distinct from the world, is it a Kingdom at all? If He does not rule over our lives as a church, where is His Kingdom to be found? Where can we find, on earth, the representatives of this heavenly Kingdom?