Jesus' baptism was the start of His public ministry (Mark 1:9-11).  He had identified Himself with sinners in being baptised by John, prophetically demonstrating that He would bear their sins (Isaiah 53:12).  But His baptism was also a focus point for Jesus to be publicly announced as God the Son – who was one with God the Holy Spirit, who took the form of a dove and was seen on Jesus, and with God the Father – whose audible words were heard by all.

It was a unique moment of Divine commissioning in which John the Baptist discovered the true identity of his cousin, Jesus: "I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptising with water was that he might be revealed to Israel." Then John gave this testimony: ‘I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptise with water told me, "The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptise with the Holy Spirit." I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.' (John 1:31-34).

It is difficult for us to understand how God might express Himself in three persons, but God personally and publicly said that is true.  Some people, in their eagerness to understand the humanity of Christ, may ignore the fact that He is fully God (John 1:1-3).  Matthew understood that Jesus is God in a human body from Isaiah’s prophecy, "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel (which means 'God with us')." (Matthew 1:23; Isaiah 7:14).

The divine identity of Jesus Christ matters.  C S Lewis said that if Jesus is not God, then His teaching makes Him to be a liar or deluded, morally corrupt or mentally deranged.  If He is not God, then He could not have the sinless purity or the motive to bear the sins of the world (John 1:29).  His identity matters: which is why the Gospel writers leave us in no doubt that Jesus is God (Luke 2:11) who has always been one with God the Father and God the Spirit (John 1:1-3).  Those three persons of the Godhead worked together to create the world, to speak to the world and to bring salvation to those who love Him.  To be called by Him is the greatest privilege and to resist Him is the greatest folly.  To welcome Him is the greatest wisdom. To commit to love and serve Him is the essence of worshipping the triune God.