Today is Tuesday of Holy Week. While there is some question as to what exactly happened on what day of this week – today was filled with Jesus teaching.  Luke 20 begins with the words “One day”. Mark seems to indicate that this event took place on Tuesday of Holy Week. In amongst the teachings Jesus would give concerning paying taxes to Caesar and the resurrection, the Pharisees come and ask Jesus, “Why do you do what you do?” By whose authority?

The response of Jesus is to simply point to His baptism. The public ministry began with the Baptism of Jesus, and here at the end, he declares that he did what he did because of His baptism. He was not pointing to a symbolic act but declaring that he did what he did because He was living out his purpose and fulfilling His mission.

In our baptism, we bear witness to the reality that Jesus is our Lord and Savior. We declare for all to see that our lives are claimed by God – we are his. We too, spend the rest of our days living out our baptisms. Why do we do what we do? Our response should be, “I am a baptized child of God.” I am God’s child, owned by Him. In life and in death we belong to God and we live out our baptisms, not to earn God’s favor, but because in Christ we have God’s favor! We are His loved children.

On this Holy Tuesday, let us remember to “live wet.”