Imagine you are incredibly thirsty after working in the hot sun all day.

But you have nothing to drink, so you head for the nearest place to get something. Before long, you see a gas station with vending machines out front. You put your money in and wait for the bottle of ice-cold water. But nothing happens. You wait a bit longer. Still nothing.

Then it hits you — you didn’t push the button!

A lot of people are standing in front of the “vending machine” of salvation.

They believe Jesus is God’s Son, that He died on the cross for our sins, and that Jesus is the key to eternity in heaven. But sadly, many people still haven’t pushed the button, so to speak, to receive the gift of salvation. And that button, Jesus says, is baptism.

Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist to set the example for us. Jesus then told us in today’s verse, as well as other places in Scripture, that we are to be baptized for the forgiveness of sins and to receive the Holy Spirit. The immersion of baptism “pushes the button” of rebirth and signifies the washing away of sin.