The Baptism Question|more

Still digging into this question... Any with answers, I'd appreciate hearing from. Did find this in Luke 3 which adds a new wrinkle to my earlier questions:

21When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was
praying, heaven was opened 22and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form
like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with
you I am well pleased.”

Hmmmm. So after Jesus (30 years old) was baptized in water he was baptized by the Holy Spirit? This after leading a very righteous life per Luke. Wasn't he already prepared for his ministry? The Bible is like a perpetual onion - layers upon layers upon layers. True comprehension is approaching(???) Perhaps I'm making way too HUGE a deal of all this debate, but I'm not one for idle ritual. In my case right now, that's what a Baptism would be. God would know what it meant - or didn't as the case may be. I want to be obedient to Him, so that excludes lying to Him just to show I'm part of the "family" as Rick Warren suggests. Not that I'm saying Warren advocates insincerity, I'm sure his intentions are good. He just bugged me, that's all. Besides, my family ties are pretty darn good.

I think maybe I need to see what the disciples did as they were prepared for the 'straight path' leading up to that fateful day in Jerusalem. My man Paul after that, and his baptism-by-Spirit on the Damascus Road. Come to think of it, there are lots of "Baptisms-by-Spirit" in the Bible; Abraham visited by the "Three Visitors," Jacob (aka Israel) wrestling with God, Moses and the Burning Bush, and so on. Now those are baptisms that would significantly alter one's life, I would think.