This week’s reading: Matthew 3:1-17
Hi Friends,
Today we are introduced to John the Baptist. We read about how he begins baptizing repentant hearts, as well as baptizing our Perfect Jesus, as Jesus prepares to begin His worldly ministry. Our reading for the week is all of chapter 3, that’s verses 1 through 17. Listen to the first words of Jesus as recorded in this Gospel of Matthew:
“Jesus replied, ‘Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then John consented.” Mt 3:15 NIV
John the Baptizer. From the Gospel of Luke, we understand that John is the kinsman of Jesus and was also conceived in a miraculous way. (check out Luke 1:5-25) John is descended from a long line of priests, with his father being from the lineage of Aaron, whom God chose to be His chosen people’s first priest. John is a simple yet passionate man of God as we see with his modest clothing, and interesting diet, as well as the fact the he makes his career by living in the Dessert of Judea and preaching about the coming of God’s Kingdom. We read how John was prophesied about in the Book of Isaiah 40:3 as the one who would come to make the way. John the Baptist’s mission was to move hearts to realize that we needed to be saved, that on our own, we are sinful beings who cannot save ourselves. He then points us to the “one who is more powerful” who will baptize us with the Holy Spirit. John calls us still to repent and turn to our one and only Savior. This is what the baptism of John was all about. Making the way for The Way, if you will. This is what you and I should be doing too, my Friends. We should be making a way for others to see what Jesus can, and will do, in their lives too. The more we grow in Christ, the more we live lives that reflect His Immaculate nature rather than our brokenness, and the more others will want to know Jesus for themselves. This also means being truthful about sin. More on that in a minute….
Two important points about baptism. First, baptism does NOT save you. We are saved by Grace through Faith. It is a free gift from our loving God, so any actions on our part, like baptism, is not needed, nor able, to save us. Again, Salvation is a free gift the Father has already prepared for us, Jesus has already won for us and the Holy Spirit will grant to us once He comes to live within us. Even surrendering our lives is not what saves us. It is only the means through which we receive the Salvation God has already provided. Think of Faith as the humbled hand that lifts upward to God to receive all His blessings, starting with Salvation. Note I said “humbled hand.” Humans must be convicted of their desperate need of a Savior in order to get rid of that sinful Pride that lies by making us think we can somehow save ourselves. If we are not truthful to ourselves, and others, that we are sinful humans and no amount of “good deeds” will ever pay the penalty of our wicked, selfish hearts, then will we turn to God (see repent here) and simply receive this free gift? It is ok to admit we sinful, as a matter of fact if we refuse, we are calling God a liar and we cannot be cleansed from this fatal disease. It will end up literally killing us in the end. The Bible states that only Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life and that no one can come to the Father, that is go to Heaven, apart from Faith in Jesus. (Jn 14:6) Baptisms do not save us, but they are a sign that we have been saved. It is a declaration that we have died to our old person and are rising anew in Christ. Baptisms are not a show, a form of entertainment, something to check off our personal “things to do to be holy list.” It is a matter of the heart…because the heart really matters most to God. When we receive Jesus as our Savior and Lord, then we should be baptized to proclaim we are His, now and forevermore. Amen!
Second point about baptisms is about timing. Is there a right time to be baptized or else? Just like baptisms do not save us, the details about our baptism do not take our Salvation away either. Whether you are baptized by sprinkling of water or full immersion, the point is to show that the Living Water now resides in you, and is transforming you to be more and more like Jesus. Whether you are baptized right after you are saved or years later like I was, the point is to be baptized so that, like Jesus, we can fulfill all righteousness…more on that in a second. Getting baptized is the right thing to do, so we should do it. Now is it necessary for us to go to heaven? No. Think about the thief hanging on his own cross next to Jesus. Did Jesus tell him, “After you get off that cross and get baptized, then you will be with Me in Paradise”? Is that what He said? Was this thief the only exception to the rule of a God who shows no favoritism? No, of course not. The requirement for Salvation is believing Jesus is Who He said He is, and this thief, in those 6 hours of being next to Jesus and paying attention to Him and His words, he believed and was saved. Jesus says, “Truly I tell you,TODAY you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Lk 23:43 my emphasis) Today. No other requirements, just Faith receiving God’s Grace. Details of how and when cannot affect Salvation because baptism is not required to be saved. Now having said that, if Jesus felt it was the righteous thing for Him to be baptized, who are we, right? The Bible teaches that we must believe in our hearts, and confess with our lips, just like that thief did. If we have been saved then we should be talking about it. One way of confessing with our lips is standing in front of our church family and others and getting baptized. Again not to BE saved, but to witness that we ARE saved. Others must know that there has been a huge change in us or where is the power of Salvation? If we keep it to ourselves, great we get to go to Heaven, but are we taking anyone with us? I’ve said this before and I will say it again, Salvation is not about us. It is about God’s Grace and Mercy and Love and Goodness and on and on, first and foremost. But then it is about sharing all His goodness with others, so they too can desire to be His. It is about building up the Church, growing our Forever Family, furthering God’s Kingdom…whatever you want to call it, it is all the same thing. Salvation is about loving God and others…then Hallelujah, we get to go to Heaven when our time here is done. Everyone wins when we follow Jesus. If His goal was to “fulfill all righteousness,” then it should be ours too. We do this by following Jesus as closely as we can, trusting that He has already filled in the gaps we leave along the way.
Be saved. My Friends, if you are not saved, won’t you humbly receive this free gift right here and now? Pray something like:
God I am a sinner and I understand that I cannot save myself. I trust that You love me so much You sent Jesus to die in my place. I receive Jesus as my Savior and the Lord of my life. Please give me the Holy Spirit and make me new. Thank You for the gift of Everlasting Life. Today and forevermore, I am Yours and You are mine. Hallelujah! Amen.
Be baptized. If you have been saved, but have not yet shared this glorious event with anyone, won’t you set a date right now to be baptized in front of other believers, and nonbelievers alike? Others need to know Jesus and His power to change us from the inside out. Bear witness, as Jesus did, and do the righteous thing.
One last thing I want to point out. Please do not miss the Trinity in this section of the Gospel of Matthew. “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’” (Mt 3:16-17) Jesus coming up out of the water after being baptized, the Holy Spirit descending upon Him and the Father’s Voice coming from Heaven declaring Who Jesus is and how He pleased the Father. What a beautiful picture this paints! And know what the Father said about the Son, He says about you and me too, and He says this before we do anything for the Kingdom. Can you say it, “God is pleased with me.” Now can you believe it, and then live a life that shows it too? Jesus did. And as we mature in Christ, we can come closer and closer to living as He did, loving the Father and others, putting them before Himself, as He lived a full and fulfilling life here. May we follow His humble example. I know every time I trust what God says about me, more than what fear and lies try to say about me, my life is more and more abundant. Do you want that? Then won’t you join me?
Until we meet again, keep lifting your eyes to God, He’s closer than you think.
<>< Peace, Diane
