Bob Mills
God considered that the baptism of His Son was so important to his ministry that it is recorded in each of the four gospels. (Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 2 9-11, Luke 3:21-22, and John 1:32-34) Each of these texts is short but to the point, and they reveal much. Both Matthew and Luke make a point that he was praying at this time. The language used, the context, and the blessing of both of the other two of the trinity, and the faith and obedience of the candidate all highlight its importance.
JESUS WAS A MATURE MAN WHEN HE WAS BAPTIZED
What little we know about the child Jesus were those events that were foretold by the prophets. When the time was right, each of those events came to be and was recorded. His birth; the visit of the magi; the flight to Egypt; his presentation in the temple; these were all prophecy fulfilled. We know that he was blessed of his Father. Now he takes the next step, a mature man, age thirty, ready to start showing in word and deed why He had come.
His ministry needed an act of dedication. The time was right.
HE SOUGHT OUT JOHN TO BE BAPTIZED
Jesus was from Galilee, but he made the long walk to find John, who was baptizing people in the vicinity of Jericho. John had been sent of God to be a forerunner who would prepare the way for Jesus’ This tells us that Jesus was old enough to make his own decisions. As a lad he had been obedient to Mary and Joseph, but this marks the beginning of his adult ministry. Baptism is not for infants. It requires forethought, belief, and repentance. In Jesus’ case, there was no repentance, for here was no sin to forgive, but there was obedience to his heavenly father. The time was ripe, His work was to begin. The Holy Spirit blessed his action, by descending as a dove upon him, and His Father spoke from heaven giving His blessing orally for all to hear. “Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.” What had he done? He was making a new beginning. What is baptism? It marks the death of the old man, and the new birth and beginning of a new life, an eternal life. Both Christ’s burial and resurrection would be shown in baptism, a burial in water, and a new life.
THE WORD “BAPTIZE” IS NOT A WORD TRANSLATED TO ENGLISH
It is a letter for letter copy of the Greek word to indicate a “washing by immersing in water,” Thus Jesus went to John because he was baptizing because there was much water at that place. Colossians 3:12, “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” Or, Acts 8:38-39 , John 3:5.
Luke 3:21-22 (King James Version)
21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
JESUS WAS SETTING THE EXAMPLE FOR US
He was obeying His Father and beginning his ministry. That is why he came. Let us begin and lead lives of repentance and obedience to Jesus who commanded, “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Mark 16:15-16. Jesus had no sins to be forgiven, but everyone else does. That is why Peter, on Pentecost preached saying, “”Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
We will never enter into his Heaven with our sins, or without the Spirit of God. Those sins need to be removed though repentance and baptism, and the Spirit gained as His gift. That is the time we become clean again, and to receive the ability to remain that way through the presence of the Spirit within us.
_________
I RESOLVE TO READ THE BIBLE THROUGH AGAIN IN 2010
MARCH
21st. Sunday – Numbers 11, 12, 13, Luke 3:18-38, Proverbs 7:21-27
22nd. Monday – Numbers 14, 15, Luke 4:1-22, Psalm 36
23rd. Tuesday – Numbers 16, 17, Luke 4:23-44, Psalm 37:1-9
24th. Wednesday - Numbers 18, 19, 20, Luke 5:1-17, Psalm 37:10-20
25th. Thursday – Numbers 21, 22, Luke 5:18-39, Proverbs 8:1-11
26th. Friday – Numbers 23, 24, 25, Luke 6:1-26, Psalm 37:21-31
20th. Saturday – Numbers 26, Luke 6:27-49, Psalm 37:32-40
____________
OUR CHRISTIAN BLOG LINKS
(With links to 666 titles)
GOOGLE TRANSLATOR: The Translator is available only to e-mail blog readers and needs to be activated by scrolling to the very bottom of the monitor screen. With it you may have any of our blogs on the screen translated into one of many languages and you can then copy and forward them to many email address on earth. “Go ye unto all the world.”
http://searchingthescriptureswithbob.blogspot.com/
Our weekly Bible Letter
http://47yearsinafrica.blogspot.com
Biographical, with photos
http://whatdoesgodsayaboutthis.blogspot.com
Questions and discussions
http://scripturegems.blogspot.com
Favorite Scripture Quotation
http://salvationtracts.blogspot.com
Representing 70 world languages
http://searchthescriptureswithbob.blogspot.com
Short Bible studies
http://bookletbiblestudies.blogspot.com
Several pages in length
http://phyllistheauthor.blogspot.com
Portions of Phyllis’ 3 published books & more to come
____________
THIS WEEK'S SCRIPTURE
“It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.”
Luke 4:4
____________
Snow Job...
One winter morning a husband and wife in Denver were listening to the radio during breakfast. They heard the announcer say, "We are going to have 8 to 10 inches of snow today. You must park your car on the even-numbered side of the street, so the snowplows can get through."
So the good wife went out and moved her car.
A week later while they are eating breakfast again, the radio announcer said, "We are expecting 10 to 12 inches of snow today. You must park your car on the odd-numbered side of the street, so the snowplows can get through."
The good wife went out and moved her car again.
The next week they are again having breakfast, when the radio announcer says, "We are expecting 12 to 14 inches of snow today. You must park...." Then the electric power went out. The good wife was very upset, and with a worried look on her face she said, "Honey, I don't know what to do. Which side of the street do I need to park on so the snowplows can get through?"
With the love and understanding in his voice that all men who are married to blondes exhibit, the husband replied, "Why don't you just leave it in the garage this time?"
_______________
GMAIL USERS
Visit us on “Buzz”
Gmail is a free service
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment