October 11, 2012
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 3:13-17
OBSERVATIONS
1. Baptism was not a honoured sacrament, it was a humbling step, something that sinful people did to turn their lives around. To go to this wild man in the wilderness was a sign of desperation and messiness, an appeal for the mercy and help of God. This explains why John doesn’t think Jesus needs to be baptized.
2. Jesus walks the path we should have walked. He does what a sinner ought to do, endures the sinners shame and burden. Baptism is a symbol of both death (to the old sinful me) and new life (for the forgiven and restored me). Through His baptism, Jesus shows what He will do for us – He will die for us and He will rise for us, sonthatbwe can be forgiven and restored.
3. What Jesus experiences – the fullness of the Spirit and the loving affirmation of the Father – is what experience through Him. Because of Jesus, God moves into our hearts by the Spirit and floods us with His love. Because of Jesus, you are His son, his daughter, who He loves very much, with you He is very pleased.
What do you notice in this passage?
APPLICATION
1. God says repent, then Jesus does it for me!? God says to Jesus I love you, and He looks at me!? God pours down His Spirit on Jesus, and it comes to me!? How can it be!? I sense the Lord encouraging me that He will do for me what I cannot do for myself. My repentance and obedience and live is weak, but God accepts Jesus’ repentance, obedience and love as my own.
2. Do I dare claim this promise for myself, ”You are my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17)? Does this encourage me when I lack assurance or confidence? Today I am going to repeat this through the day – You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased” – not because I feel it in me, but because I claim it by faith through Him.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Observations:
Jesus came to be baptized by man – the entry to His ministry – and in a sense – God coming down from royalty to take His place – humiliation – to be totally human.
The Spirit of God coming upon Jesus empowering Him for the task.
The presence of God saying ‘well done.’
The Three in One present here – fitting for service.
Application:
My task from day to day is to serve Him. I can’t do this by self reliance but also need the presence off His Spirit to help me each day anew so that I can live the fruit of the Spirit, being a faithful servant pleasing my Father. This needs to be done in all humility. Working as His champion in His Kingdom this day and every day empowered by Him in all I do and say.
Prayer:
Help me this day Lord to live as Your champion on my pilgrim’s progress.
Not what these hands have done
can save this guilty soul,
not what this toiling flesh has borne
can make my spirit whole.
Not what I feel or do
can give me peace with God;
not all my prayers, and sighs, and tears
can bear my aweful load.
Thy work alone, O Christ,
can ease this weight of sin;
Thy blood alone, O Lamb of God,
can give me peace within.
Thy love to me, O God,
not mine, O Lord, to Thee,
can rid me of this dark unrest,
and set my spirit free.
Thy grace alone, O God,
to me can pardon speak;
Thy power alone, O Son of God,
can this sore bondage break.
I bless the Christ of God,
I rest on love divine,
and with unfaltering lip and heart,
I call this Saviour mine.