THE BAPTISM OF JESUS Matthew 3:13-17

CONTEXT

  1. Matthew’s account, between chapter 2 and 3, skips around 29 years! It goes from Jesus being a baby, until Jesus is about 30 years old (see Lk. 3:23).

Matthew 3 has introduced us to John the baptizer and his ministry of preparing people for the Messiah and His kingdom (see esp. vv. 2-3).

OUR TEXT

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Observe the following points from the text:

  1. The Emphatic Arrival of Jesus on the Scene (v. 13). “Then came Jesus” – Here is the arrival of the Messiah, the One the OT prophets pointed to, as well as John. The wording of this phrase is strikingly similar to the appearance of John in 3:1 which says, “In those days John the Baptist came…” But as John is the first to point out, the stage of Jesus is much grander than his! He was merely paving the way.
  2. John’s Emphatic Question (v. 14). “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Note the repetition of the pronoun “you.” John is saying, “Something is backwards here!” While the humility of John is absolutely undeniable both here and elsewhere, it is also possible (if not probable) that he was using this as a teaching opportunity. (Compare Lk. 7:22.) The last thing that John wants is people to follow him rather than Christ!
  3. Jesus’ Emphatic Response and Baptism (v. 15). “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Both John and Jesus well understand their role and work seamlessly together. John clears the way for Jesus to be baptized by him and their roles not to be misunderstood.

Though John’s baptism was “for the forgiveness of sins” (Mk. 1:4), Jesus had none (see Heb. 4:15; 2 Cor. 5:21). Yet baptism was a command given through John, an inspired spokesmen for God. There may be much involved in Jesus “fulfilling all righteousness” through His baptism, but consider these two particular thoughts: (1) The command of John (or, heaven) was righteous and needed to be fulfilled by the perfect Son of God (compare Rom. 8:3-4; Heb. 5:9; Ps. 119:137).

  1. Inseparably from this is the plan of the Father to save mankind through His Son’s death, burial and resurrection, which is represented in the action of baptism (see Rom. 6:3-4).
  2. The Emphatic Witness of the Godhead (vv. 16-17). At the culmination of the baptism of Jesus, the Spirit descends upon the Lord, and the voice of the Father in heaven states, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (v. 17). The opening of heaven (v. 16), the descending of the Spirit and the voice of the Father giving a ringing endorsement for Jesus truly being the Messiah!

CONCLUSION

If we learn two things from this text, perhaps it ought to be:

  1. There is good reason to believe in Jesus as the Messiah.
  2. There is good reason to be baptized! Jesus had not sinned and was compelled to be baptized. What about us? (See Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pt. 3:21; Rom. 6:3-4.)

Daren Schroeder

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How “Steadfast” have you been in the Lord?

When I think of the word, “Steadfast,” I think of longevity. Paul encouraged the Christians in Colossae to “continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard” (Col. 1:23).  In our life of service to Christ and his church we are to “continue in the faith” year after year, “not moved away” from our hope of eternal life.

Demas was a worker with Paul, but he was not steadfast, as Paul wrote, “Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world” (2 Tim. 4:9) Many today have followed his example. In giving the explanation of the Sower, Jesus said that some disciples will be like the seed upon rocky ground, “they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away” (Lu. 8:13). If all the people we have baptized were to have remained steadfast, our churches would be overflowing.

How “Steadfast” have you been in the Lord? When was the last time you missed attending church worship service? Years? Last week? Since your baptism, has your faithfulness to the Lord been measured by months or decades? Paul said of his life in Christ, “I have finished the course, I have kept the faith,” He was rewarded for his longevity with “a crown of life” (2 Tim. 4:7,8). True, our salvation is not totally based on our attendance record, or longevity of service. Yet, “Steadfast” is an important characteristic of a faithful Christian life.

-Dennis Doughty

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God’s True Wonder

As mentioned previously, Kim and I had an opportunity to take a Mediterranean cruise to see some of the lands mentioned in the Bible, namely in the countries of Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus. While there, we were able to see the locations of three of the sites of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

At Ephesus, we were able to see the city proper, the amphitheater mentioned in Acts 19, and the library of Celsus. Around the corner was the temple of Diana (Artemis). The temple would have looked much like the Parthenon but on a much grander scale.

In Antipater of Sidon’s list of the world’s seven wonders he wrote, “I have set eyes on the wall of lofty Babylon on which is a road for chariots, and the statue of Zeus by the Alpheus, and the hanging gardens, and the colossus of the Sun, and the huge labour of the high pyramids, and the vast tomb of Mausolus; but when I saw the house of Artemis that mounted to the clouds, those other marvels lost their brilliancy, and I said, “Lo, apart from Olympus, the Sun never looked on aught so grand”.

Today only one column remains of the temple of Diana. The column itself had to be reconstructed just so people would know its location.

At Bodrum, Türkiye, we saw the location of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. Mausolus was a king whose wife erected a great mausoleum to his memory. The building was said to have been made of marble and stood 140 feet tall. The building was decorated in animal figures and depictions of battle. The crown of the structure consisted of twenty-four steps that went up like a pyramid upon which stood a marble chariot complete with riders and pulled by four horses.

Years later the structure was destroyed by a massive earthquake and the stones were repurposed to build a fortress on the banks of the harbor. Today only a pit remains with a few segments of columns laying around. Even the burial tomb of king Mausolus is virtually unrecognizable.

Then we visited the harbor of Rhodes. There in 280 BC the colossus of Rhodes was built. It is said that this massive statue of Helios, the god of fire, and made of iron and bronze, straddled the opening of the harbor. The monument was so great that ships would sail under its legs as they sailed into the port. The statue was said to be over 100 feet tall and rested on a platform that lifted it up another fifty feet. The Colossus served as a monument of a military victory as well as a lighthouse for approaching ships. Today the Colossus is nowhere to be found as only fifty-four years later; it was destroyed by an earthquake. The bronze was taken away and repurposed.

All three of the wonders of the ancient world we saw were either nonexistent or lay in ruins. Yet God has created a kingdom that lasts to this very day. In Daniel 2, the great king Nebuchadnezzar had a dream of a marvelous statue whose head was made of gold, its arms and legs of silver, the thighs of bronze and the legs and feet of iron and clay. Daniel interpreted that dream for him by saying that he was the ruler of the kingdom which represented the head of gold, but that other kingdoms would arise after him: the Medes and Persians, the Greeks and finally the Romans. Daniel told him that during the time of the Roman empire that God would set up a kingdom that would last forever.

Daniel 2:44 says, “And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.”

True to God’s word, He set up His kingdom in Acts 2 in what we know as the Church. Paul referred to the church as the kingdom in Colossians 1:13 when he said, “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love…”. Jesus promised that it would come in their life times and it did. Jesus said in Mark 9:1, “Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.”

While the ancient wonders of the world lay in ruins, today I am a part of a spiritual kingdom that God instituted and Jesus died for over 2,000 years ago. It is a kingdom that no matter how bleak the world might appear will stand the test of time. And it will remain until the Lord returns. You too can be a part of the Lord’s Church, His Kingdom, when you become a New Testament Christian.

If you would like to know more about the salvation that God extends to humanity through His Son Jesus, please let us know.

Roy Knight

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God’s Swiss Watch

When something runs perfectly, operates smoothy, we say it runs like a “Swiss Watch.” These time pieces became known by their precision and carefully engineered parts. A good watch is used to tell time in minutes, hours, days, months, and even years. This year is a Leap year, which is calculated by precision time keeping. For a year is not 365 days, it really takes 365 days 5 hours 48 minutes and 56 seconds for the earth to circle the Sun. Every year is exactly the same, down to the second.  That extra time needs to be accounted for, so every four years we add an extra day; February 29th: Leap Year.

If we did not add that extra day, over a couple of centuries it would throw off our calendars, then our seasons, and we could find ourselves celebrating Summer in December. If our orbit around the sun was off a few hours or minutes, each year our life would be in constant chaos.

Thankfully, God’s universe runs like a Swiss watch, one that never needs winding. Our Solar system operates with great precision by a carefully engineered created power. God set up His universe that “while the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease” (Gen. 8:22). Our year’s journey around the sun takes place with such precision that… well,  you can set your watch by it!

-Dennis Doughty

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Grow in Grace and Knowledge 2 Peter 3:18

Life is never static. We must grow or else begin to shrivel and die.

JESUS GREW SPIRITUAL AND INTELLECTUALLY – Luke 2:52:

Jesus grew; He matured. He grew in favor with God and He grew in favor with man. He is our pattern for growth.

STAND FIRM TO GROW – Ephesians 6:10-20:

Each Christian is a soldier (2 Tim. 2:3-4).

The Nature of our Warfare – Eph. 6:10-12. We are in a spiritual battle.

The Description of the Panoply – Eph. 6:13-17. Each piece of our armor is related in some way to the Bible, to truth. We need to be truthful, honest, and sincere (the belt). We need to obey Jesus Christ to be righteous (the breastplate). We need to know the Gospel and share it (the shoes). We need faith / confidence in God (the shield). We need to be saved and know we are (the helmet). We need the Bible in our hearts and in our hands (the sword).

The Necessity of Prayer – Eph. 6:18-20.

Praying “in the Spirit” is a spiritual conversation, influenced by the Spirit and His teachings, His goals, His desires, His purposes. And we live in harmony with the Spirit’s teachings.

WALK TO GROW – Colossians 2:6:

Christ calls on us to keep walking consistent with His teachings we have received.

GROW IN GRACE & KNOWLEDGE – 2 Peter 3:17-18:

We “stand,” we “walk,” now we “grow.”

There is no place to stop in this process.

Christ challenges us to grow in His grace and knowledge of His Truth. Let’s stand; let’s walk; let’s grow.

Paul Holland

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MATTHEW 2 – JESUS, KING OF THE JEWS

While there are many perplexing matters in Matthew 2, some things are certain and faith building. Let’s consider a few significant points from this chapter.

  1. First, note that the events of the chapter are set in history. Real places are mentioned, like: Bethlehem of Judea, Jerusalem, the land of Judah, Egypt, and Nazareth. Likewise a specific time in history: “the days of Herod the king” (v.1). Individuals are mentioned: Jesus, Herod, Mary, Joseph, Jeremiah, and Rachel. Groups of people are mentioned: the chief priests, scribes, and wise men. Why is this significant? It gives serious credibility to that which is written.
  1. Secondly, notice the contrast between King Herod and King Jesus. While Herod was a king, Jesus was a greater one, even being “born king of the Jews” (v. 2). Not only was He born king of the Jews, He also died “king of the Jews” (Mt. 27:37). Ironically, King Herod was blinded to the spiritual import of the birth of Jesus, being blinded by his selfish ambition and pride. Jesus, the Messiah, was born into this world as a baby and was “gentle and lowly in heart” (see Mt. 11:29).
  1. In the third place, and likely the most important aspect of this chapter, note the fulfillment of prophecy related to the birth and early years of Jesus. Christ was born in Bethlehem as was prophesied (see vv. 5-6; Mic. 5:2). A part of what makes this prophecy so remarkable is that Joseph and Mary did not live in Bethlehem, yet Jesus was born there when they went to be present for the census (see Lk. 2:1-7). The exacting nature of fulfilled prophecy is astonishing and faith building!

Note briefly the other fulfilled prophecies: (1) The fulfillment of Genesis 49:10, Jesus being a ruler from the tribe of Judah (v. 6). (2) The fulfillment of Jesus being called out of Egypt (vv. 14-15; Hos. 11:1). (3) The weeping and lamentation in Ramah (vv. 17-18; Jer. 31:15). (4) Jesus being called a Nazarene (v. 23). There is actually no specific prophecy of this. Eric Lyons (in his article entitled: Where Was Jesus Called a Nazarene?, on the Apologetics Press website: www.apologeticspress.org), points out that the city of Nazareth was known in the first century as a rather obscure locality (see Jn. 1:45-46; Acts 24:5), which certainly seems fitting of the prophecies made concerning Him (see Is. 53:2-3; Ps. 22:6-7).

It is amazing to consider how easily one of these prophecies could have failed if they weren’t of a divine nature! But the Scripture remains unbroken! (Jn. 10:35). It can be trusted!

  1. Finally, and related to the former point, we should note God’s providential hand at work in Matthew 2. Even the most vicious of enemies would only be used as a pawn in the hand of Almighty God! God knows and God is greater than all of the adversaries under heaven combined and are no match for Him accomplishing His redeeming plan to save mankind!

CONCLUSION:

We may debate many things in Matthew 2, like: Who were the wise men? Where exactly were they from? How many were there? Were they Jew or Gentile? But here is a question to consider: How motivated ought we to be to assemble together in order to show how grateful we are for our Lord and for God’s plan to save us from our sins?

Daren Schroeder

 

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“Steadfast, Immovable”

First Corinthians chapter fifteen declares eyewitness proofs of Christ’s resurrection (vs.1-8), giving us the firm conviction of our own resurrection (vs.35-49), providing us the victory over death (vs.54-57). The great chapter ends with this statement, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord” (vs 58).

What a great chapter!  What a great ending verse! “Therefore” [since we will be resurrected], “be steadfast” [faithful to the end], “immovable” [not swayed from the truth], “abounding” [in quality and quantity] “in the work of the Lord.”

That may be seen as asking a lot of us. But then comes the great promise, “Knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” If we remain “Steadfast, immovable” our efforts, our faith, our work, will not go unrewarded.  That reward being our resurrection, in a new “imperishable” body, that will put on “immortality.” Our life in Christ here, comes with eternal life in Christ there. “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial,” James wrote. “He will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him” (James 1:12).

-Dennis Doughty

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“A Lost Love Letter”

Rick Trojanowski placed the winning bid on an old toolbox back in 2017.  He was at a farm auction at the time and didn’t take time to look through his new acquisition for a couple of years.  Tucked away in a drawer of the toolbox was a love letter written 70 years earlier.

The letter had been written to a woman living in Grand Rapids, Michigan from a man who was in the Army.  He wrote about how he regretted their argument five months earlier, and how slowly time had moved during their period of silence.  After apologizing profusely for his role in the disagreement, he spoke of how he looked forward to coming home, and asked her to marry him upon his return, still seven months in the future at the time he wrote the letter.

Trojanowski doesn’t have any use for the old love letter, but he figures surviving family members might.  He has been scouring Facebook for clues about survivors of either the woman or the man but has so far had no success.  A Grand Rapids TV station has now joined in the hunt, asking anyone with information on either individual to get in touch with them.

Old love letters can be a treasure; I can speak from experience.  Our parents, newlyweds at the time, wrote many letters while my father was stationed in Germany in World War 2.  None of their children had yet been born, but it’s reassuring to us to see how they loved each other.

There is another letter that has been written to express deep and abiding love, and for many people it has become lost.  Yes, I’m referring to the Bible, God’s message to humanity.  It is a book of profound and too-good-to-be-true love.  For many, however, His love remains a secret.

John 15:13,14 is a great example of the love in this “letter”: “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.  You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.”  The four biographies of Jesus (the Gospels) detail how Jesus laid down His life, and His willingness to do so despite the personal cost to Himself.

Romans 5:8 is another powerful statement of God’s love: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  Where else have you ever heard of a more striking example of someone’s love for another?

But the Bible isn’t just a statement of God’s love for us; it’s a plea to restore our relationship with Him.  “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Though that toolbox was in Trojanowski’s possession for a couple of years, that love letter remained lost until he began searching through it.  God’s love is clearly communicated through Scripture, but if we’re not searching those Scriptures (see Acts 17:11), that love will remain lost to us.  Such life-changing love needs to be discovered!  Open your Bible now and search diligently.

Come to the light God offers!  Study His word, the Bible.  Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24).  Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Copyright, 2024, Timothy D. Hall

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When Preaching Dies

In a recent enewsletter – “The Collapse of News is Nothing to Cheer” (February 02, 2024) – by National Review writer, Jim Geraghty, he quotes from another writer, Sebastian Junger. Junger’s article is entailed “When Journalism Dies.” Junger says this about journalism:

“…we can state that a journalist is a person who is willing to destroy his own opinions with facts. A journalist is a person who is willing to report the truth regardless of consequences to herself or others. A journalist is a person who is focused on reality rather than outcome.”

What a powerful definition of a gospel preacher, don’t you think? I am not discounting the absolute need that we have to “speak the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15) and kindness, patience, and gentleness (2 Tim. 2:24-25). Those qualities are absolutely essential in preaching like Christ preached.

But we seem to have a generation of preachers now who set Ephesians 4:15 (at least the “love” part) against or in place of Acts 20:27 where Paul writes: “I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.” When gospel preachers become afraid of losing members if they call them to repentance, it seems to me that preaching has died.

Not too long ago, I had a conversation with a preacher-friend of mine who spent nearly 45 minutes of our phone conversation telling me that the obvious meaning of a certain passage could not be the correct meaning. Eventually, I asked him how we should understand the passage properly; his response was: “I don’t know.” That’s not good enough. Preaching has died If even “gospel preachers” are willing to distort the truth of God’s word (or run from teaching specific, unpleasant passages) because they are afraid they can’t otherwise get people into the baptistry.

We, especially Gospel preachers but all Christians who love the truth (2 Thess. 2:10), need to “destroy our own opinions” with facts from God’s word. Let’s get back to letting the text speak for itself and teach those facts, in the words of the “old-time preachers” (of whom my dad was one) “without fear or favor!”

Preachers need to be willing to teach the truth “regardless of consequences” to himself. First, a preacher should let a church know who is interviewing him for a job what his doctrinal convictions are on every major controversial issue. If he doesn’t, the elders or men who are interviewing him should make sure they ask those questions.

Jesus taught the truth and it led to His death. Jesus was the epitome of a gospel preacher who was focused on reality rather than outcome. The “reality” is that if you are faithful to God’s truth, the “outcome” is that you will be blessed immeasurably. If you are not faithful to God’s truth, it might be pleasant in this life, but it will not be pleasant in the next life. God struck Hananiah dead because He counseled rebellion against the Word of God (Jeremiah 28).

Paul Holland

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The Hope of Salvation 1 Thess. 5:8-10

Christians must live in the expectation of eternal salvation.

  1. This is an age of fear and despair.
    1. The world has already in the 20th century been ravaged by two world wars and many lesser wars.
      1. There is the fear of hunger.
      2. Fear of war.
      3. Fear of disease.
      4. Fear of a number of things.
    2. The threat of nuclear destruction is ever present. Think of the nuclear problem in Russia a number of years ago.
  2. The acute need of the Christian is hope.
    1. Hope anchors the soul: Heb. 6:19-20.
      1. Without this anchor one may drift away from the Lord. Heb. 2: 1, 3.
      2. Without this anchor the storms of life may sweep one away: 1 Thess. 2:14; 2 Thess. 1:4-7.
    2. Hope is the helmet to protect the Christian. 1 Thess. 5:8.
  3. There are three things according to 1 Thess. 5:8-10 which give the Christian hope of eternal salvation.

SALVATION IS BY GOD’S APPOINTMENT – 1 Thess. 5:9.

  1. Salvation is not an accidental, haphazard, “hit-or-miss” matter with God.
    1. God works in His people, through His word, so they will and do His good pleasure. Phil. 2:12-14.
    2. Saints are kept by God’s power. 1 Peter 1:5.
  2. God has not appointed His people to wrath. 1 Thess. 1:9; 2 Peter 3:9.
    1. Christians have been “delivered from the wrath to come.” 1 Thess. 1:10.
    2. Those who reject the gospel shall experience God’s wrath. 1 Thess. 2:16; 2 Thess. 1:7-9.
  3. God has appointed His people to eternal life. 1 Thess. 5:9.

CHRIST DIED FOR US – 1 Thess. 5:10.

  1. The death of Christ did for us what we could not do for ourselves.
    1. Sin condemns, but we are justified by the blood of Christ. Rom. 5:9-10.
    2. Sin alienates, but we are reconciled to God by the death of His Son. Rom. 5:10.
  2. The blood of Christ keeps on cleansing us from sin as we walk in the light of God’s truth. 1 John 1:7-9.

WE LIVE WITH CHRIST – 1 Thess. 5:10.

  1. Christians live with Christ now. Rom. 6:8.
  2. Christ is our High Priest. Heb. 4:14-16.
  3. Christ is our advocate / attorney in heaven. 1 John 2:1-2.
    1. He knows the nature of temptation. Heb. 4:15-16.

CONCLUSION:

We are saved by hope. Rom. 8:24

Hope is based on faith. Heb. 11:1

Faith is based on and nourished by God’s word. Rom. 10:17.

the late Wayne E. Holland

a sermon preached at:

Hiawassee, GA (05/18/1986)

Henderson, NC (11/02/1997)

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