THE WONDER OF JESUS’ BAPTISM (1 OF 5)
by Jeff Strite
Scripture: Matthew 3:1-17
This content is part of a series.
The Wonder of Jesus' Baptism (1 of 5)
Series: The Wonder of it All
Jeff Strite
Matthew 3:1-17
OPEN: A little girl wanted to get baptized but her mother wanted her to attend some classes to make sure she knew what she was committing herself to. After one of the classes, her mother asked, ''Honey, what does baptism mean?''
Thinking hard, the little girl the finally said, ''Well, it isn't the water that makes you clean ...'' she began.
The mother thought, ''Yes, she understands.''
Then smiling brightly, her daughter quickly added, ''...It's the soap.''
(Verna Chambers, Willcox, Ariz. ''Kids of the Kingdom,'' Christian Reader)
APPLY: Obviously, that little girl didn't understand what baptism meant.
Does anybody here know what baptism means?
(I asked the audience for what they knew of baptism. They cited salvation, forgiveness, gift of the Holy Spirit, clothing ourselves with Christ, death/burial and resurrection)
Now, all those things are true.
And all those things are wonderful things that God does for us when we accept His gift of love by our Faith, Repentance, Confession of Jesus as Lord and Baptism.
But here in Matthew 3, we have this odd story about baptism.
Now John the Baptist had been down at the Jordan river baptizing people for the forgiveness of sins. He was his mission for God.
Isaiah had declared that John was to be ''A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.''' (Isaiah 40:3)
John was sent to prepare the way for Jesus.
He was to prepare people's hearts for Christ's ministry.
And how did he do that?
Well… he was telling people: ''Ya'll sinners.''
He told people they'd all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
In Matthew 3:5-10 we're told that ''People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. CONFESSING THEIR SINS, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees com ...
Series: The Wonder of it All
Jeff Strite
Matthew 3:1-17
OPEN: A little girl wanted to get baptized but her mother wanted her to attend some classes to make sure she knew what she was committing herself to. After one of the classes, her mother asked, ''Honey, what does baptism mean?''
Thinking hard, the little girl the finally said, ''Well, it isn't the water that makes you clean ...'' she began.
The mother thought, ''Yes, she understands.''
Then smiling brightly, her daughter quickly added, ''...It's the soap.''
(Verna Chambers, Willcox, Ariz. ''Kids of the Kingdom,'' Christian Reader)
APPLY: Obviously, that little girl didn't understand what baptism meant.
Does anybody here know what baptism means?
(I asked the audience for what they knew of baptism. They cited salvation, forgiveness, gift of the Holy Spirit, clothing ourselves with Christ, death/burial and resurrection)
Now, all those things are true.
And all those things are wonderful things that God does for us when we accept His gift of love by our Faith, Repentance, Confession of Jesus as Lord and Baptism.
But here in Matthew 3, we have this odd story about baptism.
Now John the Baptist had been down at the Jordan river baptizing people for the forgiveness of sins. He was his mission for God.
Isaiah had declared that John was to be ''A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.''' (Isaiah 40:3)
John was sent to prepare the way for Jesus.
He was to prepare people's hearts for Christ's ministry.
And how did he do that?
Well… he was telling people: ''Ya'll sinners.''
He told people they'd all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
In Matthew 3:5-10 we're told that ''People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. CONFESSING THEIR SINS, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees com ...
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