In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Matthew 3:1-2)
Repentance is a decision that results in a change of mind, which in turns leads to a change of purpose and action.
For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make His paths straight.’ ” (Matthew 3:3)
Isaiah the prophet prophesied about John the Baptist (Isaiah 40:3)
Even John’s father (Zacharias) prophesied about his ministry
Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance (Matthew 3:8)
How does one know that repentance is genuine? By the fruits a person bears after he or she has claimed to have repented.
and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. (Matthew 3:9)
Physical descent does not guarantee anyone a place in the Kingdom of God. Just because your parents are Christian does not mean that you will automatically enter the Kingdom of God.
And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (Matthew 3:10)
“The axe is laid to the root of the trees”
God always deals with the root issues (the main issue) He does not waste time beating around the bush dealing with tertiary or secondary issues.
Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and [b]He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (3:13-17)
Why was Jesus Baptized?
Although Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, He was not in the same class as all the others whom John baptized. John’s baptism was a “baptism of repentance”, accompanied by confession of sins. The following scriptures make this clear.
John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. (Mark 1:4-5)
Since Jesus had no sins to confess or repent of, by being baptized in this manner was for the following reasons:
He set a pattern for all who would follow Him in obedience to the will of God. This is indicated by the reason which Jesus gave: “permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness.” (Matthew 3:15)
So that He could be revealed to Israel
This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased
Lord Jesus did not do any mighty works yet the Father spoke highly about Him. It was His obedience that made the Father speak on His behalf.
John G Lake, the great man of God, often said that the secret of heaven's power was not in the doing but in the being.
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