DAY 272 Read Matthew 3:1 through 4:11; Mark 1:1-13; Luke 3:1-23; 4:1-13; John 1:19-51.
Today's reading: When Jesus reached the age of "about thirty," he was anointed by the Holy Spirit as the Messiah. We read about the three great temptations and then about the calling of the first disciples.
Memory gem: "And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17).
Thought for today:
Jesus of Nazareth had heard of the work of His cousin, John the Baptist; and knowing that the time had come for His own public ministry to begin, He joined a company journeying to the Jordan River, and there requested baptism of John. John recognized that Jesus was different from the others; he exclaimed, "I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?"
Jesus answered, "Suffer it to be so now; for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness" (Matthew 3:14, 15).
That is what Jesus said: "It becometh us"--or it is proper for us, it is our duty--"to fulfill all righteousness." And His baptism was a part of it.
So John led the Saviour down into the Jordan and buried Him beneath the water. But we must always remember that our holy Saviour did not receive baptism as a confession of guilt on His part, but to identify Himself fully with sinners. He took the steps that we must take and did the work that we must do. He was an example to us.
Now, friend, I ask you this question: Have you been baptized? If not, why not? And I will ask just one more question, the one asked by the godly Ananias of Saul at the time of his conversion" "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16).
Your baptism will show your faith in the death of Christ, who washes away your sins in His own blood (see Revelation 1:5). Why should you delay?
Today's reading: When Jesus reached the age of "about thirty," he was anointed by the Holy Spirit as the Messiah. We read about the three great temptations and then about the calling of the first disciples.
Memory gem: "And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17).
Thought for today:
Jesus of Nazareth had heard of the work of His cousin, John the Baptist; and knowing that the time had come for His own public ministry to begin, He joined a company journeying to the Jordan River, and there requested baptism of John. John recognized that Jesus was different from the others; he exclaimed, "I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?"
Jesus answered, "Suffer it to be so now; for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness" (Matthew 3:14, 15).
That is what Jesus said: "It becometh us"--or it is proper for us, it is our duty--"to fulfill all righteousness." And His baptism was a part of it.
So John led the Saviour down into the Jordan and buried Him beneath the water. But we must always remember that our holy Saviour did not receive baptism as a confession of guilt on His part, but to identify Himself fully with sinners. He took the steps that we must take and did the work that we must do. He was an example to us.
Now, friend, I ask you this question: Have you been baptized? If not, why not? And I will ask just one more question, the one asked by the godly Ananias of Saul at the time of his conversion" "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16).
Your baptism will show your faith in the death of Christ, who washes away your sins in His own blood (see Revelation 1:5). Why should you delay?
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