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THIS WEEK’S BIBLE INSIGHTS ARE BY:
Ian Moore and are based on Matthew 3:13 - 4:17 (NIV)
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO READ MORE ON THIS WEEK’S MAJOR THEME:
Luke 4:1-13
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptised by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptised by you, and do you come to me?” 15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfil all righteousness.” Then John consented.
16 As soon as Jesus was baptised, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
Sunday November 24 - Jesus our example
Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfil all
righteousness.” Then John consented. Matthew 3:15
Jesus’ ‘Sermon on the Mount’ is a masterpiece of teaching, agelessly relevant across culture and class. However, before we go any further, it is worth noting three significant events that preceded it, namely Jesus’ baptism, his encounter with the Holy Spirit, and his heavenly Father’s affirmation.
John’s gospel unambiguously starts by declaring, ‘the Word (Jesus) was with God and the Word was God’ (John 1:1), declaring further, ‘The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us’ (John 1:14). Uniquely, Jesus was 100% God and 100% man.
Jesus, the sinless Son of God, had no need to repent, be born again or be baptised. So why did he ask to be baptised? Jesus’ reply to John the Baptist’s confusion gives the answer: Jesus was baptised “to fulfil all righteousness.” By being baptised, Jesus established the pattern for every believer. Baptism signifies dying to self and becoming a new person in Christ. In his humanity, Jesus symbolically identified himself with every sinner, even though he was sinless. His act foreshadowed his role in bearing not his own sins but our sins on the cross.
2 Corinthians 5:21 expresses it this way: ‘God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.’ Hallelujah! Jesus took my sin and has given me his righteousness.
Dear Heavenly Father, words cannot express an adequate response to this amazing divine exchange – that Jesus gave his life in order that I might gain his righteousness. Amen.
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PRAYER FOR TODAY