Week 15, Day 1
April 11, 2022 Scripture: Matthew 3 Matthew 3:16–17 16As soon as Jesus was baptized, 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. 17And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Jesus continues the story of Israel, this time, through the Jordan River. It was this river that the Israelites crossed to enter the Promised land in the book of Joshua. John calls the Israelites back to this river to remember God’s call on their lives. He calls them to repentance and seeking the kingdom of God. This is precisely in line with the heart of Jesus, who desires to remember the story of Israel and proclaim the Kingdom of God. The Spirit of God descends, and Jesus is declared God’s Son. This miraculous moment sets the stage for what is ahead in the life of Jesus. Everything will further prove this event to be true. Immediately, Jesus will be tempted in the wilderness, just like Israel. The temptation will be to doubt the Spirit’s anointing and the Father’s blessing. But Jesus will prove faithful. As for us, we too enter a baptism of new life, blessed by the Father, gifted by the Spirit with life in the Son. We affirm this and enter into the story of God. We are his children, blessed. We too will be tempted, will we seek the kingdom and trust that God sees us as His? Today, remember your baptism. You belong to the family of God, you have newness in life, gifted by the Spirit of God. Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.
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AuthorJordan Ickes, Minister of Etna Green Church of Christ. Archives
December 2022
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