Welcome to a new calendar year. We are developing an Immersion series titled, The Foundational Fruit of a life with Jesus. We will be living in the Word, under the Spirit, and with each other as disciples of Jesus. In doing so, we expect that God will transform us to be like Jesus. That transformation will bring about the foundational fruit of love, joy and peace in our lives collectively and individually.
While we expect many devotional moments to be done between you and God alone, the goal of this life with Jesus emphasis is to live out life together. To drive that home, we include a Micro-Group Moment (MGM) weekly and strongly encourage you to participate in Micro-Group life at least one a week. Stick around and learn what we mean by that as we go. We are introducing Micro-group life in January. For now, let’s jump into day one.
Theme: Jesus Get Baptised by John
Matthew 3:1-17
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
As 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. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
~ Matthew 3:16-17
1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”
4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
The Baptism of Jesus
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized 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 fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.
16 As 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. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
Pondering Point
Prior to Jesus’ baptism, Luke’s Gospel recounts three events which happen “post-Christmas:” Jesus’ circumcision on the 8th day, when He is named ("to save His people from their sins" – Matthew 1:21); His dedication at the temple after 40 days; His visit to the temple at age 12, when His parents lose Him for 3 days. For His part, He didn’t feel lost, saying, “Why were you searching for me? Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?
These events help us highlight temple language. God’s temple is present in each situation – but not the way you think. Actually, more than one temple is present twice! In the Bible, temples are places God and people connect. And since Jesus is God-in-the-flesh, He is a temple of course (tabernacle according to John 1:14). Jesus refers to Himself as such in John 2:19. Everywhere He goes, people are connecting with God – though, according to John 1:10, not everyone recognizes this. This week we see how God shows up in various temple experiences throughout the Bible. Once Jesus arrives on the scene, how the Father seeks worship – in Spirit and in Truth – begins to transition from an “Old Testament (covenant)” style to a “New Testament” one in Jesus – temple and all. More on Jesus full of the Spirit and Truth Wednesday.
Notice in Matthew 3:17 that the Father is pleased with His temple, Jesus, and fills that temple with His presence. That Presence came not in the form of a cloud, like in the Old Testament, but in a dove that alighted on Him. This baptism experience leads into our MGM for the week, but first – a prayer:
Prayer
Father God, how awesome to hear that You were pleased with Jesus – and loved Him. And how awesome to know that, because of Jesus, You are pleased with us and love us as well. Let that love inspire us that we may honor You in our temples each day, loving You with our whole heart and loving our neighbors as ourselves. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Micro-Group Connections
in the Discipleship Lifestyle
Matthew 18:20
"... where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I."
~ Jesus,
Micro-Group Moment
Micro-Relationship:
A connection you have with one, two, three, or four other people.
Spiritual Micro-Group:
A connection with one to four others that acknowledges God.
Micro-groups are small pockets of people (2-5) with whom we have a connection. These clusters often co-exist within larger pockets of people. There are dozens of such groups active in our lives, maybe hundreds if you expand these connections to occasional contacts. A few examples are couples, families, friends, drinking or fishing buddies, workout partners, neighbors, etc. It can also include one’s co-workers or recurring consumer-provider relationships. How can God impact that groups?
Throughout the year, as an encouragement to pursue a Micro-group lifestyle with Jesus, we will highlight Micro-group moments (MGMs) of Jesus and those who follow Him. An obvious MG in the life of Jesus is the trio of Peter, James and John. He did activities with them that His Small Group (SG) known as the Twelve missed out on. But this MG of Jesus pre-existed that of the disciples. You might even say that this is the Micro-group of all Micro-groups: that of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Micro-Group Moment (MGM)
The Baptism of Jesus
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one", says Deuteronomy 6:4. True enough. And yet, that one Lord shows Himself to be present at the Baptism of Jesus as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Our baptism, commanded by Jesus, is also done in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. One God in three Persons – and He comes to live with and in us.