- But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Matthew 3:7 – Fast-forwarding about 30 years from the stories within chapter 2, we now see John the Baptist baptizing flocks of people in the Jordan river. He was announcing the coming Messiah and calling people to ready themselves for the Messiah by turning back to God now. Because this was such a popular event happening, we see the religious leaders of the day coming to the Jordan. Yet why did they come? Was it to repent themselves? Was is to prepare their own hearts for the Messiah like everyone else? Was it just a showy demonstration of faithfulness yet no heart was in their actions? Clearly John knew of the disposition of these leader’s hearts and it wasn’t true repentance. Like with Herod in yesterday’s devotion, we are seeing that when people are face to face with the truth of God’s word, the response isn’t always acceptance. These leaders would have known well the Old Testament prophesies of the Messiah and the one that was to prepare the way for Him. Knowing what they did this should have caused them to want to be the first in the water for baptism, yet that’s not the image we get from this chapter. For us, like the leaders in our story, the truth of Jesus is plainly in front of us. What will you do though? Will it cause you to desire to be the first to repent for you see the king is here? Will it have no effect on your life? I pray that knowing the kingdom of God is here not only calls you to repentance but fuels a life of following Jesus. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3325
- In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea. Matthew 3:1 – We can just read right on past this verse as just part of the introduction to the real story of Jesus’ baptism. This though is huge that John, a prophet, is speaking to the people from God. This hadn’t happened since the time of Malachi. Meaning it had been around 430 years since the people heard from a prophet of God. The would have begun to think God had turned away from them and no longer loved them. What we see though is in that time of silence God was still there and still working and had plans to speak when the time was right. Never take the times in your story where you feel like God isn’t moving as a sign He’s not there and has stopped caring about you. He’s always there, always will love you, and will always be for you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 857
- Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Matthew 3:5-6 – Remember this is all happening before the cross. Before Jesus spoke on the mount, before He healed the lepers, before He fed the five thousand, and before He raised Lazarus from the dead. Jesus was just in the beginning stages of His public ministry, yet great multitudes were flocking to God for repentance. This is a beautiful reminder that the message of the Gospel is enough. Yes, we can see in our churches and cities families, kids, and young adults walking away from church or never even giving it a try. It can seem like then we need to offer something better, something more attractive to get them here. Yet nothing is more attractive than the straightforward message of the Gospel. That you can find forgiveness, freedom, and life with God despite the wrongs you have done. That God loves you. Yes, the manner in which we share this message we can get creative with. John shared it in a desert, I’m sharing it over social media. The medium through which the message travels can change, but the message itself needs no change. Stay steady in sharing the whole truth of the Gospel. Trust when you do this God will bring the people to your church, God will turn the heart that needs turned, and God will open the eyes that need opened. If you are making it your aim to share the love of Jesus and the clear message of salvation with every person you can, trust God with the rest. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1953
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