Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Daily Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

3 October 2024

Reading From Matthew 3, Mark 1, and Luke 3

“John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.  And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

–Mark 1:4-8

“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? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.”

–Matthew 3:5-8

     John the Baptist came as the voice of one calling in the wilderness preparing the way for the Lord Jesus to begin His earthly ministry.  We can learn a lot about how we can prepare our hearts and lives for God to do extraordinary things in us and through us by exploring some key aspects of John’s work.  The way to salvation in Jesus is made possible by these teachings revealed through John the Baptist by God.

     First, notice the simplicity and humility of John.  He did not wear flashy, expensive clothing.  His priority was on peaching the message God gave Him.  Rather than draw attention to himself, his goal was to point everyone around him to Jesus, the Lamb of God.  John cared far more about being faithful to God and the truth of His Word than about what other people thought of him.  This is demonstrated by his choice of apparel, his lack of fear in calling out religious leaders, and later in his life, standing up for what is morally right even when it involves preaching against the wickedness of those in political power.

     John baptized people in water as an outward sign of an inward work.  Implicit in his message was the necessary element of faith.  Faith is believing in that which is not seen with our physical eyes.  “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the essence of things not seen.” And “Without faith we cannot please God for those who seek Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”  John’s hallmark was repentance and baptism, two things that would not make sense for people to do unless God is real, which thankfully He is. 

     Repentance is defined as a change of mind and heart about sin.  When a person is born, they are born through the water of their mother’s womb.  When a person is born again, they are cleansed spiritually by the blood of Jesus applied by the Holy Spirit.  This cleansing is symbolized in the act of water baptism by immersion. 

For every person who wants to be born again, they must first come to the realization that life doesn’t work well without the intervention and authority of God in their life.  Each of us must genuinely decide that we don’t want to sin anymore and surrender our will to the Lord Jesus.  As Jesus encouraged the adulterous woman as He forgave her, we are to go and sin no more.  But if and when we do stumble and make mistakes, He is there to catch us, cleanse us and fill us with renewed strength to resist temptation. 

     This strength and power to live holy lives comes from the Holy Spirit, which John prophesied about.  After Jesus rose from the dead, He met several times with His followers.  Remember, this was after His blood was shed from Gethsemane to His ultimate sacrifice on the cross where He conquered sin and after His resurrection where He conquered death.  Jesus breathed on them and said, “receive the Holy Spirit.”  This was after the atonement, but before the day of Pentecost. 

     I believe that every born again believer has the fulness of God the Holy Spirit living and active in their hearts and lives.  But God has more and more for us.  He wants us to be continually learning and growing and experiencing new things in Him.  “Behold, He is doing a new thing!”  We are encouraged to seek an endowment of power from on high.  This power and passion for ministry comes with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. 

     This experience is available for every believer who asks for it and every believer experiences Him differently.  What is vital is that we ask for power and passion from the Lord to do His work upon the Earth.  He bestows spiritual gifts and augments natural ones according to His sovereign will and the measure of our own faith and trust in Him.

     More important that operating in the gifts of the Spirit is bearing the fruit of the Spirit, all of which flow out of the immeasurable love of God.  If we do amazing things for God, but we do not love Him and love others genuinely, then it is all for nothing.  God used John the Baptist to chart the course for this wonderful adventure of life with God for us and Jesus Christ made it all possible.

“From Your Word, O Lord, we learn that it takes all kinds of people, some working together and some having to go it alone with Your help but without human support to accomplish Your purposes and plans.  You’ve blessed each one of us with unique personalities with differing measures of strengths and weaknesses.  John the Baptist was a wild man anointed by You to guide people to faith, repentance and confession.  Thank You for His testimony and for the testimonies You are forming in the lives of Your sons and daughters.  I am grateful for our eternal family.  In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray.  Amen.”

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

 –Matthew 28:16-20