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Thoughts Archived > Baptism, Temptations, Blessings, Going Forth & Obeying


9 Nov 2008

November 9, 2008


          Baptism, Temptations, Blessings,


      Going Forth & Obeying 


               Mark 16:15-20 & Matt. 3:1-5:20        



 


 Thoughts....


 


My first thoughts are that I need to find a new web server without problems.  I apologize to those of you who keep checking in for the latest only to find garbled text.  'Tis not me, my friends.  Please pray that Satan will leave us ALL alone so we can carry on for the Lord as we are all called.   Secondly, I want to apologize for not providing text for todays scriptures.  I pray you  have a Bible to read, and, if not, please email me (see end of page) and I will provide text through email, since there seems to be a communication problem with the server, etc.  Thirdly...hey...just like the Trinity...lets now talk about the scriptures.


In Mark 16:15-20, Jesus is speaking...noted if you have a red letter edition...talking about what many refer to as 'the great commission'.  I call it a great commandment.  He tells us to go into the world and preach the good news to everyone everywhere.  And then he goes on to say "ANYONE (my emphasis) WHO BELIEVES AND IS BAPTIZED WILL BE SAVED.  BUT ANYONE WHO REFUSES TO BELIEVE WILL BE CONDEMNED."  This is the baptism part and the obeying part.  It's also the blessing part and the going forth part.  Think about that for a minute.  Believes=obeying, going forth, blessing.  Baptized=obeying, going forth, blessing.  Don't think for a minute that anywhere along this route you will not be tempted, so I have to add that to all of this as well.  Saved=obeying, blessing, going forth, temptation.  Refuses=obeying another God, not being blessed by our God, going forth in a way not acceptable to our God, accepting temptation by another God=CONDMENATION=hell, being cast out from God and not getting into heaven.  There is only one way to get into heaven and that is through Jesus Christ. 


Jesus goes on to talk about the signs of obeying, which I consider to be some of the blessings, the fruits of the baptism, the temptations, as part of going forth.  "These signs will accompany those who believe:  They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak new languages.  They will be able to handle snakes with safey and if they drink anything poisonous, it won't hurt them.  They will be able to place their hands on the sick and heal them."  


Matthew Chapter 3 talks about the who, what, why, where and when of baptism.  Like a good journalist, he gives us the principles of a great article.  He gives us himself, Jesus, and many others.  He gives us the what in describing the salvation message including baptism as a component of salvation.  Jesus gives us the why in his statement in verse 15 when he says, "It must be done, becuase we must do everything that is right."  Some could argue here that it refers only to Jesus, but you have only to read on and on and on in the New Testament to see that it is for all believers.  The where is defined by location...in water.  Doesn't matter how it is done, it is just done with water.  And the when is not only given by historical info, but as a time line...Jesus' Kingdom on earth, his reign, his entry into heaven....everything about his future and ours hung on this first act of obeying God's plans for him.  John the  Baptist said it clearly when he said in verse 2, "Turn from your sins and turn to God, because the Kingdom of Heaven is near."  John's integrity and credibility is confirmed with the reference from Isaiah 40:3 as stated here in Matthew 3:3: " He is a voice shouting in the winderness:  'Prepare a pathway for the Lord's coming!  Make a straight road for him!"  


So John, baptised him as the scriptures tell us, and "After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him.  And a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, and I am fully please with him."  Pretty neat stuff once you obey.  Obey, obey, obey.  


Matthew 4 is all about the temptations that Jesus first dealt with.  He was tempted and he said, "No!" to the Devil (Satan) and told him "The Scriptures say:  People need more than bread for their life, they must feed on every word of God."  (Deut. 8:3)  This means read your Bible and get to know the author of life and the Savior.  He went on to say, "The scriptures also say, "Do not test the Lord your God."  (Deut. 6:16)  Life is the test...how you live it.  So....how you doin'?    Does God think you are doing pretty good?   Upon further testing, Jesus commanded the Devil  "Get out of here, Satan.  For the Scriptures say:  You must worship the Lord your God; serve only him."  (Deut. 6:13).  Once he got past the temptations, he went forth obeying God and blessing others, so they could be blessed as he preached "Turn from your sins and turn to God because the Kingdom of Heaven is near."


Matthew 5 is what we call the Beatitudes.  Breaking up the word...be...attitudes...allows us to better understand the scriptures referred to as such in verses 3-12.  If we have the 'be attitudes', we will receive the blessings he want to give us. 'Be'...ing involves doing, which is going forth, as we CHOOSE to obey him.  It is a choice.  Make no mistake about that.  


He goes on to say in verses 13-16 that we should not be intimidated or shrink from our calling  All of us are called...it is our purpose in life to share the Trinity with everyone we meet...in meek ways and bold ways.  He says to let us shine bright for all the the world to see, so that all can praise our Heavenly Father, God.  So......are ya shinin' bright today?  


And finally here, he reminds us that even the smallest wrong thing we do, can be counted against us, as Christians, and that we will be the least in the Kingdom of Heaven.  I need to say something about this.  You may remember we talked about seeds on dry dead ground versus seeds planted in fertile ground.  IF you are a Christian, you are following a way of life in and with Christ.  As a Christian, it is expected that our whole being will want to pursue that which is of God for God.  So, as a Christian, our infractions or our errors should not amount to strike outs, but because we are human, he knows we may not always catch the ball, or throw it QUITE right.  But we are supposed to throw the ball, we are also to insure he is ready for the ball to go out, and that we are throwing it right.  To not throw it, or to not know how to throw it, or to not direct it appropriately, can result in no runs...or a strike out.  The same can be said of our life.  Check in with him, ask him to forgive you, pray for your salvation, but then don't sit on the side lines or in the bleechers.  Get into the game he has for you.  The game of life for and with him.  A blessed life, not without temptations, but as long as you obey him and go forth, having been baptised in the Trinity, he will be there for and with you. 


And please, like all parents say, "Do what I say, not what I do",  none of us are perfect, not even those in the ministry.  We need your prayers just like the rest.  And Jesus even addresses that when he says, "But I warn you--unless you obey God better than the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees do, you can't enter the Kingdom of Heaven at all!"  An 'oh, woops', to the majority of us, Christians tho' we be, and earnestly trying to do the right thing always.  


Remember in verse 13 he says, "You are the salt of the earth....You are the light of the world--like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see...put your light on a stand and let it shine for all."


And last but not least, more about baptism.  I know this is a web church and there are no baptismal gatherings in cyberspace so to speak.  But I am reminded of a story told to me many years ago about a Russian woman who was the wife of a dignitary in the upper levels of government who heard the gospel of Jesus Christ and accepted him as her Lord and Savior in the quiet trenches of life and at risk to her own life to even consider it.  She could not go to church and even having a Bible could have gotten her killed.  She prayed to the Lord.  And then she went into the shower in her bathroom and asked God to baptise her with the fulfillment of promise in the water.  Years later, the regime changed and she was able to shine her light more brightly.  But for those of you not having fellowship in a local church and not wanting to wait another minute without being baptised, go.....go into the shower, or lie down in the bathtub, or trickle water on your forehead while doing the dishes, if you are at greatest risk...and know that they ARE there with you.  In Matthew 28:18-20, "Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth.  Therefore, [you] go and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the comands I have given you.  And be sure of this:  I am with you always, even to the end of age."  


So, I baptise you in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Receive them now.  In Jesus' name I pray.  Amen  


Here is a last thought....you can't stand on hallowed ground until you've stood in the river of life.


   


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