A CHRISTIAN LOOKS AT MATTHEW’S GOSPEL
The two Baptizers meet
Reading: Matthew 3:13-17 (Click passage to view)
We can’t be certain that John and Jesus had met. However it seems likely as they were related through their mothers and the annual Pilgrimages to Jerusalem were often family occasions.
One of the intriguing aspects of this meeting is the audible or visible presence of the Trinity.
Another is that John said the one coming after him would, “baptise (you) with the Holy Spirit.” There are only seven references to the baptism of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. Four are prophetic, looking forward to it happening, such as here, one possibly took place on the day of Pentecost (see Acts1:5 and 2:4) and one reference looks back on the event. Finally Paul explains the experience, “we are baptised by one Spirit into one body, (1Corinthians 12:13).” So the baptism of the Spirit, puts you and me into Christ and Christ into us and us into each other. In other words, it makes the church!
Meditation: How conscious am I of being part of the body of Christ? Am I striving to make this a reality? Am I playing my full part in my local bit of the body, my church? Are there relationships that I need to restore or revive?
Prayer pointer: Father stop me from being a useless, non-working part of Christ’s body on earth. Help me to make sure that the energy and life blood of the body is pumping through me at all times
The two Baptizers meet
Reading: Matthew 3:13-17 (Click passage to view)
We can’t be certain that John and Jesus had met. However it seems likely as they were related through their mothers and the annual Pilgrimages to Jerusalem were often family occasions.
One of the intriguing aspects of this meeting is the audible or visible presence of the Trinity.
Another is that John said the one coming after him would, “baptise (you) with the Holy Spirit.” There are only seven references to the baptism of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. Four are prophetic, looking forward to it happening, such as here, one possibly took place on the day of Pentecost (see Acts1:5 and 2:4) and one reference looks back on the event. Finally Paul explains the experience, “we are baptised by one Spirit into one body, (1Corinthians 12:13).” So the baptism of the Spirit, puts you and me into Christ and Christ into us and us into each other. In other words, it makes the church!
Meditation: How conscious am I of being part of the body of Christ? Am I striving to make this a reality? Am I playing my full part in my local bit of the body, my church? Are there relationships that I need to restore or revive?
Prayer pointer: Father stop me from being a useless, non-working part of Christ’s body on earth. Help me to make sure that the energy and life blood of the body is pumping through me at all times
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