Matthew 3:1-6 "Prepare the Way of the Lord"

Marc Transparenti
Calvary Chapel Lake City
Matthew • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago • Presented 4 years ago • 46:54
Matthew 3:1–6
John the Baptist
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﻿Good morning CCLC! Open your Bibles to Matt 3 as we continue our journey chapter by chapter and verse by verse through the New Testament. 

Last week we finished Matthew 2 where Matthew was guiding his Jewish audience to see that Jesus is their King and their Messiah. Matthew shared 4 prophecies that Jesus fulfilled. And, we saw God was guiding Joseph supernaturally through dreams to protect and preserve the Messiah. And, whenever God guided Joseph...Joseph obeyed! 

In our passage today, we will see the introduction of John the Baptist, the forerunner to Christ. John came with a message fulfilling Isa 40:3...a proclamation of the coming Messiah...the King of the Jews...very important for Matthew's Jewish audience. 

We will look at Chapter 3 in two parts, this week we will look at John the Baptist. Who was this wild man...this messenger of the coming King? And, we will look at what John said...and what he did. He said, "Repent" and his action was "baptizing"...a lot of people. Both his message of repentance and his action of baptism are misunderstood today, so we will shed some light on these topics and provide some clarity today. We could call today's message, "Repent and be baptized." But, if your heart is not true when you repent...if your heart is not true when you are baptized...it really means nothing, so we are going to call today's message, "Prepare the way of the LORD" and I'm speaking about our hearts. 

Let's pray and then we will look at Chapter 3:1-6 of Matthew.

Matt 3:1-2 "In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"

John the Baptist is one of the most famous biblical characters who just about everyone recognizes. After Malachi, the last Old Testament writer, there are 400 years of silence, when God did not speak through a prophet...until that silence was broken as there was a need for a messenger to proclaim the King was coming....and that messenger was John. 
Luke tells us, John was the miracle child of Zacharias and Elizabeth, who was barren, yet bore John in her old age. Zacharias was a priest. You may recall he was serving in the temple when Gabriel visited him to let him know his wife who was "advanced in years" would have a child and his name would be John.
Lk 1:36, 58 tell us Elizabeth was the relative of Mary...perhaps an aunt or cousin, we cannot be sure, but as such Jesus and John were also relatives of sorts...likely cousins. 
We also know John is older than Jesus...likely by 6 months. In Luke 1:26 Gabriel visited the virgin Mary in the "sixth month" which seems, contextually, to be the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, as two verses prior spoke about Elizabeth's fifth month of pregnancy. 
Scholars consider John the last of the OT prophets. A man with the gift of evangelism. And Jesus said in Luke 7 "...I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist..." What made John so great was he served as the forerunner to Christ...he had the unique privilege of announcing "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!" John 1:29
Matt 3 verse 1 begins with "In those days..." which is a very general indication of time. 
Thankfully, Lk 3:1-3 tell us, "Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins..."
So, John began his ministry in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, the 2nd Roman Emperor, who reigned from AD 14 to AD 37. So the 15th year of his reign was AD 29 (though some scholars do give an earlier date of AD 26 when John began his ministry as Tiberius assumed some control in AD 11, but officially reigned in AD 14). 
I want to point out that between Chapter 2 and 3 of Matthew there is a time gap of about 30-34 years. After Herod died in 4 B.C., Joseph brought his family back from Egypt and they settled in Nazareth. 
We don't know much about Jesus' childhood except that his family remained devout. Luke 3:41 tells us they went to Jerusalem every year for Passover, and when Jesus was 12 they lost Him as He lingered behind in Jerusalem and they found Him in the temple being about His "Father's business." The next thing we hear about Jesus is here in Matt 3, now either A.D. 26 or A.D. 29. 
So, don't think we are still talking about the young boy Jesus anymore. As discussed last week, Jesus was born in 6/5 B.C., and now we are at the year 26/29 A.D...a lot of time has passed...Jesus is now 31/32 or 34/35 (depending if you ascribed to the earlier or later dating). 
What's very interesting about "those days" that Matthew mentions is that despite all the very powerful people Luke mentioned (Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate, Herod Antipas, etc.), God did not choose any of them to be His herald, He chose John. God chose a relatively obscure man who was living in the wilderness, but who's heart was true towards God. 
I think this says a lot about God not looking towards the outward, but the inward...similar to why David was such a great king, because he was a "man after God's own heart."
God doesn't need the most powerful people of the world, like the powerful people "in those days" of John...he called average people...John the Baptist, fisherman, a sinful tax collector, a murderous Pharisee, and so forth...
Today, he is calling ordinary people as well... 1 Cor 1:26-29 "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the thing which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence." 
I am blessed to know that my God looks at the heart of the person, and not on their outward appearance. He stands arms open wide, welcoming all people, the rich, the poor, all tribes and tongues...anyone with a true heart of faith. 
Matthew 3:1 continues "In those days John the Baptist came preaching or heralding/proclaiming...different from teaching...the herald had a message and in scripture they would stand to preach, sit to teach...we like our preachers and teachers to stand all the time. One day, you may find me with a stool up here... "Just to be biblical."
Jesus did both preaching and teaching depending on the setting and audience...there are times it is more appropriate to preach and other times it is more appropriate to teach. 
John "...came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,...
When we think wilderness, we think forests and bears...but in the Israel, the wilderness is a desert...the Judean Desert was in the territory of the Tribe of Judah...East of Jerusalem to the Dead Sea. Just north of the dead sea is the Jordan River, where John baptized Jesus. There are several historic sites in this desert...the Qumran Caves (where Dead Sea Scrolls were found), Engedi, Masada, the Herodium. Today, this desert is the home to the nomadic Bedouin population. Now, John was near the Jordan river, so I don't think it was entirely barren, but you would still have to travel through the desert even to get to the Jordan River.
Verse 2 tells us the Message of John: 
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"
Not a real fluffy message. Not a real fluff setting or a fluffy guy. Everything was rugged, but more important...it was real!
Personally, I cannot stand padded answers...they lack authenticity. 
John the Baptist gave a straight shooter message "Repent." 
Let's take a moment to understand this word "Repent" because today it has a negative connotation...because it is misunderstood. 
Repent is a popular word in the Bible...68x in 64 verses. ...much more if you were to add the word "turn" which carries a similar meaning.
Repent is not so popular word today, especially not from the pulpit, but I think it's because people have this Bible Beating, hard nosed preacher perception, "Repent...Turn from sin!" But, that message falls short of the full meaning of repentance. 
Repent (Greek) metanoeō- to change one's mind or purpose. Repentance is not a feeling of sorrow, though you can feel sorrow as you repent, but moreso repentance is a call to action. To stop one action and start another. The full biblical definition of repentance is 'a change of mind that results in a change of action.'
The Bible is clear to distinguish between a feeling of sorrow and a true change of mind/true repentance. 
2 Cor 7:10 "For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death." 
Godly sorrow is true repentance and leads to salvation. Think of Peter's deep remorse after he denied the Lord 3x...
The sorrow of the world brings death...like Judas' "sorrow" after he betrayed the Christ.
Turning from sin is a part of repentance, but it's much deeper...It's also turning from unbelief...and turning to faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior. Biblical repentance is a call to salvation...it's changing your mind from rejection of Christ to faith in Christ.
It's an action step of putting to death the old ways of sin and unbelief and to start believing in God...
In Baptism, we are identifying with the death and resurrection of Christ...putting to death the old man and arising new in Christ. It's all related. 
In Acts 20:20-21 Paul said to the Ephesian elders, "I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ..."
Repentance and faith are the two sides of the gospel coin. To place your faith in Jesus, is to turn from (repent of) your former unbelief. See...that's not so bad...that's actually really Good News! 
John the Baptist was not just calling people to repent of sin, he was calling them to faith. Are you sure? Quite positive. 
In Acts 19:4 Paul explains, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus."
John was proclaiming that the King was coming, so the people needed to prepare their hearts...to repent of their sin...to repent of unbelief. They had to stop loving darkness...and needed to prepare their hearts for faith in the coming King, the Messiah. 
It's important to understand that God sees your heart. He knows your motives and your sincerity toward Him...or lack thereof. If you pray a prayer of repentance or a prayer of salvation, but it's hollow...it's done falsely...or for a show...don't expect a result...a changed heart or a changed life. Repentance must be authentic.
When John said, "Repent"... this was not a suggestion...the word 'Repent' is an imperative...John was commanding them! 
As unpopular as the message of 'repentance' is today, it is a very popular message scripturally. John was not the only one to begin his ministry with a message of repentance. 
Jesus began His ministry saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." Mk 1:15. [Repent...imperative; believe also]
When the Twelve Apostles were sent they "preached that people should repent." (Mark 6:12) 
After His resurrection, Jesus instructed the disciples "...that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations..." (Luke 24:47) 
After Pentecost, Peter said "Repent, [imperative] and let every one of you be baptized [imperative] in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38)
Paul's message to the people of his missionary journeys was "...they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance." (Acts 26:20) 
Repentance is a repeated message in scripture, and, one last point...repentance is rooted in God's goodness or His kindness...
Rom 2:4 tells us "...the goodness of God leads you to repentance..."
People are not led to repent by beating them with a Bible, shouting at them, embarrassing them, slipping a note in their pocket with which of the 10 Commandments they violated...NO! Scripture says, "...the kindness of God leads you to repentance..."
God is good, kind and loving...and the call to repentance is done gently, and grounded in His desire to be in relationship with you!
Lastly, in verse 2, John mentions "...the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"
We will see this phrase 33x in Matthew, and no where else in the Bible.... Some scholars see this phrase as synonomous with the phrase "kingdom of God" which appears 70x in the New Testament...5x in Matthew. 
And, Daniel and Jeremiah, while they don't uses these phrases specifically, they prophesy of the coming Kingdom.
The kingdom refers to the "rule and reign of"...and in our context in this verse, John is speaking about the necessity to repent because the Rule of Heaven is at hand...because Jesus...the King and Messiah was at hand. 
The messenger is telling the people...The King is coming people...Get ready!

Let continue in verse 3

Matt 3:3 "For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:
"The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
'Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make His paths straight.' "

It's significant to note that all 4 Gospel writers cite this account that John the Baptist fulfills Isaiah 40:3. 
When Isaiah wrote this prophecy Isaiah 40:3... 
the near fulfillment was he was crying out to the Jews in Babylonian exile who would be returning to Judah. They were to prepare the way, in a literal sense, for the return of the Lord and His people in 538 B.C.
the far fulfillment was John the Baptist crying out to the people preparing the way, in a more figurative sense, for the people to return to God...to prepare the way of their hearts. 
In a literal sense, when a king visited or traveled through a town or city, a messenger would go before the king to prepare the city... allowing them time to fix their roads [fill pot holes, smooth bumps in the road, etc.] and be ready to receive the king with honor. Figuratively, our hearts must be prepared to receive the king as well. 
The larger context of heart preparation is for the non-believer, and the process they are going through as they turn from unbelief and express faith in Jesus...it's a salvation message.
But, for you believers out there, when you come to church, when you open your bible, when you bow your hearts in prayer...whatever it is you do in your action toward God...I encourage you to prepare the way to your heart in those actions as well. If your heart is not right, you are just going through motions...church might as well be a social gathering...worship just noise...bible study just intellectual...and so forth. When your heart is right in these actions, not only is your heart and life impacted, but you also honor God. 
In Matthew, verse 3, observe it states "the voice"...THIS IS the role of a messenger...to be a voice for the king. Attention is not to be drawn to the messenger, but to the king. 
In John 1:22, the priest and Levites questioned John asking, "Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?" He said: "I am The voice of one crying in the wilderness "Make straight the way of the LORD."'
John's answer highlights his humility...he does not claim to be anyone worth noting...he is just the messenger. 
Later in John's Gospel, John the Baptist would say, "He must increase, but I must decrease." John 3:30 
John's humility and desire to point people to Jesus and to not rob God of His glory, are good reminders for us. Many Pastor's have lost sight of this today...they have commercialized Christ, and there will be a reckoning at the Bema Seat judgment. John served in his role as a messenger well. He did not draw attention to himself, but pointed people to Jesus. 
It's worthy to note that there are 2 Advents (or arrivals/comings) of Jesus...and both times He was or will be preceded by a messenger. 
In His 1st coming...about 2000 years ago He came as the Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world. In His 2nd, yet future coming, Jesus will return as the conquering King to usher in His Millennial reign on Earth. 
Scripture tells us John the Baptist was His messenger for the 1st Coming, and Elijah will be His messenger for the 2nd Coming. 
Malachi 3:1 was a prophecy of the 1st messenger: 
Mal 3:1 "Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me..."
Jesus, in Matt 11:10, tells us Mal 3:1 was fulfilled by John the Baptist. 
And, the final words of the Old Testament, Mal 4:5-6, tell us Elijah will be the 2nd Messenger:
Mal 4:5-6 "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord [speaks of Jesus' 2nd Coming]. 6 And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse."
Some people confuse John the Baptist with Elijah, which is easy to do, but don't be confused...John is not Elijah...they are both messengers for Jesus, and have similar ministries, but they are separate prophets. 
The Gospel writer John records in John 1:21, the priests and Levites asked John point blank, "Are you Elijah?" and John the Baptist said, "I am not." 
They asked this because they expected Elijah to precede the Messiah according to Mal 4:5-6 which we just read. 
Where people get tripped up, is Jesus said about John in Matt 11:14 "...if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come." A﻿nd, Matt 17:12 where Jesus, again speaking about John states "...I say to you that Elijah has come already..."
Gabriel, in Luke 1, helps us to understand that John is not Elijah, but comes with a similar spirit as Elijah...
Luke 1:17 "He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
So, don't confuse John to be Elijah. John is not Elijah, but came in the spirit and power of Elijah. 
Both of these messengers sought to bring people into a right relationship with God through repentance. They are the messengers for Jesus, and prepare the way of the Lord.
On a personal note, at some point in your testimony, you may have had someone witness to you who prepared the way for God to come into your life...you had a change of mind towards sin and unbelief. You confessed the Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit now had a way to come into your heart...to in-dwell you. 
On a micro scale, we all have a commission to be a voice...a messenger for Jesus. John is a good model for us on how to properly serve in this role.

continue to verse 4

Matt 3:4 "Now John himself was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey."

Well here, we see the appearance and diet of John...both further highlight his humility...especially when contrasted with the clothing and diet of the Religious Leaders.
I like John...He seems to have been a mans man. A rugged wilderness man, wearing a course and stinky camel hair outfit, grasshopper legs sticking out of his mouth, honey dripping off his beard...what a guy! His appearance is how I picture a caveman. 
I think his appearance tells us a few things:
He comes in the spirit and power of Elijah, and his appearance should have reminded his audience of Elijah for in 2 Kin 1:8 Elijah was described as "...a hairy man wearing a leather belt around his waist." 
He is the antithesis of the religious leaders...which we will discuss more next week.
He is a humble messenger. His goal is to just be a voice in the wilderness for the coming Messiah. Attention is not to be placed on him. 
In this verse we also see his diet...locusts and wild honey.
Wild honey...not so bad...quite great actually! 
But, locusts? 
Some scholars suggest John didn't eat locusts...the insect- a species of short-horned grasshoppers...but instead ate Carob beans. The carob tree is also know as the locust bean tree. You can eat them raw or fresh off the tree and they are supposed to have a sweet and nutty flavor. How nice!
I think these scholars struggle with the idea of John eating insects...which is not surprising because The Journal of Insects as Food and Feed found that 72 percent of Americans are unwilling to consider eating insects.
And, yes that was the "Journal of Insects as Food and Feed"...they also have a Facebook group. 
I am of the opinion that John was not eating the Carob bean...I think John was eating the insect. By definition "Locust" in Matt 3:4 is defined "locust- particularly that species which especially infests oriental countries, stripping fields and trees."
And, while, from our Western mindset, eating insects is a strange concept...in other parts of the world, it's normal...especially in China, Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and some developing regions of Central and South America.
If you are intrigued about eating insects, know there are more than 1,900 insect species considered edible and they are considered highly nutritional...rich in: protein, healthy fats, iron, and calcium, and low in carbohydrates. 
And, biblically speaking, John had a green light in the Levitical law to eat locusts. 
Lev 11:21-22 "...you may eat of every flying insect that creeps on all fours: those which have jointed legs above their feet with which to leap on the earth. 22 These you may eat: the locust after its kind, the destroying locust after its kind, the cricket after its kind, and the grasshopper after its kind."
So, insects are healthy, and biblically accepted as a food source, but how do you eat a locust...do you just pop it in your mouth and chew it up? And, just savor that juicy center, and feel the tickle of the legs on your tongue? Don't be barbaric. 
According to Moshe Basson, a chef, and founder/owner of the Eucalyptus restaurant in Jerusalem, Israel, the insects can be added to boiling broth or a tasty soup. They can be stir-fried, deep-fried, roasted, boiled or dried.
Here is Moshe Basson's Crisp Grasshoppers Recipe (Use around 25 locusts)
Prepare around 2 litres of vegetable stock with a little tumeric added to it.
Place the locusts in the boiling stock. Cook for about 3 minutes.
Drain the locusts and let them cool a bit.
Twist off their heads, and this will ensure that you pull out their black, threadlike entrails.
Remove the wings and small legs from the cooked insects.
And, he keeps going...
If you are interested in the rest of the recipe, google search this and other recipe on how to eat your locusts. 
John was much more simplistic in his approach...He liked his with honey. 

continue to verses 5-6

Matt 3:5-6 "Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins."

It's fascinating that John did not go to a city, but to the wilderness to preach his message, and i think this says something about the authenticity of the people who went out to hear the message...they were not in the comfort of their cities and homes...they had to travel out to the desert to hear the message...this is a good sign they were seeking truth. 
The Jordan River, where John was baptising, is a 156 mile long river that begins north of the Sea of Galilee, and flows roughly North to South through the Sea of Galilee and ends at the Dead Sea.
You can travel to Israel today, and get baptized in the Jordan River...which I did in 2014. I was baptized for my 3rd time in the Jordan river...that time more just to say I've been baptized in the Jordan...
And, notice in verse 5, it says people from "Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him..." sounds like a big crowd, and it's an exciting picture of people seeking truth...people hungry for God.
I pray we can have an impact on our small part of the world in a similar way. 
Observe in verse 6, the people were being baptized and confessing their sins...but at this point they were not saved...Jesus had not yet been revealed. But, they were preparing the way...they were preparing their hearts for the coming Lord. They were making their paths straight. 
Most Protestant and Evangelical Christians today agree that there are 2 Ordinances we practice today: Water Baptism and Communion. We would agree that these are done in remembrance of Jesus, and to identify us with Jesus. They are symbolic acts that give glory to God and reenact the gospel message...the redemptive work Jesus accomplished for us. 
There are three factors to determine an ordinance: they were instituted by Jesus, taught by the Apostles, and practiced by the early church. 
Most would agree that Baptism and Communion are not a requirement for salvation, and we would agree with this, but there are some, even whole denominations, who are confused and believe baptism is a requirement for salvation. This is called "baptismal regeneration," which we reject as a works based wrong teaching. Salvation is faith in Jesus...period, and there are many verses to support this  (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5). Faith plus an added work subtracts from Jesus' finished work on the cross as sufficient for salvation. 
Regarding baptism, You do not get baptized and then are saved; you are saved and then get baptized. 
Listen to the biblical account of Cornelius, the Roman Centurion, coming to faith, and then getting baptized. 
Acts 10:43-48 Peter is speaking here and said, "...whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins. 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision [Jews] who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. [the evidence of salvation was already present...prior to baptism] Then Peter answered, 47 "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received [past tense] the Holy Spirit just as we have?" 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord."
In Luke 24:43, Jesus said to the thief on the cross "...today you will be with Me in Paradise." The thief was never baptized and yet he was saved. 
Jn 4:1-2 tells us... "Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples)..."
If baptism is needed for salvation, why wouldn't Jesus baptise?
In 1 Cor 1:17, Paul states, "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel..."
Why would Paul preach the gospel, but not baptise if baptism was essential for salvation? 
If Paul was not sent to baptise, and Jesus did not baptise, the thief was saved without baptism, and Cornelius manifested an evidence of salvation prior to baptism, we can conclude, that while baptism is important, it is not needed for salvation. 
Now, if you are a saved Christian today, who has not been baptized, for whatever reason, be obedient and get baptized...I'm not judging you...I'm a poster child for delayed baptism...I was saved in 1998, but not baptized, as an adult, until 2006...just because I just didn't understand baptism and felt awkward about getting baptized. 
So, I'm not judging you. But, if you are listening today, you should have an understanding of why you should get baptised, and that it is not a recommendation, it's a command...not for salvation, but in obedience. 
And it is a command...we read earlier at the Baptism of Cornelius, that Peter "...commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord." 
Peter also said, in Acts 2:38 "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized [imperative] in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." 
And here is why it's a command...
It's our public declaration that we identify with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ...water immersion pictures burial with Christ, and coming out of the water portrays the resurrection. 
We are putting to death the old man of sin, as we go under the water, just as Jesus went into the grave in His death. And, as we come out of the water, it symbolizes the new life we have in Christ...just as Jesus had new life in the resurrection. 
Col 2:11-12 tells us believers are "...putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead."
Rom 6:4 "...we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."
After we are saved, baptism is an outward manifestation of our faith in Christ. 
If you have not been baptized and would like to, let me know, and we will make it happen...there is plenty of water in our town...we will have a fun day...we'll make it a baptism party. And, truly, it is something to be celebrated! 

We will pick up in verse 7 next week. 

As you go out this week in your walk with Christ, consider your heart attitude towards spiritual things. God called you to be a voice in the world for Him for such a time as this. As we go about our day to day lives, it's important that we are living lives in adherence to God's word, and the commands in His word. Maybe you need to repent of something, to make your path straight for right living with God. If so, I'd love to pray with you. Maybe you need to be obedient, and get baptised...let's do it! 

God wants your heart right with Him...for you to be living authentic spiritual lives...let's do that this week! 

Let's pray! 
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