For a full description of the (Y3) reading plan, see the “About” page.
- What attributes of God’s character does this passage reveal?
- How does the passage point to Jesus?
- How should the truth of this passage change me?
- How do the events of today’s reading help you better understand the grand narrative of Scripture?
Matt. 3
John told the people, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but the One who is coming after me is more powerful than I.” (Matt. 3:11a). John knew that his baptism was nothing more than a symbol; a decision put into action. He knew there was no power in it on its own. The baptism with water is merely a physical expression of the desire to be changed and the recognition that the change we desire comes from God. John said that Jesus, on the other hand, “will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Matt. 3:11c). That’s where the power is. Jesus covers us with His Spirit so that God’s holy fire does not destroy us. Instead, it burns away our old, sinful flesh, making us new creations, clothed with the righteousness of Christ. That is the power of God.
Mark 1
Have you ever noticed that mountain top experiences in life are often followed by a harsh and sudden slide down into the dark valleys? I think we have all experienced that at some point in our lives. It is part of being human. Well, it hit me this morning that Jesus really did experience His humanity in full. As He came up out of the water when John baptized Him, the heavens tore open, God’s spirit descended on Him from the sky, and a voice from heaven gave Him high praise. If that’s not a mountain top moment, I sure don’t know what is! So what happened after that? Mark says, “Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.” (Mk. 1:12). He went from high to low; from praised by God to tempted by Satan.
So the next time my mountains of victory crumble into dark valleys, I want to remember to turn to the One who was there before me. As the writer of Hebrews said, “For since He Himself has suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are tempted.” (Heb. 2:18). In Him I will find what I need to pass through that dark valley. So I will fear no danger, knowing He is with me and trusting that He is able to turn that valley into yet another mountain of victory.
Luke 3
I heard something recently that I had never connected before. Both Jesus and John the Baptist called the Jewish religious leaders a brood of vipers. In doing so, they declared them the offspring of the serpent from Genesis 3. In God’s curse to the serpent there He said, “I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike His heel.” (Gen. 3:15). In turn, this connects with the woman and the dragon, who sought to destroy her offspring, in Revelation 12.
This sheds some light on John’s short speech to the religious leaders. It comes down to one of the most foundational concepts of the Bible – our choice. There is only one choice; only two options. Either we are children of God through Christ, or we are the seed of Satan. The fruit we bear – the attitudes of our hearts and the way we live – will show which choice we have made.
John 1:19-34
When asked, John the Baptist clearly identified himself to the people. He declared himself the fulfillment of the prophets as the Messiah’s herald. He didn’t stop there, though. The very next day he told the people who Jesus was. First he pointed Jesus out as the, “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:29b). Then he gave testimony as a direct eye witness that Jesus was the Son, or Chosen One, of God, as identified by God Himself. There would have been no mistaking, for most of those present, that John declared Jesus to be the Messiah. Sadly, people believe what they want to believe, even when they stand face-to-face with truth.
It is important to note, however, that non-believers are not the only ones guilty of selective hearing. Even John the Baptist and Jesus’ closest followers believed what they wanted to believe. It goes back to those expectations. They wanted a Messiah who was going to “save” them according to their definition. Thus they, too, overlooked the obvious.
John’s identification of Jesus as, “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” gave them the truth about Jesus’ mission on earth. It clearly tied Him to the sacrificial Temple rituals and to the Passover Lamb. So they should have known that He had to die. Though it’s clear in hindsight, when we struggle in real time to separate what we want to be from what actually is, things aren’t so simple. If we understand that about ourselves, however, perhaps we can learn to discern between the two and more readily accept truth even when it isn’t what we want to hear.