ANSWERING a biblical question requires patience. A simple straight yes or no answer leaves so much room for misinterpretation and incomplete communication.
A proper path as to how we have arrived at a conclusion is beneficial because we learn the lesson and the mind of God. Jesus used parables to explain.
Even with parables, many today stumble. For example the parable of the sower is used to teach agriculture. He was communicating a lesson.
If we rush to say bring a seed, we may mislead the congregation. No greater seed than Jesus do we have for the new creation or creature.
We read Luke 8:11, “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.” The seed is the Word of God and the Word of God is Jesus.
To the crowds or multitudes, Jesus spoke in parables, but to the disciples, He expounded.
Mark 4:34 tells us, “But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.” This explanation is found in the Epistles.
It is quite interesting that even with the explanation, the disciples did not get it during Jesus’ earthly ministry.
- Divine insight: The power of consistency
- Divine insight: How to stand in the face of adversity
- Basic insight into the parables of Jesus
- The colour of faithfulness
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We are told in Luke 24:25-26,44, “[25] Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: [26] Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? [44] And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.”
So be patient, at the end of the series, you will have full persuasion whether the Bible concludes that the New Testament church has to be water baptised or not.
We pick up from last week and continue with what happened after Jesus was water baptised.
Matthew 4:1 tells us, “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.”
I will not argue with you if you say Jesus Himself was water baptised, I will continue to give you Scriptures and you can draw the conclusion from there.
Like we just saw, the disciples did not get it while with Jesus daily for three and half years.
He had to do extensive Bible study for 40 days after His resurrection.
So after Jesus brought to an end the Levitical order of priesthood to be both King and Priest, He went to the wilderness. Read carefully now.
We recall the scapegoat that would carry the sins of Israel and be released into the wilderness.
This is in Leviticus 16:10, “But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.”
Remember that Jesus was water baptised for identification.
We go further. John the Baptist tells us in John 1:29, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
Please connect these dots. After baptism, Jesus goes to the wilderness. He was crucified out of the city on Calvary or Golgotha.
We need both the head to think and the heart (spirit) to discern the truth.
You may have wondered why John the Baptist (water) and the greatest of all prophets but lesser than us new creation/creature died early.
If you read carefully, it may appear that Jesus ignored his death.
When He was supposed to go to commiserate, He chose otherwise.
We read Matthew 14:12-13, “[12] And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus. [13] When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.”
Food for thought.
But pastor; Jesus told us to baptise in the Great Commission? Yes He did. Never go to the Bible with preconceived notion, tradition or belief.
Allow the Bible to speak for itself. Jesus told us in Matthew 28:19, “Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit:”
Please reread carefully. Water is not mentioned here.
You may say that the early church in Acts baptised in water. Yes I agree. I will be generous and even tell you that Jesus’ own disciples had started to adopt water baptism.
We read John 4:1-2, “[1] When, therefore, the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptised more disciples than John, [2] (Though Jesus himself baptised not, but his disciples,)”
Let us start from here next week.
Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. Grace and peace be multiplied to you through knowledge.
- All Bible quotations are from the King James Version unless otherwise stated.
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