Topic: SECURING AND SUSTAINING OPEN HEAVEN
Text: Matthew 3:13-17
3:13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.
3:14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”
3:15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”Then he allowed Him.
3:16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and [a]He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
3:17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
STUDY:
Jesus Christ went to the Jordan to be baptised by John. After an initial resistance, John baptised Him. As He came out of the river, the heavens were opened to Him, and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in the form of a dove. A voice came suddenly from heaven confirming Him as God’s beloved Son in whom He was well pleased.
God does not place His seal of endorsement upon any man He has not proven. This standard remains sure even for His only Son. The Lord Jesus had to leave His comfort zone and travel many kilo meters in order to submit to John’s baptism. This is called renouncing self. Even John the Baptist resisted Him, but the Lord insisted that it was a righteous requirement for Him. The high point is not the baptism but the self-renunciation shown by the Lord. It is upon this that the heavens were opened unto Him, the Holy Spirit lighted upon Him without any hindrance, and the voice of the Father endorsed Him. If the heavens must be opened upon us, God’s standard remains total renunciation of self.
PRAYER:
Father; please help me to see that my worst enemy is SELF. Give me grace to deny myself.
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