“Road Trip to The River Jordan”

“Road Trip to The River Jordan”

1. John the Baptizer
2. Radical Message: Repent

“John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.” (Matthew 3:4)

“In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”” (Matthew 3:1–2)

“And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”” (Luke 1:17)

1. Baptism of Repentance

“Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.” (Matthew 3:6)

“The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.” (Mark 1:5)

1. Jesus Is Baptized With Sinners
2. Jesus Requests John’s Baptism

“Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”” (Matthew 3:13–14)

1. Jesus Stands In The Place of All Sinners

“Jesus replied, ‘Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then John consented.”  (Matthew 3:15)

“there’s [no] more important text in all the New Testament that defines the work of Jesus than this one.”  (R.C. Sproul)

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20)

[ picture:   “Cam” ]

1. The Father Son and Spirit Show They’re All In the Story

“As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.  And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’” (Matthew 3:16,17)

“Why would a Triune God create the world? ….. you might say, “Well, He created the world so He can have beings who give Him worshipful love, and that would give Him joy.”   But the Triune God already had that – and He received love within Himself in a far purer, more powerful form that we human beings can ever give Him.  So why would He create us?   There is only one answer.  He must have created us not to get joy, but to give it.   He must have created us to invite us into the dance.”    (Timothy Keller)

1. Jesus Goes Looking For A Fight – The Enemy is Targeted

                “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.”  (Matthew 4:1)

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”” (Genesis 3:15)

“Here it is in a nutshell: Just as one person did it wrong and got us in all this trouble with sin and death, another person did it right and got us out of it. But more than just getting us out of trouble, he got us into life!”  (Romans 5:18 Message)