The epistle for Epiphany 1, known as the Baptism of Christ, is Acts 10.34–43. It is worth preaching on rather than Matthew 3.13-end because it is such a rich and fascinating passage.
Luke’s account of Peter’s speech is rooted in the narrative of Scripture, but also sits within Luke-Acts, echoing early chapters of Luke and pointing forwards to the narrative arc of the rest of Acts. It is the most comprehensive speech in all of Acts, and has amazing correlation with the Apostle’s creed.
And for your amusement, James gets the video number completely wrong at the beginning!
For discussion of ‘impartiality’ as central to the gospel, see this article.
For Simon Gathercole’s demonstration that seeing Jesus as the fulfilment of the OT is a distinctive of the canonical gospels, see this article.
For commentary on Matthew 3.13–end, see this article.
and for discussion of the passage, see here.
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“God sent his word [Christ] and healed them”
Throughout Holy Scripture Salvation ,deliverance from the power of the enemy Is due to the Grace of God having mercy on whom He will and showing favour, grace, His unmerited goodness.
In the case of Cornelius, one who feared God, humbled himself before Him is common amongst Converts who thus are lifted up
to their feet. their heads lifted up to behold Him and anointed with
Fragrant Holy Oil who are welcomed in to His [God’s] Fellowship.
Healing and “deliverance from satan “ can only be accomplished by a Good Physician:
Not by better programmes or procedures or better people, only Christ can overcome enemies of the Cross and those that frustrate
the Grace of God’.
I was very blessed by yesterdays “Songs of Praise “which majored
on the Word of God “coming” to unsuspecting people
and amazingly transforming their lives. It is a must watch.
Preachers are needed to lift the focus to the face of the risen
glorified Christ.
“Lift up your heads O Gates and the King of Glory will come in”
Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.
Also consider Paul’s earnest desires in Romans chapter 9.
I do often wonder how much Paul was influenced by his travelling companion Luke.
Shalom.
Baptism of Jesus by John in Jordan.
There is some reformed teaching that baptism here is Jesus being baptized into our sin- the sin of the people washed- carried into the Jordan in their baptism by John.
In effect, it is an inversion- of the baptism of the people by John. And Jesus took on, carried, our sin to the cross.
I would be interested to know the source of these unusual theories Geoff.
Thanks. Alan.
Sinclair b Ferguson on Things Unseen podcast on the Ligonier site. There will be an accompanying written text.
While I’d not come across that teaching, it is doubted that Dr Ferguson, who seems to be a careful scholar from the Presbyterian persuasion, will be standing alone, (even though there are no sources cited.
However, I do think that it is a credible application of a biblical theology hermeneutic, and it does answer the question of why the sinless saviour would need to be baptized, much to the incredulity of John the Baptizer.
Interestingly, to me, it argues more in favour of adult full immersion, credal baptism, rather than infant.
This passage we might say is representative of the first planting of the Gospel, the milk, so to speak; the fashion of that time.
That word Fashion is an interesting word it means a passing phenomenon.
“Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen.
Jesus … being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. These two things are important but temporary.
For many that is where they stay, in infancy, in the Historical Jesus.
But the Gospel moves on towards perfection, full growth, maturity.
The writer of Hebrews urges us onwards in Ch.6
Therefore, [see last verses of ch.5] leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit.
Paul indicates this “But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit.
And defines the Gospel thus “if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that perish: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them” (2 Cor. 3:18-4:4).
This for too many is the road less travelled.