2 Days Journey

"Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him." (Matthew 3.13)

    For us, baptism has ever been a symbol that our sins were washed clean and we stood in new relation to God and men.

And while it would be impossible for Jesus’ act of baptism to be symbolic of cleansing from sin (for He possessed no sin from which to be cleansed), being baptized did indeed symbolize a new relationship in His role as Messiah. Baptism served as a doorway, if you will, to His work as Deliverer of God’s people.

The Holy Spirit was seen by John to have come upon Jesus in full anointing and power. He thus began to heal the sick, raise the dead and, most of all, preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

Ultimately, His work as Messiah would lead Him down the Via Dolorosa where He would pay for peoples' sin through His death.  

Sweet Lord! How much we owe to our Blessed Savior and Messiah! He died in our place. He took our punishment upon Himself. He bore our rightful sorrows. He pledged His own life for our horrid sin.

Great God…Holy Father, forgive our presumption… Heal our greed…Take away our iniquity. Create in us, O Lord, a heart to both know You and love You. Restore to us our lost way. Make us new creatures for Your Divine Glory. Amen.

Comments

[Luke]

Peter,
I am still floored every time I ponder that every step Jesus took was a step towards the cross. O what a Savior is He.

Luke

[peter lumpkins]

Luke,

I too remain amazed at His grace, always. What a Savior indeed! With that, I am...

Peter

[SelahV]

Peter, although I've always seen baptism by immersion as a symbolic public profession of me dying to my old life and being raised to a new life in Christ, I've also viewed it as the starting point in my ministry to Christ for the kingdom. selahV

[Mary]

All the work needed for our salvation was accomplished at the cross.

[Tripp Spangler]

This post is directed at Grosey....

Grosey, since Peter closed the last thread, I just wanted to say that I appreciate the comments you made in your last post. I completely agree with everything you said. The manner in which you expressed yourself was the manner in which I wish volfan had addressed me.

Instead, volfan came across as condescending. You on the other hand, gave forth a spirit that I can not only agree with but also honor.

Thank you for your words.

[Mary]

Tripp, you seemed to have missed this comment of Grosey's

"We don't have to answer every question, and we don't have to be combative."

There was absolutely no reason for you to come into a brand new thread and bring up Volfan. You could very nicely have thanked Grosey without mention of Volfan. You could have and should have let it go, but you had to get one last dig in. Volfan asked you your age not because he couldn't figure out how old you were but because many of us had already figured out that you're a young student from Southern Seminary. They all tend to sound pretty much the same on these blogs. Now as a woman old enough to be your mother let me tell you this and you are obligated by the Bible Tripp, not by whether you think anybody deserves it or whether they have the same theology as you, but you are obligated by the BIBLE to shohw respect to your elders in the Lord. CUT IT OUT!

[volfan007]

mary,

wow! i didnt know that you had that in you? you really sound like a mom.

tripp,

God bless you, bro. i'm glad that you love Jesus.

david

[Doc]

I enjoyed the post Peter.

Mary - In Tripp's defense, I too have been driven to unbearable frustration by Volfan's comments...most of which had nothing to do with reformed theology. I'm not excusing Tripp just like I didn't excuse myself. I'm just saying I've been there and I can relate.

I'm only 41 and so you maybe old enough to be my mother as well. However, I don't care how old you are. Your comment to Tripp also violates the quote from Grosey you so proudly condemn him with.

Tripp may relax on the excuse of youth. You, my dear, don't have that luxury.

GROW UP AND ACT YOUR AGE!!!

[volfan007]

doc,

God bless you, bro. may the Lord pour out His blessings on you today in rich and full ways.

david

[SelahV]

"Be still and know that I am God."

[grosey]

DOC!!! Never Never Never Never mention a woman's age... thou dost bring done wrath on your own head
:~):~) < see the broken nose... I have two of those!

[Byroniac]

Dear Peter Lumpkins:

I received no satisfactory answers from you on the other thread, which you have now closed (and that is the only reason I am posting in this thread on that subject). Because you are the owner and administrator of this blog, your wishes should be respected. So I will consider this conversation on that topic closed. To be honest, I do not wish to continue that discussion either.

Have a good evening.

[Byroniac]

Dear Peter Lumpkins:

I really appreciate your blog entry above, in fact.

If I may add, I believe the baptism of Jesus does actually symbolize the cleansing from sin (not His own, of course, for He had none), because baptism symbolizes death, and Christ the Righteous died for the ungodly. In this, baptism pictured His (at that time future) crucifixion and death.

Is it possible that rising out of the baptismal waters signifies resurrection? I believe it could. And I think Christ's Baptism then is a beautiful picture of how much He loved us.

[SelahV]

Byroniac: I like that! but then I'm just an old woman. :)

selahV

[Tripp Spangler]

Mary,

I am sorry you disagreed with my comments. I was simply saying thank you to Grosey because he put forth his opinion in the correct spirit, something you and volfan failed to do.

I agree with you that we are all obligated to the Bible. However, I don't think the Bible gives you or volfan the permission to treat younger ministers as you are doing.

God bless you Mary.

Grace and Peace

[Tripp Spangler]

After posting my last entry, I checked my email where I found an email from Peter asking that this thread remain a devotional thread.

I am sorry for taking away from the thread. I was simply wishing to thank Grosley for his comments. I will not post anymore on this thread in honor of Peter's request.

[Byroniac]

Thank you, SelahV. I think you are the sweetest, most good-natured person I've ever seen on a blog. :)

[SelahV]

Well, thankyou, Byroniac. I appreciate that blessing. May you find God's grace abundant for all your needs. selahV

[volfan007]

tripp,

you really need to calm down a little bit, bro. i just asked your age because you were sounding like a 28 yr old just out of seminary. i didnt mean to put you down, nor did i mean that you were wrong due to your age. it's just....when i was your age just out of seminary... i thought i had everything figured out as well, and i was all too happy to share it with you. now, that i've grown thru the years, and matured in my faith, i realize that i dont have all the answers, nor do i need to have them. also, i realize that there could be answers beyond what some seminary prof. has told you. and, i've learned that there are many great men of God who dont see everything exactly like i do....and, it's ok. they still love the Lord, and they still preach the Word. i dont agree with them on certain minor issues, but it's alright. the hills on which i am prepared to die are not as numerous as they once were.

tripp, i admire your zeal and your love for the Lord and His Word. i would just encourage you to try to see beyond the five points, or at least be willing to recognize that non-five pointers also preach the true Gospel and preach God's Word and love the Lord, too. i know that you know that, but you come across like you dont.

mary,

hang in there, soul sister. i enjoy reading what you say. it's great to hear a woman's perspective from you and soul sister selah. :) truly i appreciate the both of you very much.

david

david

[volfan007]

peter,

you have been tagged by me, volfan007. here’s the way it works….

1. Those tagged will share five things they dig about Jesus.
2. Those tagged will tag five other bloggers.
3. Those tagged will provide a link in the comments section here of their meme so that others can read them.

of course, i dont know how to do the comment link thing, so i’ll just tag you.

david

ps. if you wanna see my five things, then you need to come to fromthehillsandhollers.blogspot.com.