2 Tim 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
Calendar
OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST (I)
TUESDAY, JANUARY 4
Mark 1:9-11
2 Corinthians 5:17-21
“…Thou art my beloved Son,
in whom I am well pleased.”
OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST (I)
John’s baptism was a baptism unto repentance (Mark 1:4). But Jesus was sinless and had no need of repentance. Why then did Jesus have to go through water baptism? Jesus had to be baptised because it was part of His saving work for us. He had to fulfil all righteousness (Matt 3:15) in order to earn the righteousness we need to be accepted by God. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor 5:21).
By going through the waters of baptism, Jesus identified Himself with sinners and acted as their Representative to obey fully and perfectly the Law of God. The Lord Jesus was “made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Gal 4:4,5). In His baptism, Jesus obeyed the ceremonial law of ritual cleansing. He showed His humility by submitting Himself to the commands of the Father. It was God the Father who required Jesus to fulfil all aspects of the Law—ceremonial, judicial, moral. That was why after Jesus was baptised, the Father in heaven said, “Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11). God the Father was so pleased with God the Son because He was such an obedient Son for our sake.
The Lord Jesus is not only our Representative and Substitute, He is also our perfect Example. He shows us what it means to be a good child of God. If we want to be good sons and daughters of God, we must be in total submission and obedience to His will. It also means that men as leaders must show a godly example by being obedient to the Lord Jesus and His commandments for He is their Head (1 Cor 11:3). Wives are to be submissive to their own husbands (Eph 5:22; Titus 2:5), and children are to obey their parents in the Lord (Eph 6:1).
THOUGHT: How can I have a happy family?
PRAYER: Lord, teach me humility, submissiveness, and obedience.