July 7, 2022

Passage Read: Matthew 3-4
Meditation Verse: 4:17

Thought

Jesus preached the exact same message as John: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has drawn near." It was what all the prophets had preached right up to their days, and Jesus' disciples preached the same thing: "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, and your sins will be forgiven." It is one and the same message, that we need to turn from our wickedness and from our wicked ways, and submit to God and walk in His ways. In our turning from our sinfulness to submission to God, we are forgiven because of the sacrifice of Christ, and empowered to succeed in our repentance by the power of the resurrection.

Application

The message I believe is one of repentance, a turning from my former sinful ways and a turning to God's righteous and holy ways. It also must be the message I preach, that those I speak to must also turn from their rebellion against God and their establishing of their own righteousness, and turn to submission to God and acceptance of His standards of righteousness and obedience to walk in them. It is a change of heart, from a heart of stone that refuses to listen to or obey God, to a heart of flesh that is responsive and eager to follow the Lord in His ways.