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Baptism cleanses from sin
Baptism cleanses from sin
In this lesson, students learn how baptism cleanses us from sin.
Devotion
Monday, April 4, 2022
Ephesians 5:25-26 Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing of water through the word.
God-Clean
Are you clean? That probably depends on whom you ask. When questioned if he is clean, an eight-year-old may confidently tell his mom, “Yep, I’m clean!” But when she says, “Hold out your hands,” and sees how grimy and sticky they are, she will send him back to the bathroom to wash. “Boy-clean” is not “Mom-clean.” Hand sanitizers claim to kill 99.9% of germs, but doctors have recently questioned the statement. “Sanitizer-clean” isn’t necessarily “doctor-clean.” We may wash hands and face, but to be clean all over, we need a bath or shower.
So what does it take to be “God-clean”? David writes, “Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart” (Psalm 24:3-4). If we do our best to keep the commandments, read the Bible, and be nice to others, we may think we’re clean or at least clean enough. Others might agree and add, “No one is perfect.” But are we really “God-clean”? The Lord says no. He looks at us far more closely than we do. He doesn’t just examine hands and face, but searches the heart and motives. No matter how hard we wash and scrub, we can’t get rid of the filth of our sin. All we can do is smear it around and make ourselves dirtier than ever. “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6).
Instead of telling us to go, wash, and clean up, God Himself washes us in the water of Baptism. “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing of water through the word” (Ephesians 5:25-26). Because it is connected to the Word of God, the water of Baptism can do what no other cleaner can. It washes away the grime of sin. Baptized into Christ our filthy rags have been taken off us and put on Jesus. The Father has clothed us with His perfect righteousness. We are not just clean, we are God-clean!
It’s a great feeling to shower off all the dirt and sweat of a long day spent in the garden or woods. The “clean” of being rid of sin’s guilt and being right with God is even better! By our Baptism we can begin and end this day truly “God-clean.”
Matthew 3:1-12
Matthew 3:1-12
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
3 In those days, John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, 2 “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven is near!” 3 Yes, this is he of whom this was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
A voice of one crying out in the wilderness,
“Prepare the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight.”[a]
4 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan were going out to him. 6 They were baptized by him in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Therefore produce fruit in keeping with repentance! 9 Do not think of saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones. 10 Already the ax is ready to strike[b] the root of the trees. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 I baptize you with water for repentance. But the one who comes after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will thoroughly clean out his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
Footnotes
Matthew 3:10 Literally is placed against
Mark 1
Mark 1
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2 This is how it is written in the prophet Isaiah:[a]
Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare the way for you.
3
A voice of one calling out in the wilderness,
“Prepare the way of the Lord.
Make his paths straight.”[b]
4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness andd preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. 6 John was clothed in camel’s hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He preached, “One more powerful than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals! 8 I baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Mark 1:2 Some witnesses to the text read in the prophets. (“Witnesses to the text” mentioned in footnotes may include Greek manuscripts, lectionaries, translations, and quotations in the church fathers.)
Luke 3:1-20
Luke 3:1-20
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
3 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—while Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene— 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the wilderness. 3 He went into the whole region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 Just as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:
A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
“Prepare the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight.
5 Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be
made low.
The crooked will become straight, and the rough ways smooth.
6 And everyone[a] will see the salvation of God.”[b]
7 So John kept saying to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Therefore produce fruits in keeping with repentance! Do not even think of saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ because I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones. 9 Even now the ax is ready to strike[c] the root of the trees. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is going to be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10 The crowds began to ask him, “What should we do then?”
11 He answered them, “Whoever has two shirts should share with the person who has none, and whoever has food should do the same.”
12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized. They said, “Teacher, what should we do?”
13 To them he said, “Collect no more than what you were authorized to.”
14 Soldiers were also asking him, “And what should we do?”
He told them, “Do not extort money from anyone by force or false accusation. Be satisfied with your wages.”
15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might be the Christ. 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But someone mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will thoroughly clean out his threshing floor. He will gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
18 Then with many other words, he appealed to them and was preaching good news to the people. 19 But after John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the evil things he had done— 20 Herod added this to them all: He locked John in prison.
John 1
John 1
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
19 This is the testimony John gave when the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites[f] to ask him, “Who are you?”
20 He confessed and did not deny. He confessed, “I am not the Christ.”
21 And they asked him, “Who are you then? Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
“No,” he answered.
22 Then they asked him, “Who are you? Tell us so we can give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’[g] just as Isaiah the prophet said.”
24 They had been sent from the Pharisees. 25 So they asked John, “ if you are not the Christ, or Elijah, or the Prophet?”
26 “I baptize with water,” John answered. “Among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one coming after me,[h] whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”
28 These things happened in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
Questions.
Repent means turn around in this case from unbelief to faith
kingdom means reign. It's not a place, but act of ruling
Malachai 3 and Isaiah 40 is the quote
Brood of vipers since Satan came as a snake, it was a real blow to be accused of being one.
gospel = good news
Once you are a believer you ask what should we do now? So John told them how Christians act.
Priests and Levites = people who understood baptism
"Baptism, like life, does not depend on the maturity of the one who receives it, but on the grace of the One who bestows it: the Father." LSB p 1369
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