Set Apart! Matthew 3
Matthew 3:1-17 Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 3:1-17 For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, make His paths
Matthew 3:1-17 straight.’” Now John himself had a garment of camel’s hair, and a leather belt about his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
Matthew 3:1-17 Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea, and all the district around the Jordan; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they
Matthew 3:1-17 confessed their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to
Matthew 3:1-17 flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance; and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our
Matthew 3:1-17 father; for I say to you, that God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. And the axe is already laid at the root of the trees;
Matthew 3:1-17 every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is
Matthew 3:1-17 coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. And His winnowing fork is in His
Matthew 3:1-17 hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
Matthew 3:1-17 Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be
Matthew 3:1-17 baptized by You, and do You come to me?” But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”
Matthew 3:1-17 Then he permitted Him. And after being baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and He saw the Spirit of
Matthew 3:1-17 God descending as a dove, and coming upon Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”
John the Baptist was quite a sight.
He obviously dressed in all the latest fashions.
Accessories Hair Clothes Belt Sandals Man Purse / Murse
Did he blend in with everyone else or was he different and set apart?
He looked different!
He thought differently!
He talked different!
He behaved differently!
He ate different!
He was different!
Does God want us to be different from the world around us?
Leviticus 20:26 Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine.
I Peter 2:9-10 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excel-lencies of Him who has
I Peter 2:9-10 called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now
I Peter 2:9-10 you have received mercy.
That’s why John’s main message is…
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
What does it mean to Repent?
The Greek
G3340 μετανοέω metanoeō / met-an-o-eh'-o To think differently or afterwards, that is, reconsider (morally to feel compunction): - repent.
The word for Repent in the Hebrew language is Teshuvah!
To return to what YHVH originally intended!
2 Timothy 2:24-26 And the Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in
2 Timothy 2:24-26 opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the
2 Timothy 2:24-26 devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.
Acts 3:19 Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
John makes some pretty serious comments to the religious leaders of the day.
“You brood of vipers…”
“Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?”
Don’t think you can simply get by on your religious pedigree.
God is raising up a people from every nation with hearts for Him.
Is time to stop pretending and/or playing games!
It’s time to be real and walk in the truth.
The time in now!
Bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance or prepare to be cut down and cast into the fire.
The axe is ready!
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Let’s turn things around with the Lord’s help and enjoy a fresh start.
What does the word baptism mean?
G907 βαπτίζω baptizō / bap-tid'-zo To make whelmed (that is, fully wet); to cover wholly with a fluid; immersion, a ceremonial washing.
To be completely immersed and saturated until a definite change has taken place.
Is baptism only a New Testament thing or can we find evidence of it in the Old Testament?
H4723 מקוה miqveh / mik-veh' A collection, that is, (of water) a pond, plenty [of water], pool.
The word for baptism or immersion in the Hebrew language is Tevilah!
When people convert to Judaism they must be Tevilah!
What should we notice in the beautiful picture of baptism?
It’s a public declaration that we believe in Jesus!
Matthew 10:32 Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 10:33 But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.
We’re letting everybody know that we’ve placed our faith, trust and hope in Jesus Christ!
We’re letting everybody know that we want to be completely immersed and saturated in Him!
He’s our Savior!
He’s our Lord!
He’s our Boss!
He’s our King!
He’s our Best Friend!
He’s our Everything!
Baptism is a picture of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Romans 6:3-9 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
Romans 6:3-9 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead
Romans 6:3-9 through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
Romans 6:3-9 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His
Romans 6:3-9 resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with,
Romans 6:3-9 that we should no longer be slaves to sin, for he who has died is freed from sin.
Romans 6:3-9 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ,
Romans 6:3-9 having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.
Baptism is a picture of our new beginning in Jesus Christ!
A fresh start!
A second chance!
A clean slate!
I love the timeless message of the Kingdom of God…
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
Stop sinning!
Return to what YHVH originally intended!
Become completely immersed and saturated in the things of YHVH!
Be separate, holy and different!
Live for Christ!
Be Set Apart!