“Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?’ But Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he allowed Him.”
– Matthew 3:13-15
In our lives, grace always lead to holiness and shame always leads to sin. It’s a fact and a rule of the universe. Grace is fuel; it’s a form of spiritual energy full of God’s life and love. It’s His favor, His abundance and an overflow of His very essence. This is proven in Matthew 3 by the story of Jesus’ baptism. Have you ever wondered, if He never sinned, why did Jesus need to be baptized? Obviously He wasn’t getting saved, so there must be something else to it. I believe, besides fulfilling the law, that the reason Jesus got baptized was to receive grace from the Father; to be anointed with His favor and strength for ministry. Remember, grace doesn’t mean mercy, grace means blessing — it means God’s abundant love, power and energy to not only cover our sins, but, as Dallas Willard put it, to provide the jet fuel for our Christian life. Remember, disciples need grace more than sinners. The more you’re called to do, the more grace you need. Receive His abundant free-flowing grace today! |
Prayer
Jesus, thank you for the rivers of grace that flow to my life every day and for surrounding me with your favor.
Reflection
What does God’s grace mean to you? How can you live in it today and every day?
