The Baptism and Testing of Jesus
9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, 13 and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted[a] by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.
Jesus Announces the Good News
14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
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Acts
32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.
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36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Have you ever received a speeding ticket? Theoretically speed limits are based on research which says, "given a particular road and location, this speed is reasonable and safe," but I'm not always convinced. And yet, no matter how they are derived, or my opinion of them, if caught speeding I receive a fine. Does it work? Yes! Often my fear of a fine keeps the gas pedal regulated. Sometimes I obey the limit because I want to be a good citizen, but if I'm honest, the consequences of speeding play a significant role in my obedience to the limit.
We often treat sin the same way…we are not concerned about sin but about its consequences. When Jesus or Peter said, "repent and believe," were they simply talking about following rules and avoiding a fine? Not at all, being a Christian is infinitely more than that, so let’s continue to explore what a Christian is and ask the question, "Am I one?"
