DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT – WEDNESDAY: “What Would Jesus Desire?”

“God has honored this generation as He has never honored a generation before. He has thrown dazzling opportunities before it. He has flung wide open for it the doors of access to all parts of His world and has laid at its feet every possible advantage and facility.” -- J. Lovell Murray
----------------------------------------------------------
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." -- Mat 28:19-20. (ESV)

I said yesterday that I think I know what Jesus would do in any given situation; so it was with this in mind that we ask the question... "What Would Jesus Desire?" What would Jesus desire of you today? Is there something Jesus would want you to do today? Is there something Jesus would want you to be doing everyday?

One Sunday, the Minister was giving a sermon on baptism and in the course of his sermon he was illustrating the fact that baptism should take place by sprinkling and not by immersion.

He pointed out some instances in the Bible.He said that when John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the River Jordan, it didn't mean in - it meant close to, round about, or nearby. And again when it says in the Bible that Philip baptized the eunuch in the river, it didn't mean in - it meant close to, round about, or nearby.

After the service, a man came up to the minister and told him it was a great sermon, one of the best he had ever heard, and that it had cleared up a great many mysteries he had encountered in the Bible.

"For instance," he said, "the story about Jonah getting swallowed by the whale has always bothered me. Now I know that Jonah wasn't really in the whale, but close to, round about, or nearby, swimming in the water.

Then there is the story about the three young Hebrew boys who were thrown into the furious furnace, but were not burned. Now I see that they were not really in the fire, just close to, round about, or nearby, just keeping warm.

But the hardest of all the stories for me to believe has always been the story of Daniel getting thrown into the lions den. But now I see that he wasn't really in the lions' den, but close to, round about, or nearby, like at the zoo.

The revealing of these mysteries have been a real comfort me because I am a wicked man. Now I am gratified to know that I won't be in Hell, but close to, round about, or nearby.

And next Sunday, I won't have to be in church, just close to, round about, or nearby. Thanks. You have really put my mind at ease. " – Source unknown.

As we consider His words in Mat 28:19-20, ask yourself whether Jesus would desire it of you. For example, I believe Jesus would desire that...

WE BE BAPTISED
Water baptism is not optional, it’s not a Church commandment, it's not a parents commandment, it’s not something someone else can do for you; it is commanded by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ...

“Go therefore... baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost…” -- Mat 28:19. If we are to baptise people, we need to be baptised!

WHY DOES JESUS WANT US TO BE BAPTISED?
This is explained by Paul... Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. - Ro 6:3-4.

In newness of life (en kainotēti zōēs). The picture in baptism points two ways, backwards to Christ’s death and burial and to our death to sin -- Rom_6:1, forwards to Christ’s resurrection from the dead and to our new life pledged by the coming out of the watery grave to walk on the other side of the baptismal grave - - F. B. Meyer.

In baptism we put on Christ… For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. -- Gal 3:27.

To put on, or to be clothed with one, is to assume the person and character of that one; and they who do so are bound to act his part, and to sustain the character which they have assumed. The profession of Christianity is an assumption of the character of Christ; he has left us an example that we should follow his steps, and we should, as Christians, have that mind in us which was in him. -- Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Loving Father, I thank you that I have been baptised in water as commanded by Jesus. Help me by the power of the Holy Spirit to be a disciple of Jesus, to sit at His feet and learn from Him, that I may go forth some day and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,! In Jesus name I pray! Amen!