DCLM Daily Manna 25 March 2024

TOPIC: Divine Approval

TEXT: MATTHEW 3:13-17 
¹³ Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

¹⁴ But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

¹⁵ And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

¹⁶ And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

¹⁷ And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

KEY VERSE
 “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).

DCLM Daily Manna 25 March 2024 MESSAGE

Jesus presented Himself to John the Baptist as a candidate for water baptism, emphasising this ritual’s necessity after genuine salvation. Despite John the Baptist’s objection, Jesus insisted on fulfilling all righteousness. It was also a way to show the world the proper way to be baptized: not by sprinkling water on the candidate, but immersion in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. As Jesus came out of the water, a voice from heaven affirmed His divinity as the Son of God. This public divine approval was to launch Him into His earthly ministry.

READ DCLM Daily Manna Sunday 24 March 2024 – A Tragic Fall

Heaven gave this approval so that doubts about His ministry, origin and purpose will be settled from the beginning. Of course, doubters continue to spread lies and rumours about Christ, even at and after His death. In fact, his bodily resurrection has remained a subject of controversy in many non-Christian circles today. However, none of these has in any way been able to diminish His divinity, authority and messiahship. For those who will put their faith and confidence in Him, they will continue to enjoy unsurpassable peace and divine fellowship that will outlast this present world.

At Pentecost, Peter had the assignment to convince a doubting world of God’s divine approval of Jesus. His famous Pentecost sermon climaxed with his call to Israel to surrender to “Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know” (Acts 2:22).

You have a wonderful opportunity to come to Jesus for your salvation, sanctification and power of the Holy Ghost as well as other blessings procured through His sacrifice at Calvary.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Christ’s unique divine approval affirms His authority to bless you.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: MARK 7-10