Dave's Diary

Daily Readings: Matthew 3 and Psalm 3

Today is Ash Wednesday – the day of deliberate confession and repentance that marks the start of the season of Lent. How appropriate then that we come to Matthew 3 today.

In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near. (Matthew 3:1 NLT)

Matthew was a Jewish author writing to Jews to convince them that Jesus was the promised Messiah, and to strengthen the faith of those who already believed. As a Jew, he would not readily use the word “God” and always refers to the Kingdom of God as the “Kingdom of Heaven”. He’s not talking about “heaven after you die”, but about the presence of God’s rule and reign drawing near to us now on earth through King Jesus.

Here in Matthew 3, as John the Baptist begins to prepare the way for Jesus’ ministry he makes it abundantly clear that the only appropriate human response to the nearness of the Kingdom of Heaven in Jesus is to make the clear and certain choice to reject sin’s presence and power to reign over us, and to embrace God’s presence, power and reign instead.

In response to those who came out into the wilderness to be baptised, John gave this exhilarating prophecy:

“I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” (Matthew 3:11 NLT)

John was very clear that he could only ever call people to reject sin in their own power. And, as we know all too well, our human willpower is very limited and seldom accomplishes much when it comes to conquering sin. But John’s true ministry was to point to Jesus, the Saviour who would soak our lives in the purifying fire of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is God with us and, through our faith in Jesus, He lives in us to purify us from sin’s presence and power. Our part is to cooperate with Him in His purifying work by submitting our sinful desires to Him daily.

Life Application: The Lord has promised to purify us by His Spirit within us. Let’s hold onto that promise today and be intentional. Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to shine His spotlight on every nook and cranny of our lives and to help us to identify and turn away from every sin we discover there, surrendering every sin to the Holy Spirit’s purifying fire.

⁴ I call out to the Lord,
    and he answers me from his holy mountain. (Psalm 3:4 NIVUK)