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"As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.'" (Matthew 3:16-17) The theological insights we gain …
Continue reading "The Urgent Need for a Baptismal Spirituality"
One of the somewhat confusing issues in studying the gospels is the rationale for Jesus' baptism. In fact, this issue was hotly debated and widely written about in the early church. The question goes like this, "If John's baptism was a sign of repentance, then why would Jesus, who is described as sinless, undergo baptism?" …
Continue reading "Why Was Jesus Baptized?: insights from Theodore of Mopsuestia"
As we continued our series "Power in Preparation" this past weekend at Eastbrook Church we explored the brief but highly significant episode of Jesus' baptism by John in Matthew 3:13-17. This passage caused a lot of debate in the early church, primarily around the question: why did Jesus, who was without sin, need to be …
Join us for worship with Eastbrook Church through Eastbrook at Home at 8, 9:30, and 11 AM. This weekend we continue our new series, "Power in Preparation," which continues our extended journey through the Gospel of Matthew, which began with the series "Family Tree." This week we will look at Jesus' baptism in Matthew 3:13-17. …
John the Baptist’s preaching and baptisms occurred in the wilderness of Judea at the Jordan River near the Spring near Salim (John 3:23). The wilderness was an evocative place in the imagination of the Jewish people. It likely brought immediate memory of the Exodus. The wilderness was both the place between slavery and promise, but …
Continue reading "A Call to the Wilderness: What We Need to Hear from John the Baptist Today"
Matthew Erickson 