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Today is Friday October 01, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Matthew, chapters 1-3. If you would like to read today's chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-october-1

In Today's Bible Reading: The ancestry of Jesus; His birth; the wise men; their flight into Egypt; the ministry of John, and the baptism of Jesus.

Today's Message: God's Purpose For You
The Book of Matthew is the first book of the New Testament, the fortieth book of the Bible and it contains twenty-eight chapters. The author of the book is Matthew and it was written to all believers, although it was the first directed to the Jews to whom Jesus was presented as the Messiah, the Son of David. The purpose of the book was to present the ministry of Jesus, stressing His role as King of the Jews. What we are to learn from the book is the Gospel of Christ and to follow the final command of Jesus to His followers and that is to teach all nations the Gospel. “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” - Matthew 24:14.

Matthew, a Levi, was a publican, or tax-gatherer under the Romans at Capernaum, before his conversion. The contents of this Gospel, and the evidence of ancient writers, show that it was written primarily for the use of the Jewish nation. He particularly selected such parts of our Savior's history and addresses issues that were best suited to awaken the Jewish nation to a sense of their sins, to remove their expectations of an earthly kingdom, to abate their pride and self-conceit, to teach them the spiritual nature and extent of the gospel, and to prepare them for the admission of the Gentiles into the church. Matthew is an example of how God can convert the biggest sinner and make him a disciple of Christ. The book of Matthew opens with the genealogy of Christ, “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham....And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.” -Matthew 1:1,16.

The genealogy of our Savior is important as it proves that our Lord Jesus is of the nation and family out of which the Messiah was to arise. It was promised to Abraham that Christ would descend from his lineage and also David's, unless we know Jesus is a son of David, and a son of Abraham, than He would not have been the Messiah. Notice that verse 16 states Jacob begat Joseph, the husband of Mary, proving that Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus. Both Mary and Joseph were descendants of David. However, if Joseph had been the biological father of Jesus, he would have passed on to Him the sin nature of Adam. This would have made Jesus a sinner by nature and unable to die as the sinless substitute for our sins. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” - Romans 5:12.

Mary of Nazareth was engaged to Joseph, also of Nazareth, The Jewish custom was that a woman had to be betrothed to a man for one year before they could legally marry, a betrothal lasted for one year and there was no physical consummation until after the actual wedding. However, the betrothal was as legally binding as marriage and required a legal divorce to dissolve it. When Joseph learned Mary was pregnant, he considered divorcing her, but the angel of the Lord encouraged him to stay with her. “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” - Matthew 1:18-21.

Joseph is told that Mary was about to bring forth the Savior of the world and that His name would be Jesus. Joseph did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, speedily, without delay, and cheerfully, without dispute. It is important that we as Christians do whatever God asks us to do without delay, and cheerfully. God has a purpose and plan for every one of us, the longer we take in doing His will the harder it will be on us. “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:” - II Corinthians 9:6-8.

By applying the general rules of God's Word, we should in all the steps of our lives, seek to do what God has called us to do, even through the difficulties of life. When the Son of God was pleased to take our nature, he came near to us, in our fallen, wretched condition, to save the human race. We are all blessed to know Jesus, therefore, if we truly want Jesus to be a part of our lives we need to follow God's will as Jesus did. Incidentally, whatever Jesus did, we can do, he is our example to follow, this includes getting baptized. “Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? 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. 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: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” - Matthew 3:13-17.

Many people have been deceived into thinking that an infant baptism can save them or that when they get baptized they are being baptized into a particular religion. This is false, baptism does not save anyone, only accepting Jesus does, and in order for you to accept Jesus you need to believe in the Gospel and ask Him to save you. A true baptism is meant to be a public profession of your faith and acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ in your life. “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:” -Romans 6:4,5. Now, one thing I would like to point out is that infants are not held accountable for the sin debt because they are unable to ask Jesus to save them. Once a child is able to understand the Gospel and accept it that is when He is held accountable and should be saved (this is explained further in the Gospel of Luke). Jesus saves all who call upon Him, but you must ask Him into your heart. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. ” - Romans 10:9. Praise God!

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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