Matthew 3

John the Baptist "came preaching".    What an interesting man John became.  Filled with the Holy Spirit before he was even born,  John was chosen to be the "voice of one crying in the wilderness".  
Like other prophets before him, his life was not his own.  He wore a camel's hair garment and had a leather belt.  He ate locusts and honey.  Definitely not a "normal" life for one who was the son of a priest.  As we, the chosen of Christ, follow Him... we also will find that our lives are not "normal" as opposed to the world's philosophies.

John preached a message of repentance.  He baptized those who confessed their sins, acknowledging their separation from God. He chastised the religious leaders who came to make a show of their religious positions.  And, John told of the One who was coming... the One who would baptize with the Holy Spirit, the One who was worthy of true worship, the One who would separate the wheat from the chaff.

When Jesus came to be baptized, John was rightly reluctant to do it.  He knew the righteousness of Jesus.  He knew his own need to be overwhelmed with Jesus who would save him.  But, Jesus had a purpose in John's baptism... together they would "fulfill all righteousness".  It was an act of submission, for the purpose of completing, or making full, all that is right and just.   The result of Jesus' submission was the glorious appearance of the Holy Spirit who came in a unique way, and the audible voice of God, the Father saying, " This is My beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased." 

As Matthew writes this gospel, this good news,  he wants to not only record the historical facts of the coming of the Messiah, but to present the way of salvation... which must start with repentance.  This word "repentance" comes from the Greek word - metanoia - a reversal, a reformation, a feeling of compunction - guilt, a pricking of the conscience that results in thinking differently, of regret and shame.

This inward acknowledgement must lead to an outward confession.  Paul writes it this way, "The Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart - that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."  ( Romans 10:8-10)

Father in heaven, You are faithful and loving to us, showing mercy and grace to all who repent of and confess their sins... and then recognize that Jesus Christ is the Lord, the One who takes away those sins and covers us with His own perfectly complete righteousness.  Overwhelm us with Yourself O Lord! Fill us to the full with Your own Spirit! Thank you for the Word of Life that overflows our souls with the truth and brings refreshing joy every time we read it.  Amen!