Matthew 3:13-17 Like a Dove
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: January 16, 2019, Matthew 3:13-17
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
(Understanding the Text / Revelation of God) Evidently, Jesus was filled with the Spirit in a different way than before the baptism. He was not totally separated from the power of God before this, but at this point there was something more or stronger about the connection. I’m not sure what the difference was though.
(Understanding the Text) John evidently recognized that Jesus was the Messiah even if he didn’t recognize his cousin at first. John spoke to Jesus as to his King deferring to Him and protesting any step that would place John in a dominant position over Jesus, except that Jesus told John to do it, so John obeyed. This was what made John the greatest prophet. He listened to the Spirit of God within him and he obeyed. His humility and obedience allowed him to speak with authority to the Pharisees without becoming arrogant himself.
(Revelation of God / Application) Here is the trinity together at Jesus’ baptism. The Son was human and standing on the dirt of the earth. The Father was speaking from heaven, and the Spirit was the connection between them. We can have the same connection only now we are on earth; Jesus is with the Father in heaven, and the Spirit still connects us. At this time, He was called the Spirit of God, but Jesus would later call Him My Spirit at the last supper. We now have the Spirit of Jesus connecting us to heaven.
My application for myself is that if Jesus needed that connection with heaven to do His job, I do too. Jesus was pure. I am rotten to the core. I need the healing, comforting, renewing power of the Spirit living in me to keep me connected to heaven.
(Prayer) Keep me connected to You. Help me to listen to the Spirit’s guidance and to remain humbly obedient, especially when You place me in leadership positions. I want to always humbly point to You and away from myself.