Scripture Union Daily Guide 1st January 2021 – Turn Away From Sin
You are reading today’s Scripture Union Daily Guide 1st January 2021 written to inspire you. God bless you.
Daily Guide for Friday 1 January 2021
Open my eyes O Lord that I might behold wondrous things from your word in Jesus name.
Welcome to Year 2021
Bible Reading: Matthew 3:1-17
1In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’ ” a
4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
5People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
8Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
10The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
11“I baptize you with b water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with c the Holy Spirit and fire. 12His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
15Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.
16As 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. 17And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
- Today’s Scripture Union Daily Guide 1st January 2021
Question(s) for Reflection
• What does the passage teach about God the Father, God the Son or God the Holy Spirit?
• Is there any example for me to follow or not to follow?
Today’s Outline On Scripture Union Daily Guide 1st January 2021
John challenges our priorities in ministry today. Notice his message (vs.2, 10-12), his simple lifestyle (v.4, – think of modern-day equivalent), his boldness (vs.7-10), and his humility (vs.11,13). “The more material blessings you have, the more successful your ministry”! Does the lifestyle and ministry of John support these modern-day teachings? John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus (Malachi 3:1) and the Voice in the wilderness (Isaiah 40:3) came ahead of Jesus Christ to prepare the people for His arrival. The way he did it was to call people to turn away from sin and turn to God, (vs.2; 8).
Baptism was a form of initiation which was practised by groups such as the Essenes even before John the Baptist. John insisted that it should not be a mere outward act but rather a public declaration of God’s people turning away from their sin and turning back to Him. Jesus did not need to repent. Why then did He subject Himself to baptism (v.15)? He came to the world to take the place of sinners, doing this fully by taking our place on the cross. Notice the manifestation of the Trinity and how God introduced Jesus (vs. 16-17). What does this tell you about Him? So what? Praise God for those who announced the saving grace of Jesus Christ to you. Read v.8 again. Make a list of how you will live differently this year and thereby confirm that you are a follower of Jesus?
• Any new insight or reinforcement of what you already know?
FOR THIS NEW YEAR
1. For this New Year we humbly ask Your grace;
Help us to always see Your loving face
Shining upon us, bringing peace within,
Keeping our feet from paths of mortal sin.
2. Dear Lord, we ask that we would always be
Open to You, and that all men may see
In how we treat them that we’ve made a pact.
To let Your love shine through our ev’ry act.
3. Within our fam’lies may we know Your peace;
As we share moments let our love increase.
Teach us to share with those we truly love
As we would do so in that home above.
Closing Prayer
• Pray for grace to do them.
• Thank God for seeing 2021, pray for grace to keep following Jesus this year. Pray for the churches in Nigeria, for Christian Ministries and Church Leaders. Pray for the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN).
Offer a prayer of faith in line with Isaiah 43:16-19
Bible In One Year: Gen. 1-3; Rom.1
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