Open Heaven

Matthew 16:15-16

He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Jesus did not have need of it and yet He did it; on top of that:

2. His family tried to dissuade him.

When Jesus makes the decision to “Fulfill all righteousness” the first thing that happens is His cousin Johnny tells Him it is a crazy idea.

But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"

Now I know that this is not the typical reason for family members trying to discourage you from obeying God… but the idea is the same.

We often face our hardest challenges in serving God from family members who oppose us.

How many people are willing to disobey God in order to avoid offending some family member? I don’t think we should in anyway be offensive to our extended families, especially when it comes to the ones who are strangers to the cross; but when it comes to issues of obedience we must choose LORD Jesus.

Acts 5:28-30

"We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name," he said. "Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood."

Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men! The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree.

This thing is born in the choice of Lordship. Jesus was not careful not to offend. Look at these quotes that suggest He was focused on something other than the family.

Luke 14:25-27

Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

Matthew 10:32-39

"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.

"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn " ’a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law - a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’

"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Matthew 12:46-50

While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you."

He replied to him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" Pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."