Going public is a corporate practice in the business world in which an unlisted, private company allows the public to purchase its old or new stock for the first time. This initial public offering (IPO) helps the general public to make a profit while assisting the corporation in raising capital and becoming a publicly traded firm. Going public in the business world is all about making a profit for those who control the company.
Going public in the Kingdom of God means inviting everyone—poor, disadvantaged, rich, unknown, famous, men and women of all nationalities, to life change from the inside out and outside in. There is no cost except to lose control over things we do not own and think we manage in order gain the dividends of a Love from God, the Creator, Protector, Provider and Sustainer who has no limits in loving His Created. We are invited to own shares in His Kingdom by merely accepting Jesus free offer of salvation from sins. More dividends are given in the form of new and fresh mercies given each day! God’s gift of grace secures a forever life with Him “joint heirs” with Jesus Christ, God’s Son. Going public in the God’s Company is all about the net gain of souls saved for eternity.
“What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” –Jesus (Mark 8:36-37)
Luke 3, The Message
A Baptism of Life-Change
1-6 In the fifteenth year of the rule of Caesar Tiberius—it was while Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea; Herod, ruler of Galilee; his brother Philip, ruler of Iturea and Trachonitis; Lysanias, ruler of Abilene; during the Chief-Priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas—John, Zachariah’s son, out in the desert at the time, received a message from God. He went all through the country around the Jordan River preaching a baptism of life-change leading to forgiveness of sins, as described in the words of Isaiah the prophet:
Thunder in the desert!
“Prepare God’s arrival!
Make the road smooth and straight!
Every ditch will be filled in,
Every bump smoothed out,
The detours straightened out,
All the ruts paved over.
Everyone will be there to see
The parade of God’s salvation.”
7-9 When crowds of people came out for baptism because it was the popular thing to do, John exploded: “Brood of snakes! What do you think you’re doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to deflect God’s judgment? It’s your lifethat must change, not your skin. And don’t think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as ‘father.’ Being a child of Abraham is neither here nor there—children of Abraham are a dime a dozen. God can make children from stones if he wants. What counts is your life. Is it green and flourishing? Because if it’s deadwood, it goes on the fire.”
10 The crowd asked him, “Then what are we supposed to do?”
11 “If you have two coats, give one away,” he said. “Do the same with your food.”
12 Tax men also came to be baptized and said, “Teacher, what should we do?”
13 He told them, “No more extortion—collect only what is required by law.”
14 Soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”
He told them, “No harassment, no blackmail—and be content with your rations.”
15 The interest of the people by now was building. They were all beginning to wonder, “Could this John be the Messiah?”
16-17 But John intervened: “I’m baptizing you here in the river. The main character in this drama, to whom I’m a mere stagehand, will ignite the kingdom life, a fire, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He’s going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.”
18-20 There was a lot more of this—words that gave strength to the people, words that put heart in them. The Message! But Herod, the ruler, stung by John’s rebuke in the matter of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, capped his long string of evil deeds with this outrage: He put John in jail.
21-22 After all the people were baptized, Jesus was baptized. As he was praying, the sky opened up and the Holy Spirit, like a dove descending, came down on him. And along with the Spirit, a voice: “You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life.”
WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?
The crowd gathered around John asked this same question— “What should we do?” How do we respond to Truth?
First: Believe, repent of our sins, and be saved, redeemed from all sins!
Upon believing, we receive God’s Holy Spirit, who is a part of God. His Holy Spirit will lead and guide us through our life transformation from thinking and behaving like the enemy, who leads us into darkness, into a new, well-lit pathway to real life, abundant and free from sins, with expectant hope of eternal life!
We are changed and continue changing from the “inside out” when we believe in what God says! John preaches life change versus merely getting wet for show and Jesus affirms this truth in His preaching later! We walk in the Light of God’s Presence with God going before us, standing beside us, and protecting behind us no matter what our circumstances might be in this life as we prepare for life forever with God! Let God lead.
The power to change does not come from us but from believing in Jesus! We must tap into His unsurpassed power by calling on the Name of Jesus! In times of indecision, frustrations, and challenging circumstances; look up and pray, “what should I do?” and the answer will come from the One who loves us most. He is for us, not against us! Trust and obey for there’s no other way…to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey….
Upon believing in Jesus, our hearts, minds, and souls are filled to overflow with His love. To know God through Jesus is to know a relentless, unconditional, love that cannot be contained—it must be told! Upon believing; we are baptized as “an outward sign of an inward change” taking place in our lives for the Body of Christ and everyone else looking on to see! We are declaring we belong to Jesus!
Baptism is going public, with our profession of who we believe and will follow all the days of our lives! Jesus was baptized by John signifying the beginning of His mission to save the world. God’s love was expressed to Jesus because of Jesus’ obedience, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Guess what?! God says the same to us when we follow Jesus in our public display of our love for God!
The dividends of believing: We are “joint heirs,” shareholders, in the Kingdom of God! Forever! “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory” Romans 8:17.
Lord,
Wow, the lessons you teach us each day as we come to you with a willingness and readiness to learn from you are so amazing and encouraging! Thank you for always being with us through thick and thin, through good times and challenging times in this life. Thank you for saving our souls and making us whole as you consistently transform our thinking that guides our behaviors!
Cleanse our hearts , renew our minds, refresh our souls with your new mercies for today, and restore the joy and peace of your salvation always at work within us by your power.
In Jesus Name, Amen
And we’re singing…with Scripture proof, in case you need it!
“God of Angel Armies” by Chris Tomlin
I know who goes before me
I know who stands behind
(Exodus 33:14 and Deuteronomy 31:3-8) and behind him as rear guard (Isaiah 58:8).
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side
(Deuteronomy 31:6-8, Joshua 1:5-9, Psalm 23:4, Psalm 46:1, Psalm 139:7-10, Isaiah 41:10, Jeremiah 23:23-24, Zephaniah 3:17, Matthew 6:25-34, Matthew 28:20, John 14:16-17, Hebrews 13:5, Romans 8:38-39, and Revelation 3:20).
The one who reigns forever
God will rule for all eternity (Exodus 15:18, Psalm 10:16, Psalm 29:10, Psalm 145:13, Psalm 146:10, Lamentations 5:19, Daniel 4:3, Daniel 6:26, Micah 4:7, 1 Timothy 6:16, 1 Peter 5:11, and Revelation 11:15).
He is a friend of mine
(John 15:13-15).
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side
Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus) 