In John 3:7, Jesus said to Nicodemus, “You should not be surprised at my saying, “You must be born again.”
Last time we learned why it was that Nicodemus should not be surprised by Jesus’ teaching on being born again or on being baptized. It was because even Aaron as he served under the Old Covenant was required by the Lord to undergo ceremonial washing, or baptism prior to his performing his religious duties at the Tabernacle. As Jesus Christ leads not just Israel, but the whole world to a new and greater Covenant, a New Covenant, it should not be a surprise that the Lord would require a new generation of priests to undergo ceremonial washing, what we call baptism.
In past lessons we saw how baptism washed away our sins, gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit and brought us into many other blessings in Christ. Now we discover that baptism also ceremonially purifies us before the Lord that we might serve in the kingdom of God.
Living Big In Jesus,
Keith