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The Bible Study –Our readings for Monday, March 18 are Exodus 2:1-22 & Mark 14:32-52.Again, we see God’s hand in His plan of salvation.We read of the birth of Moses. The name in Hebrew means, “to draw out.”Moses was drawn out of the water from the papyrus ark his mother made for him to avoid being killed by the Egyptians. God will use Moses to draw His people out from the land of Egypt in the Exodus.God guides Moses into the hands of the daughter of Pharaoh, who allows his mother to nurse him for a time. As a grown man Moses slays an Egyptian for beating a Hebrew. He then flees to the land of Midian. There Moses will come to the aid of a group of young shepherdesses and be given the hand of one in marriage.Through the waters of Baptism, we are drawn out of a world of sin. Baptism is the water included in God’s command combined with His Word. (Matthew 28:19)Our Lord told us, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit . . . . “ Baptism works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to believing Christians, as the words and promises of God declare. (Mark 16:16)It is God’s work in us, not our work or act of obedience. That is why Biblical Christians baptize infants and children.In our Gospel text from Mark, we hear our Lord’s prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane and read of His betrayal. Jesus confronts the evil men sent to arrest Him, saying, “Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.”The sinless Christ will go to the cross willingly, because it was the will of God the Father, and in accordance with His plan of salvation.In our Gospel narrative, the ultimate and final sacrifice for the sins of the world is about to be made.Pastor Tom Steers Christ the Saviour Lutheran Church, Toronto http://christlutherantoronto.org/