Jesus’ footsteps! You honestly can’t really study the Gospels the same way you would study the rest of the Bible. Because all four Gospel writers had different ways and reasons for writing. Really, the ONLY way is truly study the Gospels (and to grasp His whole ministry), is to do them together! To weave them together so you can see how they FIT together. There by really seeing Jesus’ footsteps. And I have spent the past four years doing that.
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We are a women's study group, but we are looking for a man who will facilitate the same study for men. Kassie will support you, the same as she does us ladies. Be blessed in your life, and in your study.
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I have written an actual “Stepping Stones” Bible study of all four Gospels together. Studying verse by verse in HARMONY of all four Gospels. It will be released either late fall of 2018 or early 2019. So, yes, I am excited! Because Jesus told His disciples to go out and MAKE disciples and to TEACH them… so that is what I absolutely love to do. Each Gospel is rich with understanding, but when woven together… You really do come to know God through Jesus, because you come to know JESUS.
But for
this series—for this lesson—we are taking it Book by Book… So I am going to ask
you to mark certain things and look at certain things, so that as we look at
the Gospels one by one, you can appreciate what each author brought to the
table. So, if you will make the marks in your Bible now as we go along… as we
reach the other Gospels, you will see how they fit in (and where).
Introduction:
Chapter 2 ended with Jesus (with Joseph and Mary) moving to Nazareth (which is
in the Galilee Region). This chapter (3) begins about 30 years later with the
introduction of John the Baptist.
Between
chapter 2 and 3, the only thing we know about Jesus is from Luke 2:41-52; when
He was 12 years old. During this time, His parents took Him to Jerusalem for
the Feast of Passover and three days later (after leaving his parents realized
He wasn’t with them). They quickly back tracked and found Him in the temple…
after that? All Scripture tells us is that “He grew in wisdom and in stature,
and in favor with God.”
Insights: Vs.
1-12) I am asking you to write in the margin of your Bible (pre-9) and the
reason being is that the WHOLE of Jesus’ life can be seen in His steps. His
life when He stepped out into His calling is what I mark as SS 1, SS 2… and so
forth… BUT before He stepped out; before He left the wood shop to start His
ministry… there were other steps that had to be made. There were other things
that God put into alinement BEFORE we really start getting to know Jesus.
So, if you
will just do this ONE little thing… as we look at the individual books, as we
get to the end… well, you will be able to see how they fit together.
For me
personally, I use a special light teal blue ink pen to mark the pre-steps and
the actual steps. I also use it to draw a thin line in between certain verses
so that I know where one begins and one ends. I use a dark blue pen to draw a
line between breaks and gaps… so that when I am reading the Gospels as we are
in this study, I know when to pause and see where it fits with the others.
Again, I
have a really in-depth study of the Gospels TOGETHER to just simply follow His
footsteps as a whole. So, if at some point you decide you want to consider that
study, great, just let me know. But for this particular study we are focusing
on each one by its self. So, I am just suggesting to you to make some notes and
special marks in the passages as we go along.
John the
Baptist begins His Ministry
A)
Verses
1–12: This is in the wilderness of Judea, and on the banks of the Jordan River.
Up near the Sea of Galilee.
·
Vs. 2
Repent: Repent means more that “to be sorry for” it means to be sorry enough to
not only change your mind… but enough to change your ways. To turn back to God
and let it be a noticeably difference.
John the
Baptist preached in the Judean wilderness.
His message was, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” We see that Isaiah prophesied that there would
be one who would be sent--- who was the one who made the paths straight for the
Lord’s coming.
B) Verses
5–6: The people of Jerusalem, Judea, and district around the Jordan River went
to be baptized by John “as they confessed their sins.” It seems they took his
message of repentance seriously.
C) Verses
7–12: Then we see the word “But” many Pharisees and Sadducees went to be
baptized by John. However, John called them a brood of vipers and asked who had
warned them to flee the wrath to come; the wrath they were facing. Vipers are
poisonous snakes, very deadly.
· Why
would he do such a thing? After all, they came down there to him. John explain
his meaning in verses 8–9: He called them to produce fruit or evidence of
repentance.
· Just
because they were Jews, sons of Abraham, didn’t mean that they were ready for
the kingdom of heaven. Somehow, he knew the truth of their heart. Repentance
was required, and John said that repentance is shown in fruit. Somehow, he knew
that these were false seekers.
Many times,
in the Old Testament, we see a call to repentance! Isaiah said “Let the wicked
forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts. And let him ‘return’ to
the Lord.” Jeremiah said, “Return to Me and acknowledge your iniquity.” In Deuteronomy
we read “Return to the Lord and obey Him.”
And
basically, it is the same message John preached. And ultimately repentance
means: It involves a changed life. If one does not produce good fruit, then
that one ends up in the fire, the unquenchable fire of God’s wrath. And sadly,
this is illustrated in verses 10 and 12 when he says “The one coming is Jesus,
the one who will burn the chaff, the unrepentant ones. That One is.”
John
baptized with water for repentance. Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit and
fire.
- The Word “baptize” means to be identified with, united
with—kind of like a wedding ceremony.
So, John called the people of Israel to repentance,
because he knew that the kingdom was at hand. Who is the Kingdom of Heaven?
Jesus—in all His Glory—because He comes to us as God the Son, to unite us with
God the Father, through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit in us.
- Remember it is THROUGH Jesus we are reconciled with God.
So how does
Matthew 3 verses 13–17 end?
- Jesus went to be baptized by John at the Jordan River,
and John knew that he needed to be baptized by Jesus. Jesus’ words in
verse 15 changed John’s mind.
>> Consider this: After leaving the wood
shop to begin His journey to the Cross, the first thing Jesus did was to be
baptized. Notice that Jesus didn’t go first to the temple (where the religious
leaders of the day were), He went to the river! Why? Because, that was
where the people were! That was where people who had heard the call to have a
repentant heart were, and they were sinners wanting and needing to be saved. So,
He went to be with them and to be baptized (and by doing so, He set an example
for them--and US).
>> Read and compare: Matt. 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22 and then summarize the events of Jesus’ baptism.
Reflect on that for a moment. Because that is
only His beginning in the walk to the Cross so that we today, can come into a
relationship with God.
My friend, there is so much to see in the
chapters to come! So, I hope you will keep walking with us! See you next time. Kassie
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