2-1-3-The Baptism of Jesus

According to Matthew 11:13,  What was the job God had given to all of the prophets, including John the Baptist?

John the Baptist used symbols to make his message easier for people to understand, just like the prophets of the Old Testament did.  A symbol is a picture painted with words which help people to see the meaning of a message more clearly.  A symbol is something which is used to stand for another clearly.  A symbol is something which is used to stand for another thing.  Example across has become a symbol for Christianity.

The dove is a symbol because it is often used to stand for the?

Lets practice the Technique of observing.  Read Matthew 3:7-12 carefully and try to find all the important points.

Six of the symbols used by John the Baptist are found below.  They have been taken from the passage you have just finished studying:  Matthew 3:7-12.  In the spaces below provided, write the verse or verses where each of these are found:

1. Vipers

2. Trees with fruit:

3. Fire:

4. Wheat:

5. Barn:

6. Chaff:

Read Matthew 3:12.  What does the wheat represent ; the chaff?

In Matthew 3:7-12, which three of these symbols are used to represent an unrepentant person? (1) (2)(3)  Which one represents the repentant person?

Tell in your own words:

How is the unrepentant person like a tree without fruit?

In what way is the unrepentant person like chaff?

How is the repentant person like wheat?

Which symbol in Matthew 3:12, the fire or the barn represents:

1. the future of the repentant person?

2. the future of the unrepentant person?

The Pharisees were very strict about keeping the law of Moses.  Did they how ever, bear fruit in their own lives?  Read Matthew 23:2-3?

What was the most important thing in the eyes of the Pharisees the outward appearance or the inner change of attitude toward sin?  Read Matthew 23:5.

Why did the Pharisees put such an emphasis upon the outward appearance of things?  Read Matthew 23:5?

With what did John the Baptist compare the Pharisees and the Sadducees?  Read Matthew 3:7.

When John used the symbol of vipers, did he use them to stand for true repentance or merely a false repentance?

The Pharisees and Sadducees were very proud of their family back ground especially of the fact that they were the descendants of Abraham.  Nevertheless, without true repentance what would their future be according to John?  Read Matthew 3:9-10.

Jesus, Himself, used many symbols in His own preaching.  As a matter of fact, one of the symbols Jesus used stood for the Pharisees.  On another occasion He used a symbol to talk about John the Baptist.  Which one of these two symbols, "white washed tombs" or 'shining lamb" do you think Jesus used to talk about:

1. the Pharisees?

2. John the Baptist?

In what way were the Pharisees like "white-washed tombs"?

Jesus called the Pharisees "white-washed tombs" because they were clean on the outside but they still had unrepentant hearts.  They were like tombs because no matter how clean a tomb maybe on the outside, it still contains something rotten and dead on the inside.  Jesus also used a symbol for John the Baptist.  He called John a "shining lamp" because: John the Baptist showed people the way to Jesus.

Read Matthew 5:13.  What symbol does Jesus use here for a Christian?

In your own words, tell why salt is a good symbol for a Christian person?

Read Ephesians 4:14.  What symbol is used for a Christian whose faith is weak and who follows any doctrine which comes along?

In Galatians 5:22, the Apostle Paul uses a symbol for the things that the Holy Spirit produces in the Christian's life.  What is that symbol?

We can learn a great deal about the use of symbols in our own ministry by looking at the way the Prophets, John the Baptist, and Jesus used them.  Their good use of symbols which one of the things which made them good preachers, teachers.  If we want people to be able to understand us well we too, must learn to use symbols wisely.

When John the Baptist and Jesus used symbols in their preaching/teaching, did they choose things that the people knew very well?

It is necessary, therefore, to be sure that the people you are talking to know the symbols you choose very well.  If they do not, it will be very hard for them to see how the two things are alike.  Instead of making your message easier for them to understand you will, in-fact, make it harder for them.

Now think of symbols you would use to represent each of the following:

1. A new believer?

2. A person growing in their faith?

3. A person who is hardened against the Gospel?

I hope that this lesson has helped you to appreciate some of the many symbols that have been used by God's people to explain their message.  You should begin to look for symbols when you read the Bible.  Study the way symbols are used and what they represent and then apply what you have learned to your own life and ministry.

The Baptism of Jesus

Goals:

After you complete this unit you should be able to:

Tell what was the first act of Jesus' public ministry and explain the relationship between the baptism of Jesus and his death on the cross.

Baptism

We have talked about the first of the three episodes from the Year of Preparation which are found in Matthew's Gospel.  That episode is about the ministry of John the Baptist, the messenger at the King.  The other two episodes are are about the Lord Jesus Christ.  What are they? a. b..

Both episodes, the baptism and the temptation, teach us a lot about the personality of Jesus Christ and the perfect balance between His two natures.  We are now going to study the act with which Jesus began his public ministry.  What was that act?

We also learned that Jesus Christ is Unique in the whole universe because He has two natures (divine and human) and one personalities.

His baptism teach us the same truths about Jesus' personality as does His birth.  It says again that He is the only one who can save us.

Hebrews 2:17 shows us that in order to be able to pay the penalty for the sins of men, (that is to say, to save us), the perfect Son of God had to be made like His fellowmen in every respect.

On other words, in order to save us from sin, Jesus had to identify Himself completely with mankind.

With what act did the perfect Son of Man identify Himself with mankind at the beginning of His ministry?  Read Matthew 3:13.

Now reread the account in Matthew 3:13-17.
Read Matthew 9:12-13.
Who and why did Jesus want to identify Himself so closely with sinners?

Every-time we explain to someone the importance of Jesus baptism we should point out that it was an act of identification of the perfect Son of Man with man, even in their

The Bible teaches us that the wages of sin is death.  When Jesus identified Himself with the sins of mankind in His baptism, He knew that it was the beginning of the road which would lead Him to death on the Cross of Calvary.

1. Did Christ sin?  Read 1 Peter 2:22. 

2. Then what was it that Jesus bore in His own body on the cross and caused Him to die?  Read 1 Peter 2:24.

In Mark 10:38, Jesus uses two symbols to represent His death on the cross.  The first was the cup He had to drink.  What was the second symbol?

In both His baptism and His death Jesus identified Himself with the sin of mankind even though He did not have any sin Himself.

The baptism of Jesus marked the beginning of His path toward the cross.  In his baptism,  Christ identified Himself with our sins and it was for our sins that He finally died.  Well then... Satan wanted at all costs to stop Jesus from finishing His work and saving men.  Notice carefully how Satan, at the very moment of Jesus baptism tempted Him to pass it by and not involve himself with the sins of men.  Read Matthew 3;14.

The first time Satan tempted Jesus not to get involved with men he did not do it directly.  This would later in the temptation of Jesus described in Matthew 4.  Rather, he approached Christ through a great man of God who did not think himself worthy to baptize the Lord.  This man of God was the.

His baptism also prove to us that Jesus Christ is truly God.  According to Matthew 3:17, what proof of Jesus divinity was given at His baptism?

Notice very carefully that, at this wonderful moment at the very start of Jesus' work all three persons of the trinity took part.  In the next few lessons we will be making a careful study of the doctrine of the Trinity.

When Jesus identified Himself completely with mankind, He committed Himself to fight against Satan using only the same two weapons God had placed within the reach of every other man.  Thus, as a true men, He won the victory.  These two weapons are the spirit of God and the word of God-Read Matthew 3:16-17.  How were each of these shown? (1)(2)

It is a wonderful thing, isn't it?  God identifying Himself with sinful men so that He might deliver them from their sin.  There is a principle here which ought to be part of our ministries, Too.  Jesus identified himself with men in order to be able to reach them without taking part in sin.

Take a few moments to prepare a list of ways in which you think we can identity ourselves with those we want to reach with the Gospel.

The Life of Jesus Christ in You

At this point in your training and career you should be considering leading someone to Christ.  We will cover that in the sessions coming up.  But once they have been led to Christ, they need to grow spiritually from a spiritual infancy.  We will be starting a series The Life of Jesus Christ in You.  This series purpose to provide you with information to use in helping a spiritual infant grow.

The New Birth

Read these beautiful words which are found in the Bible, in a book called John:

"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, He gave the right to become children of God." (John 1:12).

Unfortunately, there are people who say they believe in Jesus but who show by their way of life that this is not true.  It is not enough just to say we believe in Jesus.  To be a child of God we must also: Jesus as our Savior and Lord.

When we receive the Lord Jesus and believe in him we become members of the Family of God.  God himself is our Father.  So, it is said that you were born again as a member of a new family.  Receiving Jesus and believing in him iis just like being born a second time.  This is why your experience is called a New Birth.

This New Birth close not only allow you to enter a new family.  You now have within you a new life.  It is the life of Jesus Christ himself.  This is the Abundant Life that we will bee studying in these lessons.

Now read come more words from the Bible.

"Praise be to God... In his great mercy he has given us a new birth." (1 Peter 1:3)

God is faithful and always keeps his promises.  If it all depends upon God, and not on you or upon others, which of the following attitudes should be yours? (Mark two)

1. Doubt

2. Insecurity

3. peace

4. Trust

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