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- Did Jesus ever sin?
-No.
-Jesus obeyed every command of God, and did not sin.
- Why did Jesus obey every command of God, and not sin?
-Because Jesus was not born into sin.
- Why was Jesus not born into sin?
-Because Jesus did not have the seed of a human father.
-Because Jesus did not have the seed of a human mother.
-Because Jesus was God.
- Is anyone else without sin like Jesus?
-No.
-All other people have been born into sin.
- What was Jesus doing when Joseph and Mary found Him in the temple?
-Jesus was listening to the teachers of the Word of God, and asking them questions.
-Jesus was also teaching the Word of God to the teachers.
- How did Jesus know the Word of God when He was only twelve years old?
-Because Jesus was God.
- When Mary questioned Jesus, what did Jesus reply?
-Jesus replied, “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”
- What did Jesus mean?
-Jesus meant that He was doing what God the Father wanted Him to do.
- Did Jesus fully obey Joseph and Mary as He was growing up?
-Yes.
- Although Jesus looked like other children, how was Jesus different?
-Jesus was God.
-Jesus was fully God as well as fully human.
-God gave Zechariah and Elizabeth a son named John.
-Zechariah and Elizabeth’s son was also called John the Baptist.
-God sent John the Baptist to prepare the hearts of the Jews.
-For whom was John the Baptist preparing the hearts of the Jews?
-For Jesus the Savior.
-How was John the Baptist preparing the hearts of the Jews?
-By teaching them the Word of God.
-God chose John the Baptist to teach the Jews.
-Here is what John the Baptist was teaching:
Let’s read Matthew 3:1-2
1-In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea
2-and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
-What did John the Baptist teach the Jews?
-John the Baptist taught the Jews that they must repent.
-What does it mean to repent?
-Firstly, to repent means to change our thoughts about God.
-Why does God want us to change our thoughts about God?
-Because we think that we can approach God on our own path.
-Can we approach God on our path?
-No.
-God is holy, and we can approach God only on God’s path.
-To repent means to change our thoughts about God, for God is holy and can be approached only on God’s path.
-Secondly, to repent also means to change our thoughts about ourselves.
-Why does God want us to change our thoughts about ourselves?
-Because we think that we have not sinned against God.
-Have we sinned against God?
-Yes.
-All people have sinned against God.
-All people have been born into sin.
-To repent means to change our thoughts about ourselves, for we have all sinned against God.
-Thirdly, to repent also means to change our thoughts about sin.
-Why does God want us to change our thoughts about sin?
-Because we think that God will not punish our sin.
-Does God punish all sin?
-Yes.
-God will punish all of our sin with eternal death.
-To repent means to change our thoughts about sin, for God punishes all sin with eternal death.
-John the Baptist taught the Jews that they must repent.
-This is what the prophet Isaiah said about John the Baptist:
Let’s read Matthew 3:3
3-This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”
-The prophet Isaiah said that John the Baptist was the one who would prepare the hearts of the Jews for the Savior.
-Although John the Baptist was God’s prophet, he was very poor.
Let’s read Matthew 3:4
4-John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
-John the Baptist’s clothes were made of camel hair.
-He ate locusts and wild honey.
-Some people think that God will give them much money if they believe in God.
-But God does not promise anyone much money.
-Because John the Baptist taught about God, many Jews came to listen to him.
Let’s read Matthew 3:5-6
5-People went out to him from Jerusalem, and all Judea, and the whole region of the Jordan.
6-Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
-Many of the Jews believed in God’s message through John the Baptist.
-These Jews repented, and asked God to save them.
-Because these Jews repented, and asked God to save them, John the Baptist baptized them.
-What is baptism?
-Baptism is lowering people under water, and then immediately bringing them up.
-What does baptism mean?
-Baptism is a sign that you have repented, and believe in God alone to save you.
-Was baptism able to save the Jews from the power of sin, death, and Satan?
-No.
-Why was baptism not able to save the Jews from the power of sin, death, and Satan?
-Because lowering people under water cannot save them.
-Is baptism able to save anyone from the power of sin, death, and Satan?
-No.
-Baptism cannot save us from sin.
-Baptism cannot wash our sins away.
-Baptism cannot pay for our sins.
-Who alone was able to save the Jews from the power of sin, death, and Satan?
-Jesus the Savior.
-Baptism is only a sign that you have repented, and believe in God alone to save you.
-Many of the Pharisees and the Sadducees also came to listen to John the Baptist.
-What did John the Baptist say to the Pharisees and the Sadducees?
Let’s read Matthew 3:7
7-But when John the Baptist saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?”
-John the Baptist called the Pharisees and the Sadducees children of snakes.
-Why did John the Baptist call the Pharisees and the Sadducees children of snakes?
-Because the Pharisees and the Sadducees were very proud.
-Because the Pharisees and the Sadducees refused to repent.
-John the Baptist’s words were very strong to the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
-This is because the Pharisees and the Sadducees were very proud, and refused to repent.
-God will not save those who are proud, and refuse to repent.
-God will only save those who are not proud, and repent.
-What else did John the Baptist say to the Pharisees and the Sadducees?
Let’s read Matthew 3:8
8-John the Baptist said, “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.”
-The Pharisees and the Sadducees thought that God was pleased with them.
-Why did the Pharisees and the Sadducees think that God was pleased with them?
-Because they thought that their works would force God to be pleased with them.
-Will any works that we do force God to be pleased with us?
-No.
-What is the only work which will please God?
-To repent of one’s sins.
-For all people, the only work which would please God would be to repent of one’s sins.
-Why else did the Pharisees and the Sadducees think that God was pleased with them?
-The Pharisees and the Sadducees also thought that God was pleased with them because they were descendants of Abraham.
-Then, what did John the Baptist say?
Let’s read Matthew 3:9
9-John the Baptist said, “And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.”
-John the Baptist said that although the Pharisees and Sadducees were descendants of Abraham, this does not force God to be pleased with them.
-Does being a descendant of someone make us pleasing to God?
-No.
-John the Baptist said that God was able to make descendants of Abraham from stones if God wanted to.
-What else did John the Baptist say to the Pharisees and the Sadducees?
Let’s read Matthew 3:10
10-John the Baptist said, “The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
-What did John the Baptist say about all who are proud and refuse to repent?
-That God would cut them down like a bad tree and throw them into the Lake of Eternal Fire.
-Here is an illustration:
-If we cut off the fruit of a tree which grows bad fruit, will the tree grow back good fruit?
-No.
-The tree will always grow bad fruit.
-If we cut off the branches of a tree which grows bad fruit, will the tree grow back good branches and good fruit?
-No.
-The tree will always grow bad branches and bad fruit.
-We are all like a tree which grows bad fruit.
-There is nothing that we can do to make ourselves good.
-If we are proud and refuse to repent, God will cut us down like bad trees and throw us into the Lake of Eternal Fire.
-Then, John the Baptist spoke of Jesus.
Let’s read Matthew 3:11
11-John the Baptist said, “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”
-While John the Baptist baptized people with water, John said that Jesus would baptize people with God the Holy Spirit.
-John the Baptist also said that Jesus was God who was so holy that John was not worthy to even carry the shoes of Jesus.
-What else did John the Baptist say about Jesus?
Let’s read Matthew 3:12
12-John the Baptist said, “His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
-John the Baptist said that all who are proud and refuse to repent are like chaff.
-What is chaff good for?
-Nothing.
-It is only good to be burned.
-John the Baptist said that Jesus will burn like chaff in the Lake of Eternal Fire proud people who refuse to repent.
-One day, Jesus came to be baptized by John the Baptist.
Let’s read Matthew 3:13-15
13-Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.
14-But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
15-Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.
-Was Jesus baptized because He repented?
-No.
-Did Jesus need to repent?
-No.
-Why did Jesus not need to repent?
-Because Jesus never sinned.
-Why was Jesus baptized?
-Because Jesus wanted to show that He was the Savior and the righteousness of God.
-Because Jesus wanted to show that John the Baptist’s teaching was from God.
-Because Jesus wanted to show a good example to all people.
-Because Jesus wanted to obey God in everything.
-Jesus was fully God.
-But Jesus wanted to obey God the Father in everything.
-Who was guiding Jesus while Jesus lived on earth?
-God the Holy Spirit.
-What happened when Jesus was baptized?
Let’s read Matthew 3:16-17
16-As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.
17-And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
-God the Father spoke from heaven.
-God the Father called Jesus His Son.
-How was Jesus the Son of God the Father?
-Because Jesus was God who left heaven to do that which God the Father wanted.
-When Jesus was baptized, what did God the Father say about Jesus?
-God the Father said that He was completely pleased with Jesus.
-Later, John the Baptist saw Jesus again.
-Here is what John the Baptist called Jesus:
Let’s read John 1:29
29-The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
-John the Baptist called Jesus “the Lamb of God.”
-Why did John the Baptist call Jesus “the Lamb of God”?
-Just as God gave a sheep to die for Isaac, so God would give Jesus to die for all people.
-Just as the sheep died and its blood saved the Israelites in Egypt, so God would give Jesus and His blood to save people.