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- 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.
- What did John the Baptist teach the Jews?
-John the Baptist taught the Jews that they must repent.
- What does it mean to repent?
-To change our thoughts about God, for God is holy and can be approached only on God’s path.
-To change our thoughts about ourselves, for we have all sinned against God.
-To change our thoughts about sin, for God punishes all sin with eternal death.
- What does baptism mean?
-Baptism is a sign that you have repented, and believe in God alone to save you.
- Is baptism able to save anyone from the power of sin, death, and Satan?
-No.
- Who alone was able to save the Jews from the power of sin, death, and Satan?
-Jesus the Savior.
- 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.
- 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.
- Why else did the Pharisees and the Sadducees think that God was pleased with them?
-Because they were descendants of Abraham.
- Does being a descendant of someone make us pleasing to God?
-No.
- 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.
- Who was guiding Jesus while He lived on earth?
-God the Holy Spirit.
- When Jesus was baptized, what did God the Father say about Jesus?
-God the Father said that He was completely pleased with Jesus.
- Why did John the Baptist call Jesus “the Lamb of God”?
-Just like God gave a sheep to die for Isaac, so God would give Jesus to die for all people.
-After John the Baptist baptized Jesus, God the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert.
Let’s read Matthew 4:1
1-Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.
-What happened to Jesus while He was in the desert?
-Satan tempted Jesus.
-Satan does not change.
-Satan has been evil from the beginning.
-Just as Satan tempted Adam and Eve, Satan now tempted Jesus.
-Why did Satan tempt Jesus?
-Because Satan wanted Jesus to sin.
-Why did Satan want Jesus to sin?
-Because Satan did not want Jesus to save us.
-If Jesus would sin, would He be able to save us?
-No.
-If Jesus would sin, then He would not be able to save us from the power of sin, death, and Satan.
-Satan tempted Jesus because he wanted to defeat Jesus who was God the Savior.
-Satan tempted Jesus because he wanted to make Jesus his slave.
-Jesus was in the desert and fasted for 40 days.
Let’s read Matthew 4:2
2-After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
-Although Jesus was fully God, He was also fully man.
-This is why Jesus was hungry.
-What was the first temptation with which Satan tempted Jesus?
Let’s read Matthew 4:3
3-The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
-Satan said to Jesus, “If you are the Son of God.”
-Did Satan not know that Jesus was the Son of God?
-Yes.
-Why did Satan say, “If you are the Son of God”?
-Satan was tempting Jesus to prove that He was the Son of God.
-Satan was tempting Jesus to do something which God the Father had not told Him to do.
-Satan was tempting Jesus to act separately from God the Father by turning the stones into bread.
-Was Jesus able to turn the stones into bread?
-Yes.
-Jesus was God.
-Jesus was able to do anything.
-What did Jesus reply to Satan?
Let’s read Matthew 4:4
4-Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
-To answer Satan, what did Jesus do?
-Jesus repeated to Satan that which was written in God’s Book, the Bible.
-What did Jesus tell Satan was more important than food?
-Jesus told Satan that the believing the Word of God was more important than food.
-Did Jesus say that we should not eat?
-No.
-Jesus knows that we must eat food to live.
-Jesus created food for all people.
-Jesus was telling Satan that true life comes from the Word of God.
-Although Jesus was hungry, why did He not turn the stones into bread?
-Because God the Father did not tell Him to do it.
-Jesus would not obey Satan.
-Jesus would only obey God the Father.
-What was the second temptation with which Satan tempted Jesus?
Let’s read Matthew 4:5-6
5-Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.
6-“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
-Satan took Jesus to the top of the temple in Jerusalem, and told Jesus to jump off of the temple.
-Satan told Jesus to jump off of the temple because it was written in God’s Bible that God the Father would protect Jesus.
-Does Satan know what is written in God’s Bible?
-Yes.
-Satan does know what is written in God’s Book, the Bible.
-But what does Satan do with God’s Word?
-Satan twists God’s Word in order to trap people.
-How did Satan twist God’s Word in order to trap Eve?
-Satan told Eve that she would not die if she ate the fruit that God forbid her to eat.
-Satan twisted God’s Word in order to trap Jesus.
-Satan was tempting Jesus to do something which God the Father had not told Him to do.
-Satan was tempting Jesus to act separately from God the Father by jumping off of the temple.
-What did Jesus reply to Satan?
Let’s read Matthew 4:7
7-Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
-To answer Satan, what did Jesus do?
-Jesus repeated to Satan that which was written in God’s Book, the Bible.
-Jesus told Satan that we are not to put God the Father to the test.
-Why are we not to put God the Father to the test?
-Because God always tells the truth.
-Because God never lies.
-Because God never breaks His promises.
-Because God always keeps His promises.
-Why did Jesus not jump off of the temple?
-Because God the Father did not tell Him to do it.
-Jesus would not obey Satan.
-Jesus would only obey God the Father.
-What was the third temptation with which Satan tempted Jesus?
Let’s read Matthew 4:8-9
8-Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.
9-“All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
-Satan took Jesus to a high mountain, and showed Jesus all of the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.
-Satan told Jesus that he would give Jesus control of all the world if Jesus would worship Satan.
-Was it possible for Satan to give Jesus control of all the world?
-Yes.
-Why was it possible for Satan to give Jesus control of all the world?
-Because when Adam obeyed Satan, Satan became the master of Adam and all people.
-Because when Adam obeyed Satan, Satan became the master of Adam, of all people, and of all the world.
-Did Jesus worship Satan?
-No.
-What did Jesus reply to Satan?
Let’s read Matthew 4:10
10-Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
-To answer Satan, what did Jesus do?
-Jesus repeated to Satan that which was written in God’s Book, the Bible.
-Jesus said that we are to worship God alone.
-How did Jesus overcome Satan?
-With the Word of God.
-Did Jesus twist the Word of God?
-No.
-Jesus spoke the Word of God as it is written in God’s Bible.
-In the beginning, Satan tried to become the master of God, but failed.
-Thereafter, Satan deceived Adam and Eve so that we would be separated from God.
-Because Adam and Eve listened to Satan, Satan became the master of Adam and Eve and all people.
-Now, Satan tried to become the master of Jesus, but failed.
-Who is greater, Jesus or Satan?
-Jesus.
-Why is Jesus greater than Satan?
-Because Jesus is God.
-Because it was Jesus who created Lucifer as a perfect angel in the beginning.
-Jesus created Lucifer as a perfect angel, yet Lucifer sinned and became Satan.
-In the future, what will Jesus do to Satan and to all his demons?
-Jesus will throw Satan and all of his demons into the Lake of Eternal Fire.
-After Jesus defeated Satan, Satan left Him for a time.
Let’s read Matthew 4:11
11-Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
-Satan left Jesus for a time, and God the Father sent angels to help Jesus.
-Although Satan left Jesus for a time, Satan would return to tempt Jesus again.