God Speaks
After Being Baptized by John, Jesus Begins His Public Ministry
Verse of the Day: [God the Father’s response at Jesus’ baptism is reported in two of these accounts with similar wording.] And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3: 17 and Luke 3:22b NIV 2011)
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We Respond
Matthew 3
Reflection: Consider the following questions regarding Matthew 3.
1. What does this chapter tell me about God?
2. What does this chapter tell me about the human beings He created?
Here is one possible answer to each of these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any others for you personally to ponder.
1. God sent John the Baptist to preach repentance and obedience to God and His ways, preparing the way for the Messiah.
2. People need to repent and show evidence of that by how they live out their daily occupations.
Prayer
3. How might I pray regarding Matthew 3?
Dear Father God, thank You for sending John the Baptist to proclaim the coming of Messiah and to call for repentance as preparation. May I and many others of Your adopted children also be voices in the wilderness. May changes in people’s lives bear evidence of true repentance. Although we are baptized with water, may Jesus baptize us with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Jesus, separate the wheat from the chaff. Jesus, please help me and others fulfill all righteousness as You did. Then we will hear deep in our souls (now and later in person in Heaven) the Father say, “This is My beloved child, in whom I am well pleased.” AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
4. What action does the LORD want me to take in response to Matthew 3?
- I will seek out a pastor or a mature believer I trust to witness the repentance of my sins.
- I will look into being baptized as a believer in Christ. (If you haven’t been already.)
- I will look for at least one opportunity to proclaim both Jesus’ first and second comings.
- I will ask the Lord what act(s) of righteousness He wants me to do today, then do it.
Mark 1
Reflection:
The Gospel of Mark is the first and shortest gospel written. In his earliest recording of the gospel, John Mark wrote with a gentile, Roman audience in mind and Jesus Christ the Servant as his theme. Mark’s Gospel is immediate and action packed. In fact, the Greek word eutheus meaning immediately, directly, as soon as, forthwith, shortly or straightway (also straightaway) is used frequently throughout the book. For example this first chapter records a very busy day in which Jesus called four of His disciples, spoke in a synagogue, set a man free of a demon, healed Peter’s mother-in-law of a high fever and ministered to a large crowd by healing many and setting many free of demons. Mark used words for immediate action at least five times in verses 16-34.
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that You are the Son of God. As John the Baptist preached, I recognize, repent of and receive forgiveness for my sins because of all You have done for me. Thank you Father God, for adopting me as Your child. May You be pleased with me and enable me to stand up to Satan’s temptations, to call people to be Your disciples, to cast out demons, to heal the sick, to preach the good news of the Kingdom and to set people free from sin and suffering. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God to _______ and _______ (at least two specific people) this week.
- I will pray recognizing, repenting of and receiving forgiveness for my sins because of all Jesus done for me.
- I will recognize and stand up to Satan’s temptations.
- I will participate in a ministry time where people may be healed of physical or emotional healing or set free of demons.
Luke 3
Reflection: Although all four of the Gospels mention John the Baptist preaching to the crowds and baptizing Jesus (Matthew 3:1-17; Mark 1:1-11; Luke 3:1-22; John 1:19-34), Luke seems to focus more on John the man. This includes describing John’s parents and his birth and now his ministry. As he preached and prepared the people for the Messiah, John emphasized the importance of demonstrating repentance in very practical ways. Further, he was not afraid to bluntly call out sin wherever he saw it, whether in lowly soldiers or those in high positions like Herod, calling all to repentance. Luke listed the names of fathers from Jesus all the way back to Adam whose father was God. This highlights the importance of fathers.
Prayer: Dear Lord God, You have provided salvation through Jesus Christ. Just as John the Baptist called people to turn from their sins to receive forgiveness from the Messiah he was proclaiming, may we current-day believers do so as well. May we personally bear fruit in keeping with repentance. May we give people relevant answers when they ask, “What shall we do?” just as he did. Help us to show in practical ways that we are turning from selfishness and keeping things for ourselves to generosity and giving to others in need, from dishonesty and greed to honesty and accountability, from extortion and bullying to kindness and contentment. May we look to You to forgive our sins and to give us the strength of character to act more like Your children, which we are because of Christ. May we be immersed in Christ and receive the Holy Spirit. May we follow John’s example by boldly preaching the good news, not being afraid to confront powerful people regardless of the cost. May we thank You for the privilege of being a part, however small or large, of Your plan to save people for eternity. Thank You for not only knowing the name of every person who has ever lived but also intimately caring for us individually as well. May Your will be accomplished in each life for Your glory. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- Luke’s listing of the political leaders of that time reminds me to pray for those in authority over me.
- I will draw up a plan to pray God’s direction and blessing over people in positions of authority in each of the 7 Mountains of influence in this culture [religion, business, government, media, education, families, and sports, entertainment, and the arts] and then put it into practice.
- Luke’s listing of fathers from Jesus all the way back to God shows their importance to Him and to society.
- I will pray regularly for God to restore fathers to the homes in America for His glory.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.