July 28 - Matthew 3-4

Matt 3:1-3 1In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea 2and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." 3This 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.' "   Isaiah 4:3 3 A voice of one calling:        "In the desert prepare        the way for the LORD  ;        make straight in the wilderness        a highway for our God.   A prophesy was fulfilled.   Matt 3:5-6 5People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.   John the Baptist prepared the path for Jesus. He preached the message of repentance. He baptized those who were willing to repent. Repentance is necessary for God to further his works on somebody.   Matt 3:7-8,10 7But when he 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? 8Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 10The 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.   After repentance, a person should be bearing fruit, be fruitful. A non-fruitful person may be removed. A repented person would be blessed.   Matt 3:11 11"I baptize you with[b] 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.   John does water baptism. Jesus does baptism with Holy Spirit. Hence, baptism in the Spirit.   Matt 3:16-17 16As 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. 17And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."   Water baptism is an important symbolic event. Even Jesus went through water baptism.  Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. After water baptism, God had anointed Jesus to commence his (Jesus) works.   Matt 4:1 1Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.   Matt 4:1-2 (NKJV) 1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.   For those who serve God, they will definitely be tempted by the devil. For those who serve God, it is good to practice fasting.   Matt 4:3-4 3The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."  4Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.' "   Matt 4:4 4 But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"[a]   Matt 4:4 is one of my favorite verses. As the body needs physical food such as bread and rice, the soul needs spiritual food which is the word of God, the bible.   Deut 8:3 3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.   Deut 8:3 (NKJV) 3 So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.   Matt 4:5-7 5Then 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.'[b]" 7Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'[c]"   Matt 4:7 (NKJV) 7 Jesus said to him, "It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.'"   The Devil knows the bible too.  We must remember the Devil was a fallen angel, in fact he was formerly an archangel. We should live by faith. Yet, we should not test God.   Deut 6:16 16 "You shall not tempt the LORD your God as you tempted Him in Massah.   Deut 6:16-19 16 "You shall not tempt the LORD your God as you tempted Him in Massah. 17 You shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, His testimonies, and His statutes which He has commanded you. 18 And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the LORD, that it may be well with you, and that you may go in and possess the good land of which the LORD swore to your fathers, 19 to cast out all your enemies from before you, as the LORD has spoken.   Matt 4:8-10 8Again, 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." 10Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.' "   Matt 4:10 10 Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you,[d] Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'"   Do not seek the kingdoms of the world. Seek first the kingdom in heaven, the kingdom of God. Worship the Lord God.  Worship not the "things" of this world. Let us put our priorities right.   Deut 6:13 (NKJV) 13 You shall fear the LORD your God and serve Him, and shall take oaths in His name.   Deut 6:13-14 (NKJV) 13 You shall fear the LORD your God and serve Him, and shall take oaths in His name. 14 You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are all around you   Matt 4:13-16 13Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— 14to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:  15"Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,       the way to the sea, along the Jordan,       Galilee of the Gentiles—  16the people living in darkness       have seen a great light;    on those living in the land of the shadow of death       a light has dawned."[e]   A prophesy was fulfilled.   Isai 9:1-2 (NKJV) 1 Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed,       As when at first He lightly esteemed       The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,       And afterward more heavily oppressed her,       By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,       In Galilee of the Gentiles.        2 The people who walked in darkness       Have seen a great light;       Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,       Upon them a light has shined.   Matt 4:17 17From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."   Jesus' initial preaching message was similar to John the Baptist. There was continuity of message from John the Baptist to Jesus.   Matt 4:23-25 23Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. 25Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis,[f] Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.   Jesus had preached about the gospel of the kingdom, and did a lot of healing. Healing (and miracles and wonders) are powerful tool to attract people.     Note: Today, I read Matthew chapters 3 and 4.