Post by Les Brewer on Mar 30, 2014 7:25:39 GMT
Grace Ministries Bible Study
Discipleship the Way Jesus Did It
Matthew 3 (p1)
Being obedient to the Lord is always a rewarding experience. As instructed by the Spirit of God, this study will begin in Matthew 3. My Lord’s instruction to me was to read this chapter five times. With each reading the Spirit opened up new insights. In total awe of our God, I was tempted to stop and write what was being shown me. I feared I would forget all these glorious nuggets of God’s wisdom, but the Holy Spirit assured me that He would bring it all back to my remembrance to share with all who will read this work. To God be the Glory!
This chapter begins with an account of the ministry of John the Baptist. What do we know about John the Baptist? Recorded in Luke 1 are the unique circumstances surrounding the birth and family of this man that Jesus described as “more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist:” (Matthew 11:9b-11a). His mother was Elisabeth the cousin of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and his father was Zacharias a priest in Judaea. John’s upbringing as a child of a priest gives us insight into his concludes about the religious system and leaders of that day.
“In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,”
John came out from among them. Zacharias, his father, was a Levitical priest therefore under the Mosaic Law John was destined to the Levitical priesthood. We can surmise from this verse that John renounced the comforts of his birthright. The wilderness were John preached not only described the physical geographical area, but the spiritual atmosphere of that day. It was a literal object lesson that depicted the teaching and atmosphere of the religious system and leaders as dry, barren, and lifeless. The Spirit is saying that it also depicts the atmosphere of the church today. “But God” is calling out men and women with the spirit of John the Baptist. He is calling them out of the traditionalisms and other ungodly practices of the church to prepare the way for His coming. Have you been called out? Have you answered the call?
“And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
The message John the Baptist proclaimed in that day is the message we are proclaiming today. Repent for the kingdom of heaven is here, right now. This kingdom is like no earthly kingdom that has ever existed. We as the children of God have the auspicious privilege of extending an invitation to enter into the kingdom of our God to everyone we meet.
Join me next time for part 2 of Matthew 3. Extend an invitation into the kingdom to someone this week. Be blessed!
Discipleship the Way Jesus Did It
Matthew 3 (p1)
Being obedient to the Lord is always a rewarding experience. As instructed by the Spirit of God, this study will begin in Matthew 3. My Lord’s instruction to me was to read this chapter five times. With each reading the Spirit opened up new insights. In total awe of our God, I was tempted to stop and write what was being shown me. I feared I would forget all these glorious nuggets of God’s wisdom, but the Holy Spirit assured me that He would bring it all back to my remembrance to share with all who will read this work. To God be the Glory!
This chapter begins with an account of the ministry of John the Baptist. What do we know about John the Baptist? Recorded in Luke 1 are the unique circumstances surrounding the birth and family of this man that Jesus described as “more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist:” (Matthew 11:9b-11a). His mother was Elisabeth the cousin of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and his father was Zacharias a priest in Judaea. John’s upbringing as a child of a priest gives us insight into his concludes about the religious system and leaders of that day.
“In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,”
John came out from among them. Zacharias, his father, was a Levitical priest therefore under the Mosaic Law John was destined to the Levitical priesthood. We can surmise from this verse that John renounced the comforts of his birthright. The wilderness were John preached not only described the physical geographical area, but the spiritual atmosphere of that day. It was a literal object lesson that depicted the teaching and atmosphere of the religious system and leaders as dry, barren, and lifeless. The Spirit is saying that it also depicts the atmosphere of the church today. “But God” is calling out men and women with the spirit of John the Baptist. He is calling them out of the traditionalisms and other ungodly practices of the church to prepare the way for His coming. Have you been called out? Have you answered the call?
“And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
The message John the Baptist proclaimed in that day is the message we are proclaiming today. Repent for the kingdom of heaven is here, right now. This kingdom is like no earthly kingdom that has ever existed. We as the children of God have the auspicious privilege of extending an invitation to enter into the kingdom of our God to everyone we meet.
Join me next time for part 2 of Matthew 3. Extend an invitation into the kingdom to someone this week. Be blessed!
