The Son of God Is Baptized

Transcription

1 SESSION 5 The Son of God Is Baptized Summary and Goal John the Baptist was the prophet who prepared the way for Jesus public ministry. John prepared the way by preaching a message of repentance for the forgiveness of sins and by baptizing people as a sign of their allegiance to God. Jesus chose to be baptized, even though He was sinless, in order to identify with His sinful people and provide an example of righteousness. Similarly, Christian baptism symbolizes our union with Christ in His death and resurrection and marks us out as God s people. Main Passage Matthew 3:1-17 Session Outline 1. God s messenger prepares the way for Jesus (Matt. 3:1-6). 2. God s messenger preaches repentance and baptism (Matt. 3:7-12). 3. God s Son identifies with His people through baptism (Matt. 3:13-17). Theological Theme In His baptism, Jesus identifies with His sinful people. Christ Connection Jesus baptism shows us that Jesus completely obeyed God and identified with sinners by being baptized like sinners are baptized. His baptism points to His death on the cross and resurrection from the grave. For those of us in Christ, the words spoken over Jesus at His baptism are also true of us we are the Father s beloved children in whom He takes delight. Missional Application God calls us to repent and be baptized as a sign of our identification with Jesus and His people. Date of My Bible Study: LifeWay Christian Resources. Permission granted to reproduce and distribute within the license agreement with purchaser.

2 Session Plan The Son of God Is Baptized For Further Discussion How should the Gospels example of beginning the gospel with John the Baptist impact our evangelism and telling people about their need for Jesus? For Further Discussion How does Matthew s quotation of Isaiah 40:3 (Matt. 3:3) subtly articulate Jesus deity? What does this Old Testament connection communicate about God s knowledge, plan, and will? Pack Item 6: John the Baptist s Life Use this timeline pack item to put John the Baptist s life in perspective from the Old Testament prophecies about him to his coming on the scene in Judea to prepare the way for Jesus. Introduction Note how the Gospels begin the good news of Jesus with John the Baptist and his call to repentance and baptism (leader p. 58; PSG p. 46). Briefly contrast John s baptism with Christian baptism (leader p. 58). If you have been baptized, what do you recall of the circumstances, meaning, and emotions surrounding the event? Summarize this session on Jesus baptism by John the Baptist the prophet who prepared the way for Jesus public ministry (leader p. 59; PSG p. 47). 1. God s messenger prepares the way for Jesus (Matt. 3:1-6). Read Matthew 3:1-6. Show how Isaiah 40:3 was a prophecy about John s ministry and how he prepared people to receive Jesus he told them to repent (leader pp ; PSG p. 47). How does repentance make us ready to receive the Word of the Lord? Connect the details of John s ministry with the prophet Elijah. Talk about how the Holy Spirit continues to prepare the way by leading us to repentance (leader p. 60; PSG p. 48). Why is it appropriate for Christians to confess their sins to God? What do we learn from confessing our sins? What is the result? 2. God s messenger preaches repentance and baptism (Matt. 3:7-12). Read Matthew 3:7-12. Describe the prophetic invective that John directed toward the religious leaders of his day. Then highlight John s shift to the future and to Jesus (leader p. 61; PSG p. 49). 56 Leader Guide

3 Why do you think John s message was so harsh in its tone toward the religious leaders? How was this message part of John s preparing the way for Jesus? Say that John not only preached a message of repentance but also demonstrated humility. Elaborate on why humility is necessary for repentance and baptism (leader p. 62; PSG p. 50). In what ways does baptism provide a picture of salvation through Christ? What is the connection of baptism to humility? 3. God s Son identifies with His people through baptism (Matt. 3:13-17). Ask a volunteer to read Matthew 3: Stress that by being baptized, Jesus was not repenting here but taking His place alongside those of us who do need to repent (leader p. 63; PSG p. 51). Point 2 Option Read the Essential Christian Doctrine Baptism (leader p. 62; PSG p. 50). Challenge the group to consider the following questions: Which symbolic aspect of baptism (death, burial, resurrection) impacts you the most at this point in your life? How can baptism be a blessing and an encouragement for both the individual and the community of faith? If baptism means we are recognizing our own sin and identifying with God s people, how should baptism affect the way we view ourselves and the choices we make as believers? State that this moment of baptism represented Jesus acceptance of His calling, and it represented God s acceptance of His perfect Son with words He would soon need in the wilderness (leader p. 64; PSG p. 52). For those of us in Christ, the words of God the Father over Jesus You are my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased are the words God speaks over us at our baptism. What is the significance of this affirmation from God? Explain how Jesus radical identification with sinners through His baptism and crucifixion is a paradigm for His followers. We are to take up our cross, even as Jesus took up His (leader p. 65; PSG p. 53). Conclusion Put forth the challenge that like Jesus, we radically identify ourselves with sinners but without sinning to lead them to Jesus (leader p. 65; PSG p. 53). Apply the truths of this session with His Mission, Your Mission (PSG p. 54). Pass out cards from Pack Item 7: The Life of Repentance to help group members remember the vital importance of repentance in the life of the Christian. Christ Connection: Jesus baptism shows us that Jesus completely obeyed God and identified with sinners by being baptized like sinners are baptized. His baptism points to His death on the cross and resurrection from the grave. For those of us in Christ, the words spoken over Jesus at His baptism are also true of us we are the Father s beloved children in whom He takes delight.... Missional Application: God calls us to repent and be baptized as a sign of our identification with Jesus and His people. 57

4 Expanded Session Content The Son of God Is Baptized Voices from Church History There is nothing like the consideration of divine grace to break the heart, both for sin and from sin. That is evangelical repentance, that flows from a sight of Christ, from a sense of his love, and the hopes of pardon and forgiveness through him. Kindness is conquering; abused kindness, humbling and melting. 1 Matthew Henry ( ) Introduction The story of the gospel (the good news) of Jesus Christ begins with John the Baptist. For this reason, all four Gospels begin the story of Jesus by introducing us to John. Here we see John taking on the mantle of the prophet, reaching back as far as Elijah. John is the one who recognizes Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. But then comes a mysterious scene, in which Jesus asks John to be baptized for repentance, even though He has nothing to repent of. After Jesus submits to the baptism of John, God the Father pronounces the identity of His beloved Son In You I am well pleased. Those affirming words from God, the kind of words every child wishes to hear from his or her father, precede Jesus public ministry. Both John the Baptist s call to repentance and his emphasis on baptism were necessary for the first readers of Matthew s Gospel. Like you and me, the first readers of this story needed to experience repentance a word that in the original language means to turn around. Christian repentance is turning around turning from sin and turning to God in faith. And just like you and me, the readers of Matthew s Gospel needed to develop a lifestyle of repentance. Every day presents another opportunity to realize afresh our need for the forgiveness that only Jesus can give the One who identified with us through His baptism. Baptism is an act with several layers of meaning. John s baptism focused on repentance and preparation for the coming kingdom. Christian baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit goes further symbolizing our sins being washed away; representing death, burial, and resurrection in Christ; and marking one s formal entrance into a community of believers in Jesus. If you have been baptized, what do you recall of the circumstances, meaning, and emotions surrounding the event? 58 Leader Guide

5 Session Summary In this session, we are introduced to John the Baptist the prophet who prepared the way for Jesus public ministry. John prepared the way by preaching a message of repentance for the forgiveness of sins and by baptizing people as a sign of their allegiance to God. Jesus chose to be baptized, even though He was sinless, in order to identify with His sinful people and provide an example of righteousness. Similarly, Christian baptism symbolizes our union with Christ in His death and resurrection and marks us out as God s people. 1. God s messenger prepares the way for Jesus (Matt. 3:1-6). The ministry of Jesus began with John the Baptist. Luke parallels the story of Jesus birth with the birth of John in his Gospel. In Mark s Gospel, John s voice is the first one we hear. In the Gospel of the John, the Baptizer is the first person we meet after the prologue. He is the forerunner to the Messiah who insists again and again that he is not the Messiah. Now let s look at how Matthew s Gospel brings John the Baptist onto the scene as the messenger who prepares the way for Jesus. 1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight. 4 Now John wore a garment of camel s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. In verse 3 above, we see John s ministry is described in the words of Isaiah 40:3. He was the one crying, In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord. How do you prepare people to receive Jesus, the Messiah? The answer, according to John the Baptist, is to make them aware of their need for the forgiveness that only Jesus can provide. You challenge them to repent. John s message of repentance hit a nerve. His was the first prophetic voice to speak to God s people in generations. Peter, whose brother Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist, fell on his knees before Jesus and later confessed that he was a sinful man (Luke 5:8). Here was a man whose heart had been softened already by John s exhortation to repent. Further Commentary John s message focused on repentance and the coming kingdom of heaven. Jesus emphasized the same thing from the outset of His ministry. The kingdom is defined as the rule which God exercises through the person, work, and teachings of Jesus. The call to repent means we must abandon sinful lifestyles and express sorrow for sins Matthew s application of Isaiah 40:3 to John the Baptist tells us as much about Jesus as it does about John. After all, in its original context the prophecy spoke of one who prepared the way for the coming of Yahweh, God Himself. By using a text about the coming of Yahweh to describe the coming of Jesus, Matthew proclaimed that Jesus is divine John s garment was similar to Elijah s (2 Kings 1:8) and his ministry and lifestyle paralleled Elijah s also Jesus explained the significance of these parallels in Matthew 11:14; 17:12-13 Although Jews required Gentiles to immerse themselves in water in order to convert from paganism to Judaism, John demanded that repentant Jews be baptized as well. This bold move implied that Jews did not belong to God merely by virtue of their descent from Abraham. Like anyone else, ethnic Jews needed to repent in order to enter the coming kingdom. Unlike the repetitive ritual washings of other religious groups, John s baptism appears to have been a one-time event associated with a permanent repentance and a transformed life. 2 Charles L. Quarles, HCSB Study Bible 59

6 Voices from Church History Both by the words of the prophets and by John s own preaching, this one thing is clear: he had arrived, making a way and preparing it beforehand. John was not bestowing the gift, which was the remission of sins, but preparing beforehand the souls of those who would receive the God of all. 3 John Chrysostom (circa ) In Luke 7, we meet a woman who discovered that Jesus was dining at the house of Simon the Pharisee. The only word that describes her is sinner (v. 37). But once she arrived, she wept over her sins and anointed Jesus feet with oil. We are never told if she first heard John s message, but her actions indicate that she was aware of her sin, ready to repent, and knew that there was only one place she could find forgiveness at the feet of Jesus. How does repentance make us ready to receive the Word of the Lord? In Matthew 3:3-4, we see that John was preaching in the wilderness. His wardrobe was peculiar. He dressed in camel hair and his diet was locusts and honey. These are the hallmarks of a person who lived in the wilderness. But the most important feature of John the Baptist s ministry was not his strange clothing or diet but his preoccupation with the message Repent! John comes from Elijah s place with Elijah s message (2 Kings 1:8). He is the prophet tasked with preparing the way for the Lord. Verses 5 and 6 confirm the tremendous response of the people to John s message. They were flocking to John from Jerusalem as well as the whole region of Judea. (Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist, which means his influence had reached all the way north to Galilee!) In our own time, the way is still being prepared. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin and softens our hearts as He leads us to repentance. The call to repent strikes many people as odd, but it is a necessary condition to see our need for salvation. The way that is prepared for individual sinners is a path of repentance that is demonstrated through baptism. The baptismal pool is prepared for all who repent, turn around, and come to Jesus in order to be cleansed of sin, forgiven for failure, and restored to service to God. Why is it appropriate for Christians to confess their sins to God? What do we learn from confessing our sins? What is the result? 60 Leader Guide

7 2. God s messenger preaches repentance and baptism (Matt. 3:7-12). We ve seen that John s ministry was to be the voice crying out in the wilderness, the one who prepared the way for the Messiah. But what was the content of his message? Here we listen in on a conversation between John and the religious and political leaders of God s people the Pharisees and Sadducees. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our father, for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. In verse 7, Matthew tells us a group of Pharisees and Sadducees were there beside the Jordan where John was baptizing. Seeing them, John poured out a stream of prophetic invective. He called them a brood of vipers. (This was a phrase that Jesus, John s cousin, would also use to describe the Pharisees in Matt. 12:34; 23:33.) In verse 9, John attacked their confidence in their connection to Abraham, just as his cousin Jesus would later do (cf. Matt. 8:11; Luke 13:28; John 8:39). John longed to see the fruit of repentance in their lives. If they failed to repent, their trees would be cut down and thrown into the fire (Matt. 3:10). In other words, judgment would come even to the religious leaders if they did not repent and believe. In verse 11, John s sermon shifted to the future and to Jesus. At first, he compared the two of them. John was baptizing with water. Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. His language was thick with Old Testament imagery: he spoke of the winnowing shovel, the threshing floor, the chaff, and the fire (see Isa. 17:13; 66:24; Jer. 13:24; 15:7; 51:33; Joel 3:12-14). Further Commentary He who is coming after me expresses strong messianic expectation. is mightier than I. John announces the nearness of the kingdom, but the Coming One will arrive with the power of God to inaugurate messianic rule baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. John s water baptism will be superseded by the baptism associated with the Coming One. Those who repent and trust in him will receive the blessing of the Holy Spirit (cf. Joel 2:28-29; Acts 2:16-21), while the unrepentant will receive the judgment of eternal fire, and even the repentant may undergo a purifying fire. 4 Michael J. Wilkins, ESV Study Bible Further Commentary In driving home the point that he is subservient to the one who is coming, John simply says that he is not worthy to untie his sandals (v. 11). In the Babylonian Talmud it says, All services which a slave does for his master a disciple should do for his teacher, with the exception of undoing his shoes (Ketuboth 96a). In essence, John is saying that he is not even worthy to be Jesus slave. 61

8 Voices from Church History It was the task of the prophets to call people away from their sins, but it was proper to Christ to save those who believe. 5 Hilary (circa ) Voices from Church History Dying to sin is the life of repentance. 6 Thomas Watson ( ) 99 Essential Christian Doctrines 92. Baptism Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer s faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior, the believer s death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to the believer s faith in the final resurrection of the dead. Being a church ordinance, it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and to the Lord s Supper. Why do you think John s message was so harsh in its tone toward the religious leaders? How was this message part of John s preparing the way for Jesus? John may have been harsh with the Pharisees, but he was also deeply humble. Harshness toward hypocrisy should be rooted in humility and self-awareness. John claimed he was not worthy to loosen the sandals of the Messiah. John not only preached a message of repentance; he also demonstrated the humility that must accompany such repentance, a humility that is made visible in the waters of baptism. Until you are humble, you will never see your need for repentance. Until you are humble, you will never realize that you need your sins dealt with. Until you are humble, you will never submit to the humiliating action of baptism. In Judaism, ritual immersion was mandated before a person entered the temple area, as well as on various other occasions. It was an external symbol of an internal reality. Baptism was also used to initiate Gentiles into the Jewish community. Once other conditions were met, such as circumcision for male initiates, immersion symbolized being born into the Jewish community. One was said to be born again. John s baptism embraced all these images and more. But the fact that John baptized Jews was a sign that more was going on than mere initiation here. John was concerned about the heart of the person. A baptism of repentance was a unique innovation of John the Baptist. When we enter the waters of baptism, similar layers of meaning and range of symbols come alive for us. The physicality of entering the water, the humiliation of getting wet in front of the congregation, the joy of coming up out of the water, these are the same emotions we share with Jesus first disciples. In what ways does baptism provide a picture of salvation through Christ? What is the connection of baptism to humility? 62 Leader Guide

9 3. God s Son identifies with His people through baptism (Matt. 3:13-17). Jesus came from Galilee to the place where John was baptizing. In the Gospels, Jesus often surprises us, saying what we don t expect and doing what we wouldn t imagine. This moment is no exception Jesus asks John to baptize Him. 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me? 15 But Jesus answered him, Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. In verse 14, John (who has just spoken of his inferiority to Jesus) protested. It should be the other way around, right? Jesus should be baptizing John! Once more Jesus is misunderstood, as John will misunderstand Him again shortly before his own death (Matt. 11:3). Verse 15 contains Jesus first words in the Gospel of Matthew. A character s first words are significant in any book. How much more so the words here of Jesus! Let it be so now, Jesus said, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. What could Jesus possibly have meant? How did His submitting to a baptism of repentance fulfill all righteousness? What did Jesus ever do wrong that He needed to repent? In submitting to John s baptism, Jesus was not repenting. He was taking His place alongside those of us who do need to repent. He was radically identifying with His sinful people. He was saying, I will take my place alongside sinners, I will identify with them even to the point of dying on the cross so that they might eventually be set free from their sins. When I was a young boy attending church, I began to sit next to an elderly man whom I eventually adopted as a grandfather. One day, I got into trouble in church for acting up. After I had been punished, he found me, got down on his knees, and whispered, Mike, you have done something terribly wrong and I am on your side. I cannot describe the feeling those words gave me. I was too young to understand the gospel, but this was my first hint. He wasn t saying, Make things right and then I will be on your side. No, he meant that even in my state of being wrong, he had chosen to stand with me. Further Commentary Because baptism implies that a person has repented, John balks at baptizing Jesus. Matthew does not explicitly enunciate the doctrine of Christ s sinlessness, but he seems to hint at it. In verse 11 John has already disclosed his inferiority complex in the presence of the Messiah. He now acknowledges his own sinfulness in comparison with Jesus and how the tables ought rightfully to be turned. Jesus should be baptizing John. Jesus somewhat ambiguous reply seems to acknowledge the force of John s logic but nevertheless requests baptism for different reasons. Jesus has not come to confess any sin but to fulfill all righteousness. He has previously fulfilled specific prophecies as well as more general scriptural themes. Now he wishes to obey all the moral demands of God s will. To fulfill all righteousness means to complete everything that forms part of a relationship of obedience to God. In so doing, Jesus identifies with and endorses John s ministry as divinely ordained and his message as one to be heeded. 7 Craig Blomberg 63

10 Views of Baptism 8 Evangelical churches fall into two major camps as it relates to baptism: proponents of believer s baptism and paedobaptism. Believer s Baptism: This position holds that baptism is properly administered only to those who have given a believable profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The mode of immersion in water serves as a symbol of beginning the Christian life through death to sin and self and resurrection to new life. Believer s baptism is practiced in Baptist, Assembly of God, Church of God, Pentecostal, and many non-denominational churches. Paedobaptism: This view holds that baptism is rightly administered to all infant children of believing parents. The word paedobaptism means the practice of baptizing infants. This conviction is sometimes called covenantal because it depends on seeing infants born to believers as part of the covenant community of God s people. Paedobaptism is practiced in Lutheran, Episcopalian, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Reformed churches. Years later when I accepted Christ as my Savior on the basis of the Scriptures, my visceral understanding of the gospel was rooted in that moment. When I had sinned a long time ago, a man took his place beside me. I was not alone. In his eyes I was forgiven. If baptism means we are recognizing our own sin and identifying with God s people, how should baptism affect the way we view ourselves and the choices we make as believers? As Jesus was coming up out of the water, He saw heaven opened and God s Holy Spirit descending on Him in the form of a dove. This same Spirit, Mark tells us, will drive Jesus into the wilderness in a matter of moments (Mark 1:12). Jesus had just taken upon Himself the calling of His Father, a calling which will eventually lead Him to the cross. This moment of baptism represented Jesus acceptance of His calling, and it represented God s acceptance of His perfect Son. Jesus could have exercised His moral superiority over John the Baptist, but instead, He humbly submitted to His Father and was baptized, even though He had never sinned. In response, we hear the Father pronounce the perfect words. They are the words every child longs to hear from his or her father. They are the words Jesus most needed to hear at this moment as He literally looked up and saw the wilderness He was about to enter. In essence, the Father said, I love You and I am delighted in You. He confirmed Jesus identity as His Son. This was the identity Jesus seemed to be aware of in the temple when He was only 12 years old. It was the identity that Satan would immediately seek to attack and destroy in the wilderness that lies only a few miles away from the Jordan River. For those of us in Christ, the words of God the Father over Jesus You are my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased are the words God speaks over us at our baptism. What is the significance of this affirmation from God? The process of identification doesn t begin and end with baptism. This is only the first step toward a larger experience of identifying with the poor and the marginalized. It ushers us into a radical commitment and identification with Christ s body, the church. 64 Leader Guide

11 Jesus radical identification with sinners through His baptism and crucifixion is a paradigm for His followers. We are called to follow His example. We are to stand with the poor. We are to be lights to the world, even as He is the Light of the world (Matt. 5:14; John 8:12; 9:5). We are to take up our cross, even as Jesus took up His (Matt. 10:38; 16:24). As Jesus identified with us, so we identify with Him, and in doing so, we adopt a strong stance and sense of unity with His body, the church. Though we have no right to expect anything from Him, Jesus gave us everything. Though the world has no right to expect anything from us, for His sake we are to offer everything, including our very lives. Conclusion In Jesus willing submission to the baptism of repentance, we see the radical obedience of the Son to the Father. By entering the waters of baptism, Jesus is radically identifying with human beings. John the Baptist had prepared the way for Jesus by making everyone who heard his message aware of their need for repentance. With His baptism, Jesus takes His place alongside these repentant believers. His identification with them will be so radical that He will eventually take upon Himself their sins on the cross, once for all paying the price for the sin of the world. To all who choose to follow Him, the call comes to repent and obey. Like Jesus, we radically identify ourselves with sinners but without sinning, not in order to forgive them but so that we might lead them into relationship with the only One who can forgive Jesus, the perfect, submissive, obedient Son. Voices from the Church Baptism means discarding your freedom to do whatever you like with your life. You accept an assignment to serve God s people and to serve with them. 9 Tim Stafford Voices from Church History In order to manifest to other believers in Christ his heart, mind, faith, and intention, he joins their brotherhood and churches, [and] accepts and gives a public testimony of his internal faith and lets himself be baptized with water. 10 Balthasar Hubmaier ( ) CHRIST CONNECTION: Jesus baptism shows us that Jesus completely obeyed God and identified with sinners by being baptized like sinners are baptized. His baptism points to His death on the cross and resurrection from the grave. For those of us in Christ, the words spoken over Jesus at His baptism are also true of us we are the Father s beloved children in whom He takes delight. 65

12 Additional Resources The Son of God Is Baptized References 1. Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (Hutto, TX: WORDsearch, 2012), [WORDsearch]. 2. Charles L. Quarles, in HCSB Study Bible (Nashville: B&H, 2010), , n. 3:2; n. 3:3; n. 3:4; n. 3:6. 3. Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, 10.3, quoted in Matthew 1 13, ed. Manlio Simonetti, vol. Ia in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament (Downers Grove: IVP, 2014) [WORDsearch]. 4. Michael J. Wilkins, in ESV Study Bible (Wheaton: Crossway, 2008), 1824, n. 3: Hilary, On Matthew, 2.4, quoted in Matthew 1 13, ed. Manlio Simonetti, vol. Ia in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament [WORDsearch]. 6. Thomas Watson, The Doctrine of Repentance, Grace Gems [online], 1668 [2 August 2016]. Available from the Internet: gracegems.org. 7. Craig L. Blomberg, Matthew, vol. 22 in The New American Commentary (Nashville: B&H, 2003) [WORDsearch]. 8. Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994), , Tim Stafford, Surprised by Jesus (Downers Grove: IVP, 2006), Balthasar Hubmaier, Christian Baptism, quoted in Balthasar Hubmaier s Integration of Discipline and Theology, by Simon V. Goncharenko, in The Anabaptists and Contemporary Baptists, ed. Malcolm B. Yarnell III (Nashville: B&H, 2013), 174. Study Material Get expert insights on weekly studies through Ministry Grid at MinistryGrid.com/web/TheGospelProject. Grow with other group leaders at the Group Ministry blog at LifeWay.com/GroupMinistry. -- Repentance and Resolutions Pages from Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Matthew by David Platt -- Why Was Jesus Baptized? Article by John MacArthur; find a link to this article at GospelProject.com/AdditionalResources --Previous Biblical Illustrator articles, including John the Baptist: His Life and Ministry, can be purchased, along with other articles for this quarter, at LifeWay.com/BiblicalIllustrator. Look for Bundles: The Gospel Project. Sermon Podcast Iain Campbell: Trinity in Baptism of Jesus Video Russell Moore: Why Is It Important for Christians to Be Baptized? Find links to these at GospelProject.com/AdditionalResources Tip of the Week Training Parents to Pass On the Faith Baptism and the Lord s Supper are excellent teaching moments for parents to instruct their children who are not yet believers (and even if they are). Young children are often unable to grasp the spiritual elements of the Christian faith, but the concreteness of baptism and the elements of the Lord s Supper allow for a unique opportunity for instruction. Because it is a parent s calling to raise their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord (see Deut. 6:7; Eph. 6:4), it is their responsibility to use baptism and the Supper to direct the curiosity of their children and help them ponder gospel truths. 66 Leader Guide

13 About the Writers The Gospel Project Adult Leader Guide ESV Volume 5, Number 3 Spring 2017 Eric Geiger Vice President, LifeWay Resources Ed Stetzer General Editor Trevin Wax Managing Editor Daniel Davis Content Editor Josh Hayes Content and Production Editor Ken Braddy Manager, Adult Ongoing Bible Studies Michael Kelley Director, Groups Ministry Send questions/comments to: Managing Editor, The Gospel Project: Adult Leader Guide, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN ; or make comments on the Web at Printed in the United States of America The Gospel Project : Adult Leader Guide ESV (ISSN ; Item ) is published quarterly by LifeWay Christian Resources, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234, Thom S. Rainer, President LifeWay Christian Resources. For ordering or inquiries, visit or write LifeWay Resources Customer Service, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN For subscriptions or subscription address changes, subscribe@lifeway.com, fax (615) , or write to the above address. For bulk shipments mailed quarterly to one address, orderentry@lifeway.com, fax (615) , or write to the above address. We believe that the Bible has God for its author; salvation for its end; and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter and that all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. To review LifeWay s doctrinal guideline, please visit Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All Scripture quotations marked (CSB) are taken from the Christian Standard Bible, copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009, 2016 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Unit 1: Michael Card has recorded over 37 albums, authored over 25 books, hosted a radio program, and written for a wide range of magazines. He has penned such favorites as El Shaddai, Love Crucified Arose, and Emmanuel. He has sold more than 4 million albums and written over 19 #1 hits, but the popularity of his work seems a stark contrast to his goal in life to simply and quietly teach the Bible. Unit 2: D. A. Horton currently serves as a pastor at Reach Fellowship, a church plant in Los Angeles, California, and as the Chief Evangelist for UYWI. He is also working toward his PhD in Applied Theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Elicia, have three children, Izabelle, Lola, and Damon Jr (aka Duce). Special Session Easter: Richard R. Melick Jr. serves as a Distinguished Professor of New Testament, Affiliated Faculty, at Gateway Seminary. He is a consulting editor for The New American Commentary, for which he also contributed the volume Philippians, Colossians, Philemon. He and his wife, Shera, coauthored Teaching That Transforms. They have three children and eight grandchildren. WRITERS