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The Beauty of Baptism

November 14, 2021

Matthew 3:1-4

1In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.’”

4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

7 But 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? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The 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. 11 “I baptize you with[b] water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with[c] the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

16 As 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 alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Read Matthew 3:1-6

  1. Matthew suggests that John the Baptist is fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy. Read Isaiah 40:1-5. In what ways does the prophecy in Isaiah speak to John’s ministry and also to the ministry of Jesus that was to follow?
  2. How does Matthew describe John the Baptist’s message (verse 2)? What do you think John means? How does this message compare with Jesus’ own message in Matthew 4:17? Why is this significant?
  3. From what you see in this passage, why were people being baptized by John?

Read Matthew 3:7-12

  1. In verse 6, Matthew has already described the reason people were coming from all over to see John: to be baptized. How is that different than the way Matthew describes the Pharisees and the Sadducees coming to John?
  2. John speaks very harshly to the Pharisees and Sadducees. Why do you think John spoke so strongly against them?
  3. From what you read in these verses, how does “John’s kind of baptism” compare with the kind of baptism Jesus will bring? How are they similar? How are they different?

Read Matthew 3:13-15

  1. Do your best to describe how Jesus being baptized by John ‘fulfills all righteousness’?

Read Matthew 3:16-17

  1. Discuss how the trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) are all present in this moment. What do we learn from this?
  2. When in your life have you had a sense that God was pleased with you? Describe what that feeling is like.
  3. If you have been baptized, describe your experience of baptism. If you have not been baptized, is getting baptized something you would be willing to consider? Why or why not?