Jesus Was Presented as a King
Book of Matthew Chapter 3
We should understand that the Gospels are not intended to give us a day by day, account of the life of Jesus.
The intent of the Gospels are to teach us how the Church was to begin.
The intent of the Gospels are to teach us God's plan of salvation.
The intent of the Gospels are to teach the Jews the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies.
We will find a thirty year gap between chapter 2 and chapter 3 of Matthew's Gospel.
This chapter begins with the forerunner, John the Baptist.
A fulfillment of prophecy.
Isa 40:3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Isa 40:4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
Isa 40:5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
Chapter 3 Verse 1
*****Mat 3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
Mat 3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
"In those days" means the days the Lord Jesus Christ walked upon this earth.
This wilderness was a true wilderness. It was a wild, barren and desolate place and it was in this same area where we will find that the Lord was tempted of Satan.
In general, when the Bible speaks of a wilderness in the New Testament it means a less cultivated place opposed to pastureland that is plowed regularly.
John lived in the true wilderness.
John was the forerunner for Jesus Christ, and he had begun his own ministry.
Mal 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
God had sent many prophets and many true priests and many messengers to the Jews and yet they had rebelled against them all, killing many of them.
We know that John the Baptist would also be murdered for taking a stand against a wicked government but not before his ministry was complete and the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ had begun.
What was his message?
Repent, for the kingdom of God was at hand.
To repent is not just to feel sorrow and regret but it is a complete change in lifestyle, a complete change in your heart, and a complete change in your way of thinking!
Daniel best describes the kingdom of God:
Dan 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
Dan 7:14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
The Lord's kingdom is not of this earth.
Joh 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Joh 18:37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
Though the Lord will rule this earth as King for 1000 years, His true Kingdom will be in the New Jerusalem where all the saints of God will join Him to be with Him forever and forever.
*****Mat 3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
We already have seen this prophecy but let us see it again.
Isa 40:3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Isa 40:4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
Isa 40:5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
What is "make His paths straight"?
The image of making His paths straight is as building a highway leveling the mountains, filling in the valleys making a sure path to God's future kingdom, even though that road would be a narrow one.
Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
The Lord Jesus Christ provides that only pathway to God's rebuilt Heaven. Not many ways but one way and that way by the Lord Jesus Christ!
It is the job of every Christian to prepare the way of the Lord to the lost!
The ways of John remind us of that Old Testament prophet Elijah.
*****Mat 3:4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
You cannot be a prophet of God without spending a lot of time alone with God!
John chose the wilderness of Judah.
2Ki 1:7 And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words?
2Ki 1:8 And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.
The raiment of Elijah was made of camel's hair or the skin of a hairy animal.
That raiment sounds like it would be rough but in fact camel's hair was a good material for clothing, keeping out the heat, the cold, and the rain.
A prophet of God would never wear clothing that could deceive a person.
The Christian is told to wear modest clothing:
1Ti_2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
Jesus asked the religious leaders this question:
Mat 11:7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
Mat 11:8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.
Mat 11:9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
Mat 11:10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
Jesus loves and respects all those who prepare the way before Him:
Mat 11:11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
John the Baptist brought baptism by immersion to a reality.
*****Mat 3:5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,
Mat 3:6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
The preaching of John was real.
The preaching of John was about the truth.
The preaching of John was about repentance.
John had the same message to the poor, the rich, to the religious elders, and to the government!
There was no baptism without first confessing your sins and confessing repentance.
What is our first confession? We must confess we are a sinner.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Our next confession is the need of a Savior, and there is only One Savior.
2Jn 1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
1Jn 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
1Jn 2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
Next comes baptism:
Baptism was not new because baptism was practiced in all ancient religions.
For John, baptism was an outward sign or repentance and a changed life. To be baptized was also to promise the Lord we would have that faith in His cleansing of our sins.
The full immersion baptism must represent the death the burial and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The full immersion baptism must be done in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost!
Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Baptism cannot save, it is only an admission that Jesus Christ is the only way to be saved from a Devil's Hell!
If you cannot believe all these things, then you are only taking a bath and a hundred baptisms will never get you closer to the Lord and a sprinkling can only get you wet!
John preached hard against religious deceivers:
Mat 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Mat 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
Mat 3:9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
Mat 3:10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
If we refuse to repent, then we cannot receive the Holy Spirit.
If we do not show the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives, then we are not saved.
What is the fruit of the Holy Spirit?
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Eph 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
Eph 5:10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
These Pharisee and Sadducee were not going to repent, and they did not bear the fruit of the Spirit.
We should understand the meaning of being called a "viper".
A viper is full of deadly poison and venom. The doctrine of false religion is full of malice against the truth and is deadly in that it will separate you from the love and the presence of God!
We live in a world today where the truth is rejected, and the poison is received.
Notice John was a true preacher and not afraid of organize religion.
Both John and the Lord Jesus Christ would not be welcome in the Church of today!
It is not baptism with water that saves!
It is being washed in the blood of Jesus and then baptized with the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit will not live in a false house.
*****Mat 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
Mat 3:12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
You see until you accept that the Lord Jesus Christ is the one and the only way to remain in the presence of God, then you cannot be a home for the Holy Spirit.
1Co_3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co_6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
You cannot be a Living Temple of God until you are washed in the blood of Jesus Christ.
1Co_6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Heb_9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Do not be fooled by organized religion!
Jesus will thoroughly cleanse this earth from all sin, and none will be allowed in Heaven!
We are not as worthy as John and though he was the forerunner, a great prophet, who even made Herod tremble, said he was unworthy to be even a slave to the Lord Jesus Christ.
We must be washed with the water of the Holy Spirit which means surrounded, immersed, inside and outside by and with the Holy Spirit.
It means a new birth!
Joh_3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Joh_3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
The fan of Christ Jesus is the "Gospel"!
His floor is the "Church" which is covered in a mixture of wheat and chaff.
Jesus will gather the wheat, those who are washed in the Spirit, to take to Heaven, and He will purge all who reject Him for a lifetime of torment!
Even Jesus was baptized to show us all that repentance is real even though He had no sin to repent of.
*****Mat 3:13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
Mat 3:14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
Mat 3:15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
Jesus teaches us that we must set our life apart unto our Heavenly Father in a renewed spirit of dedication.
Jesus always did the will of our Heavenly Father and we must do our best to do the same!
Joh_5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
The One and Only Living Example we have is the Lord Jesus Christ who teaches us by example.
Being 100% man but truly 100% God, Jesus made sure his human side did never exalt Himself above other humans.
He was and is higher than the highest but showed himself as a humble human being who lived in the will of His Heavenly Father.
Jesus needed to be baptized but he needed to be baptized by John specifically.
Jesus had traveled by foot from Nazareth of Galilee to where John was on the River Jordan which was a long walk.
It is on this day of His baptism that the Lord Jesus Christ began His earthly ministry!
It was John who had been preparing the way for Him.
The Lord Jesus identified Himself with the ministry of John the Baptist.
What was John's message? "Repent and be baptized for the Kingdom of God was at hand".
The Lord Jesus Christ is the door, not the doorway, but the door to the Kingdom of Heaven!
He is the founder of Christianity.
He is the Head of the Church, which is the Body of Christ.
He is the purchaser of all Righteousness, which He did on the Cross.
He is the Ideal Man our true Example!
John already had stated that the Messiah was much greater than he and said to the Lord "I need to be baptized of thee".
John was not one to humble himself before anyone. He boldly preached the truth of God, but we must all humble ourselves before our righteous God!
All manner of people had come to John to be baptized but John knew he was nothing compared to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Neither are any of us!
There is no disgrace in humbling yourself before the Master!
**Jesus came to fulfill every law written by Moses and He did, He was the perfect man, to become the perfect High Priest.
Exo 29:4 And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water.
Exo 29:5 And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the curious girdle of the ephod:
Exo 29:6 And thou shalt put the mitre upon his head, and put the holy crown upon the mitre.
Exo 29:7 Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him.
** Jesus came to pay "every man's" penalty for breaking those same laws, there 613 laws given by Moses.
** Jesus demonstrated to the fullest extent His humiliation in becoming a man.
Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
**Jesus identified Himself with all those He came to save!
**Jesus became the pattern for every human being!
**Jesus began His ministry, as the High Priest always entered his ministry in such a ceremony.
When Jesus came up out of the water, our Heavenly Father recognized His Only Begotten Son.
*****Mat 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
Mat 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
The Heavens opened. We will get to see this one day soon.
The Holy Spirit descended like a dove.
Remember this was a sign given to John the Baptist to verify the Messiah.
Joh 1:32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
Joh 1:33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
The voice of a Holy God spoke about His Son.
"Noticed God said, "my beloved Son".
One day when we get to Heaven our Heavenly Father will say welcome home son or welcome home daughter.
Amen
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