People often wonder, Why did Jesus need to be baptized (Matthew 3:13–17)? The Faithlife Study Bible says, “John’s baptism for repentance was a means of identification with the kingdom of God. Although Jesus—the sinless Son of God—had nothing for which to repent, He publicly identified with God’s kingdom through His baptism.” Do you agree? Why or why not?
Read Matthew 4:1–11 and Hebrews 4:14–16. Why do you think the devil tempts Jesus in the way he does? How does Jesus resist? How does this compare to the ways we’re tempted today?
Martin Luther writes about the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7):
“. . . Christ opens his mouth and says there is something else needed than having enough here upon earth; as if to say: You dear disciples, if you come to preach among the people, you will find that they all teach and believe thus: He who is rich, powerful, etc., is altogether happy; and again, he who is poor and miserable is rejected and condemned before God. . . . Therefore it was needful that his sermon should begin with overturning this false notion and tearing it out of their hearts, as one of the greatest hindrances to faith . . .”
How do the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3–10) reveal the upside-down nature of God’s kingdom? Do you think the Beatitudes are still as countercultural today as they were in Jesus’ day? Why?
The Sermon on the Mount addresses practical matters like hatred, anxiety, divorce, love, and giving. Yet Jesus affirms the Old Testament Law and even takes the commands one step further (look for phrases like, “You have heard it said . . . but I tell you . . .”). What does Matthew 5:17–20 reveal about Jesus’ relationship with the Law? What are some Old Testament commands Jesus fulfills?
After you’ve read the Sermon on the Mount, spend some time praying the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9–13. Try breaking it into its parts and rewriting it in your own words, perhaps with prayers specific to your life and circumstances. As you do, consider what it means to be a part of God’s kingdom, and remember how much you’ve been forgiven.
New Testament Reading Plan Week 14: Matthew 3–7
“. . . Christ opens his mouth and says there is something else needed than having enough here upon earth; as if to say: You dear disciples, if you come to preach among the people, you will find that they all teach and believe thus: He who is rich, powerful, etc., is altogether happy; and again, he who is poor and miserable is rejected and condemned before God. . . . Therefore it was needful that his sermon should begin with overturning this false notion and tearing it out of their hearts, as one of the greatest hindrances to faith . . .”
How do the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3–10) reveal the upside-down nature of God’s kingdom? Do you think the Beatitudes are still as countercultural today as they were in Jesus’ day? Why?