Matthew 3

"But when [John the Baptizer] saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. "You brood of snakes!" he exclaimed...."

"In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, "Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the..."

"Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. But John tried to talk him out of it. "I am the one who needs to be baptized...."

"The moment Jesus came up out of the baptismal waters, the skies opened up and he saw God's Spirit — it looked like a dove — descending and landing....."

"[John the Baptizer said,] "I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am —...."

"In those days John the Baptist came ... saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.""

"The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John [the Baptist] when he said, "He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way for the Lord's..."

"People from Jerusalem and from all of Judea and all over the Jordan Valley went out to see and hear John [the Baptist]. And when they confessed their...."

"After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him...."

Jesus said this was the right thing for him to do! James Nored and Phil Ware remind us of an important reason to be baptized: not only was Jesus baptized, he also said it was the right thing to do and called on all his disciples to be baptized and baptizers.

"[When John questioned why Jesus came to be baptized,] Jesus said, "It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires." So John agreed to...."

"It is pleasant to pass over a country after a storm has spent itself; to smell the freshness of the herbs after the rain has passed away, and to note...."

"As the Spirit of God descended upon the Lord Jesus, the head, so he also, in measure, descends upon the members of the mystical body. His descent is....."

"[John the Baptizer:] "I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am — so much....."

Inspirational illustration of Matthew 3:2 -- [In those days John the Baptist came...] saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

What needs to be forced out of your heart? Mike Barres talks about burning wood and the fire forcing out the moisture so it can burn brighter and longer.

'Jesus is my beloved Son. What he says not only pleases me, but it is my fullest truth.' Phil Ware reminds us that God said almost exactly the same words to his Son twice, yet he spoke the first time to affirm his Son and the second time to let us know we must listen to the Son.

Are you dead enough to catch on fire? Mike Barres challenges us to die to self so we can catch fire with the Spirit of the Lord.

Because he knew the true and living God, the heart behind the Scriptures, he could recognize the forger, the fraud — Satan — who tried to distort and misuse truth and Scripture. James Nored and Phil Ware discuss the temptations and trials of Jesus and why they are important to us and what they have to say to us as people who are part of God's story.