Latest / Journey Elgin / Journey Through Scripture- Lk 3, Mt 3, Jn 1 & Mk 1
Transcript
- Phillip Thomas: It's good to see you today. Welcome to our journey through Scripture. My name is Philip Thomas. I'm pastor of Journey here in Elgin, Texas. And we are officially into the New Testament. one of the things that's going to kind of be a little bit challenging ⁓ as we are trying to do this in a chronological order, we're going to read, you know, from lots of different spots in the Gospels. It's going to kind of jump around. And so just kind of hang in there. I try to do three to four chapters each episode. Again, this is not going deep into this. It's trying to give a bigger picture. But I really think this will be very beneficial and very interesting as you kind of look at the story of Jesus side by side as we go through the gospels. We'll see kind of the different perspectives that are there. Remember we talked about last time how These are not ⁓ what you would consider as a biography, like a historical biography. These are sermons. They're telling about the message of Jesus to specific audiences, and they each kind of take a little bit different take and sometimes record different historical events that happen, but some record them, some do not. So we'll enjoy going through that together. Sometimes we're going to be pieces of this chapter and pieces of that chapter. So just hang in there. ⁓ And again, I just encourage you to continue to read along. ⁓ Read for yourself as we continue our journey through Scripture. today we're going to be looking at Luke chapter three and four, Matthew chapter three and four, part of John chapter one, and Mark chapter one. And so the last time we kind of went through the birth narrative ⁓ and how now we're at the point, remember the only real thing that happened between the birth of Jesus and the start of his ministry was whenever he went to the temple and his parents lost him and they found him at the temple. So now we get to the beginning of his ministry. One of the things that's kind of interesting, you're looking at a timeframe of around Between 26 to 28 AD ⁓ is when Jesus would have started his ministry. ⁓ We for sure know at that point ⁓ that ⁓ historically, through documents outside of the Bible, we know that ⁓ Pilate was there in Jerusalem. He was the Roman procurator or governor of Judea from 26 to 36. Caiaphas was the high priest from 18 to 36. So the historical record matches, obviously, but many people will try to discredit the Bible on historical standards at times. But the historical standard actually backs up scripture and who was governor and who was high priest. These things were happening. ⁓ in the right timeline. And so what we have is a ⁓ little bit of John's ministry here. So John the Baptist, remember we talked about him, that that is Jesus' cousin between Mary and Elizabeth. He begins going out and preparing the way, ⁓ preparing the people for the coming Messiah. I want to You can read in each gospel talks about John. Matthew chapter three, verses one through 12, talks about John. His message is, repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. So he was calling the people into repentance to confess their sins, to turn back to God and prepare themselves for the Messiah. Now, John was an interesting guy. It talks about how he ate bugs and honey and clothed themselves in camel's hair. So he was kind of, you feel like a centric kind of guy back then, but he also wasn't popular at all. the gospel of John kind of has he and Jesus doing a few things together. And then the synoptic gospels kind of indicate that it really It was pretty much after John's ministry came to an end because he was arrested that Jesus' ministry fully began. And so it's kind of a ⁓ blurred timeline there exactly, but we know that it was about the time of John's ⁓ arrest that Jesus' ministry fully took off. But you can see why John is not popular. In verse 7 of Matthew chapter 3, says, when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come into the baptism, Pharisees and Sadducees, those are the two kind of religious sects that had a lot of power and influence within the faith and how people related to God and they wanted to keep that power. He said, brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance and do not think to say to yourselves we have Abraham as our father for I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones." And that's interesting. That is ⁓ a direct attack ⁓ to anyone who is comfortable just because they were born into a lineage that everything was going to be fine. ⁓ John is coming right after them and he's saying, you are just as guilty, which they of course couldn't imagine because they were the innocent ones. They were the ones that were doing it right. They were the ones following all the rules, making all the rules because they were the righteous ones. Everyone else was not. And John was coming right up after them. then he, and it's just a good lesson. And again, you hear Jesus with these lessons as well. Verse 10 in Matthew chapter 3, and even now the axis laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down thrown into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water and to repentance. But he who is coming after me is mightier than I and whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing van is in his hand and he will thoroughly clean out his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn. but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." Kind of one of the things that we try to deal with as we go through this, many times we simplify the Bible as ⁓ the Old Testament and the New Testament. Old Testament God is kind of that old school God full of vengeance and wrath and anger. And we're kind of uncomfortable because, you know, we're civilized now. We live in 2023. We're above all of that. And in the New Testament, we have this guy that's just about love and he cares about everyone and he just shows mercy and just gives you a big old hug no matter what. That's kind of, unfortunately, you know, that's a very simple explanation and a cynical explanation. do understand that. ⁓ But isn't it interesting that the first sermon that we see in the Gospel by John, he is saying that Jesus will come and baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire and clean out the threshing floor, gather the wheat into the barn, but will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. ⁓ He's calling for repentance. He's calling for change. He's calling for accountability. ⁓ And if you don't do that, right, God is merciful. He is loving and he wants to restore and but if you do not repent, if you do not acknowledge what your sin is, there is a consequence to that too. so we've shockingly for some, the same God of the Old Testament is the same God that we see revealed in Jesus in the New Testament. It is not a change. ⁓ It is the same God. You can continue, you can kind of see the similarities about John. ⁓ Mark chapter one ⁓ starts off just right into ⁓ talking about John and preparing the way, making the path straight. ⁓ Luke chapter three is similar to Matthew ⁓ and he says the same thing about the bearing good fruit. But he adds a little bit, verse 10 of chapter three of Luke says, So the people ask him saying, shall we do then? He answered, he who has two tunics, let him give to one who has none. He who has food, let him do likewise. The tax collectors also came to be baptized and said, teacher, what shall we do? He said, collect no more than what is appointed for you. Likewise, soldiers ask him saying, what should we do? He said, do not intimidate anyone or falsely accused. Be content with your wages. So just practical ways of changing behavior. These obviously were normal behaviors. ⁓ And Luke is pushing back against them, or John is pushing back against them in what he is ⁓ teaching. ⁓ You have John chapter one, verses 19 through 28, talks about ⁓ John the Baptist. Again, remember the gospel of John. is not, that's not the same as John the Baptist. It's a different John. So, but he is talking about John the Baptist being sent ⁓ and how John the Baptist doesn't see himself ⁓ obviously as the Messiah, puts a ⁓ big ⁓ gap and transition there that he is just preparing the way. Then you get to the baptism of Jesus and this has sometimes caused controversy. ⁓ People say, why was Jesus baptized? Isn't that for repentance of sin? Well, clearly that is not why Jesus was baptized here. They make that clear. ⁓ This baptism is a symbolic act ⁓ of righteousness, of the importance ⁓ of baptism as an outward sign that is ⁓ revealing who you believe, who you are going to serve. And so Jesus is doing that. This is marked the beginning of his ministry. So in Matthew chapter three, verses 13 through 17, you see how ⁓ John baptizes Jesus. It says, but I need to be baptized by you, John, talking to Jesus and you are coming to me. But Jesus answered him and said, permit me to do so now for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. I'd say he's doing what is right. It would have been normal for someone to be baptized and to show who their allegiance is to. so Jesus is going through those rituals. the rituals are important, but they are definitely not the be all end all. But this is a powerful moment that Jesus is baptized. ⁓ And it's at this moment that he sees the Spirit of God descending like a dove, alighting upon him and suddenly a voice came from heaven saying, this is my beloved son and whom I am well pleased. ⁓ Mark chapter one, verses nine through 11, Mark is always very short and to the point. Same thing, that he was baptized by John in the Jordan, he saw the Spirit descending upon him. Luke chapter 3 verses 21 and 22, when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized and while he prayed the heaven was opened, the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon him and the voice came and said, you are my beloved son and you I am well pleased. John chapter 1 verses 29 through 34 there in verse 32 it says, and John bore witness saying, I saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove, he remained upon him. I did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God." So John, the Baptist, recognizing and seeing that Jesus is being baptized with the Holy Spirit, not so much with water. ⁓ the true Son of God. ⁓ Luke chapter 3 verses 23 through 38, it talks about Jesus' ministry and it looks at the genealogy of Jesus from Adam all the way to Jesus. Luke says he started at about 30 years of age. That would have put Jesus, put the timeframe around that 26 to 38. Remember? ⁓ Jesus was probably born in four or five BC. ⁓ so that again, all fits historically. Then we have the temptation of Jesus, a familiar story where Jesus goes out into the wilderness to prepare and he is tempted by Satan. We see that in Matthew chapter four, ⁓ Mark one, 12 and 13. ⁓ Just very, very short, basically says he was tempted and then the angels ministered to him. Then Luke chapter four, verses one through 13, they have the same three temptations. They're just in a different order. But the three temptations, one, this is in Luke chapter three, no, excuse me, chapter four, verse three, and the devil said to him, if you are a son of God, command these stones to become bread. Jesus answered. Man shall not live by bread alone, but every word of God." So the devil is tempting him to use his power for selfish means. ⁓ Then the devil then taking up on a high mountain showed him all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said, all this authority I will give you and their glory for this has been delivered to me and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore you will worship before me. All will be yours. Jesus answered, get behind me Satan. you shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve." So what was Satan doing? Satan does have power in this world and he was going to give that to Jesus. Well, Jesus has that power already, one, ultimately, ⁓ but the way that Jesus' power is going to manifest is through him going to the cross. That is how the power is going to come. So it's going to come through suffering and Satan was trying to give kind of a shortcut. Well, why don't you just take it from me and then you don't have to go to the cross. You don't have to go through that suffering. It'll be so much easier. You don't have to mess with all this ministry stuff. I'll just give you authority over it if you submit to me. And of course, Jesus rebukes him for that. Then he brings him to Jerusalem. ⁓ It said, if you're the son of God, throw yourself down for here. ⁓ Satan uses scripture, right? And Jesus said, it has been said, you shall not tempt the Lord your God. And so again, just these tempting Jesus to use his power in other ways to not fulfill his calling. ⁓ That's what Satan is trying to tempt Jesus to do. He wants to derail this from the beginning. Satan will use. little bits of truth to confuse and to sow seeds of doubt. ⁓ We have to make sure that we are wise, that we are ⁓ rooted in scripture, and that we are putting our trust in God and God alone, not the powers of this world. All right. So next we'll get into the calling ⁓ of some of the disciples, but we're going to stay mainly in So, read the last part of John chapter 1. You may have already read it, but we'll look at John chapter 1 verses 35 through 51, and then we will read all the way through John chapter 4. So, John 1 through 4, and then we'll get into Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the calling of the disciples. All right. We will see you on