SUMMARY OF MATTHEW 3:5-10
The people heeded John’s words from Jerusalem to Judea and the Jordan. They confessed their sins and were baptized by John in the Jordan River. He called out the Pharisees and the Sadducees, telling them to repent, too.
BSF STUDY QUESTIONS LESSON 3, DAY 3: MATTHEW 3:5-10
6) Acts 3:19: Repentance is turning to God to be forgiven for your sins.
Acts 20:21: Repentance is turning to God with faith in Jesus Christ.
Acts 26:20: Repent is turning to God and showing this in their deeds.
James 5:16: Confession is admitting your sins and praying for healing.
1 John 1:9: Confessing your sins allows you to be forgiven and purified.
Confession is admitting your guilt. According to Zondervan’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, confession is “to openly acknowledge the truth in anything, as in the existence and authority of God or the sins of which one has been guilty. Confession of sin before God is recognized as a conditon of forgiveness.”
Repentance is sincerely regretting it. According to Zondervan’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, repentance is “a profound change of mind involving changing of the direction of life from that of self-centeredness or sin-centeredness to God or Christ centeredness. God’s forgiveness is only available to those who are repentant, for only they can receive it.”
7) Joel 2:13: Return to God with your heart and with actions.
Matthew 3:8: Produce fruit when you repent.
Acts 26:20: Repent is turning to God and showing this in their deeds.
Romans 2:4: God’s kindness to you leads you to repentance.
2 Corinthians 7:10-11: Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldy sorrow brings death.
8a ) I think I’m kinder to others, more helpful, more giving as I realize my shortcomings.
b ) This is a tough one. I’m sure there is, but all I can think of right now is just how I need to be kinder to my family and others. Lord, help me to be kinder to my family and others and forgive me for my sins and hard heart.
CONCLUSIONS BSF STUDY QUESTIONS LESSON 3, DAY 3: MATTHEW 3:5-10
This was a lot of looking up, but worth it. It’s important to turn your heart and not just your words to God. Out of this, actions follow, too, as does His forgiveness. Pick up this great Bible resource, Zondervan’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, today.
END NOTES BSF STUDY QUESTIONS LESSON 3, DAY 3: MATTHEW 3:5-10
John the Baptist played a huge role in preparing the Jewish people to accept Jesus as their Savior. In fact, the famous historian Josephus talked a great deal about John the Baptist, even more so than Jesus. His influence was widespread. It was also the first time Jews were baptized in large numbers because they thought all they needed was the blood of animals to cleanse them.
Baptism illustrates perfectly the confession of sin and the action that follows it. You are doing something by being baptized; you are repenting. Today, when Christians are baptized, not only are we confessing our sins and our need for a Savior, but we are also being baptized into Christ (Romans 6:3).
John the Baptist gets his name from these actions, partly because Jewish baptisms were rare up until this point. Baptism has previously only been used for those adopting the Jewish faith, not for those born into it.
Confessing of sins was new, too. Confession was rare.
WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH THE PHARISEES AND THE SADDUCEES?
The Pharisees and the Sadducees were the leadership and the law of the Jewish people. They believed if you kept the law, you would be righteous and get to heaven. They thought they were righteous for this. In reality, they were flawed humans like the rest of us, power hungry and hypocrits.
John yelled at the Pharisees and the Sadducees because they were there for appearances only; their hearts were not changed.
The wrath is God’s wrath, which is what all of humanity deserves. You must flee from it.
The Pharisees and the Sadducees believed they were saved because they upheld the law. John says this is false. They must repent with their hearts, not just follow the law. Everyone can go to hell without Jesus. The Jews believed at that time they could not go to hell because they had God.
The ax laid at the root of the trees is marking the trees for cutting, and without fruit, the trees will be cut down.
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