Session 1
Matthew 3:13-4:11
Memory Verse: Matthew 3:17
Perhaps no other subject generates more controversy
than the nature and mission of Jesus Christ.
Arguments regarding most issues-
from abortion to gender identity and more-
depend on what one believes about Jesus’s person and purpose.
People who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior
don’t fear or hate those who hold different societal or personal values.
By their words and lives, believers simply proclaim Christ
as God’s Son and Lord of all.
Their beliefs, values, and choices are defined by their commitment to Jesus.
Consider how you make decisions.
Are they based on your affirmation of Jesus as Messiah and Master?
If He is our Savior, He is our Lord.
If He is our King, He holds authority over every aspect of our lives.
Think back to the last time you started a new job.
Perhaps you felt excitement as well as apprehension.
If you went through a new employee orientation, those feelings
of apprehension may have been dispelled-or they may have heightened.
They might have lingered until the first words of affirmation
came out of the mouth of your boss.
Words of encouragement are important in any new endeavor. (PSG, p. 10)
Share encouraging words you’ve received
and why those words were so meaningful.
We are embarking on a study of Matthew 1-13 over the next twelve weeks.
For context, share this information from page 11 of the PSG:
The Gospel of Matthew is one of the three Synoptic Gospels, along with Mark and Luke.
The name “synoptic” means “with the same eye” or from the same viewpoint.
These three Gospel accounts follow a similar order of events and contain many of the same teachings of Jesus. .In rapid succession, Matthew tells of three key events that launched Jesus’s ministry-
the appearance of John the Baptist, Jesus’s baptism, and His temptation in the wilderness.
Jesus had a mission from God
this session examines these early steps in His public ministry from Matthew’s perspective.