Sermon Notes

Matthew 3:1–12 NIV
¹ In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea ² and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” ³ This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”
⁴ John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. ⁶ Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸ Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. ⁹ And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. ¹⁰ The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
¹¹ “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹² His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Isaiah 40:3–9 NIV
³ A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
⁴ Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.
⁵ And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
⁶ A voice says, “Cry out.”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
“All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
⁷ The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.
⁸ The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”
⁹ You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
“Here is your God!”

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Series Resources

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Discussion Igniters

(1)  When you read the Bible, what kind of details tend to stick out to you?
Why do you think that is?

(2)  Read Matthew 3:1–6.
What do you think is significant about how John is described and what he is doing in this location? 

(3)  Read Isaiah 40:1–5, Joshua 3:9–13, and Malachi 4.
Matthew is making some strong connections in the story of John the Baptist.
How do these connections tie into John’s message to “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near”? 

(4)  Read Matthew 3:7–12.
Why do you think John so harshly calls the Pharisees and Sadducees to repent?
What can we learn from that interaction?

(5)  What is something you need to repent (turn back to the path, change your understanding) from?