Matthew 3 & 4 - Johns preparation and Jesus' beginnings

Today's Scripture: Matthew 3 and 4 
The scriptures are copied below from bible.com using the New Century Version. I suggest reading the scripture prior to the Application or My Thoughts.

Application:  Again, using Max Lucado's suggestions for reflection - Are you a faithful worker in God's service?  Do you share your faith or do you argue with other Christians?  Ask God to help you become a successful fisher of men.

My Thoughts:   For me, sharing how God has been in my life (or my family's) has been an important part of my witnessing and hopefully it makes people think about their own encounters that must be God's intervention in their lives.  I don't think I could, nor would I like to "preach" to others about God.  Storytelling is more my style and I know I have made some of my students (I teach college level students) that have heard my stories think about God and their relationship.  One even came to ask my opinion about a problem she was having with her church....it was interesting that she cared about what I thought.  It was still her decision to make.  I have also had students come to me to discuss their grades, plans, other courses, stress, etc, and also discuss how they have been praying about their problems.  I know they feel comfortable talking to me about this because I talk to them in class about my beliefs, again, without "preaching" or telling them how to be, just story telling about my own life.  I am openly Christian in my life and not afraid or embarrassed to talk about it.  I am comfortable in my role as "a fisher of men" in this respect. 

 3  The Work of John the Baptist

1 About that time John the Baptist began preaching in the desert area of Judea. 2 John said, “Change your hearts and lives because the kingdom of heaven is near.” 3 John the Baptist is the one Isaiah the prophet was talking about when he said:

“This is a voice of one

who calls out in the desert:

‘Prepare the way for the Lord.

Make the road straight for him.’ ”

4 John’s clothes were made from camel’s hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food, he ate locusts and wild honey. 5 Many people came from Jerusalem and Judea and all the area around the Jordan River to hear John. 6 They confessed their sins, and he baptized them in the Jordan River.

7 Many of the Pharisees and Sadducees came to the place where John was baptizing people. (NOTE: "Two major religious groups existed in Israel at the time of Jesus.  The Pharisees were more religiously minded while the Sadducees were more politically minded.  These groups were united in hatred for Jesus." - Max Lucado)  When John saw them, he said, “You are snakes! Who warned you to run away from God’s coming punishment? 8 Do the things that show you really have changed your hearts and lives. 9 And don’t think you can say to yourselves, ‘Abraham is our father.’ I tell you that God could make children for Abraham from these rocks. 10 The ax is now ready to cut down 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 to show that your hearts and lives have changed. But there is one coming after me who is greater than I am, whose sandals I am not good enough to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12  He will come ready to clean the grain, separating the good grain from the chaff. He will put the good part of the grain into his barn, but he will burn the chaff with a fire that cannot be put out.”

Jesus Is Baptized by John

13 At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River and wanted John to baptize him. 14 But John tried to stop him, saying, “Why do you come to me to be baptized? I need to be baptized by you!”

15 Jesus answered, “Let it be this way for now. We should do all things that are God’s will.” So John agreed to baptize Jesus.

16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he came up out of the water. Then heaven opened, and he saw God’s Spirit coming down on him like a dove. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love, and I am very pleased with him.”

4 The Temptation of Jesus

1 Then the Spirit led Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2 Jesus fasted for forty days and nights. After this, he was very hungry. 3 The devil came to Jesus to tempt him, saying, “If you are the Son of God, tell these rocks to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written in the Scriptures, ‘A person lives not on bread alone, but by everything God says.’ ” 5 Then the devil led Jesus to the holy city of Jerusalem and put him on a high place of the Temple. 6 The devil said, “If you are the Son of God, jump down, because it is written in the Scriptures:

‘He has put his angels in charge of you.

They will catch you in their hands

so that you will not hit your foot on a rock.’ ”

7 Jesus answered him, “It also says in the Scriptures, ‘Do not test the Lord your God.’ ”

8 Then the devil led Jesus to the top of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and all their splendor. 9 The devil said, “If you will bow down and worship me, I will give you all these things.” 10 Jesus said to the devil, “Go away from me, Satan! It is written in the Scriptures, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’ ” 11 So the devil left Jesus, and angels came and took care of him.

Jesus Begins Work in Galilee

12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he went back to Galilee. 13 He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum, a town near Lake Galilee, in the area near Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 Jesus did this to bring about what the prophet Isaiah had said:

15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali

along the sea, beyond the Jordan River.

This is Galilee where the non-Jewish people live.

16 These people who live in darkness will see a great light.

They live in a place covered with the shadows of death,

but a light will shine on them.”

Jesus Chooses Some Followers

17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Change your hearts and lives, because the kingdom of heaven is near.” 18 As Jesus was walking by Lake Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and his brother Andrew. They were throwing a net into the lake because they were fishermen. 19 Jesus said, “Come follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” 20 So Simon and Andrew immediately left their nets and followed him. 21 As Jesus continued walking by Lake Galilee, he saw two other brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. Jesus told them to come with him. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and they followed Jesus.

Jesus Teaches and Heals People

23 Jesus went everywhere in Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the Good News about the kingdom of heaven, and healing all the people’s diseases and sicknesses. 24 The news about Jesus spread all over Syria, and people brought all the sick to him. They were suffering from different kinds of diseases. Some were in great pain, some had demons, some were epileptics, and some were paralyzed. Jesus healed all of them. 25 Many people from Galilee, the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, Judea, and the land across the Jordan River followed him.