Mat 3:4 The Success of Humility.

Class Outline:

Tuesday December 12, 2023

 

Theme: Accepting and living in God’s will for your life, will take any life and make it full of abundant, divine fruit which will bring great joy.  

 

MAT 3:1-6

Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 2 "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." 3 For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said,

 

"THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS,

'MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD,

MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT!'"

 

4 Now John himself had a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan; 6 and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.

 

John is in the garb that resembles the prophet Elijah.

 

2KI 1:8

They answered him, "He was a hairy man with a leather girdle bound about his loins." And he said, "It is Elijah the Tishbite."

 

There is a passage in Zechariah (ZEC 13:4) that indicates that a hairy robe was somewhat common for a prophet.

Matthew and Mark mention his clothes and diet without commentary. We can guess that these are stated by the Gospel writers to show John’s humility.

 

John was called by the Lord for a certain task.

He was the voice crying out in the wilderness who was the forerunner of the Lord (ISA 40:3-5; MAL 3:1).

 

The Lord promises that if we remain in His plans for our life, we will prosper according to His desire.

 

Fear of Lord - remain in the calling, task, role that God has given you.

Prosperity is guaranteed in bearing the fruit He wills.

 

MAL 3:1-4

"Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming," says the Lord of hosts. 2 "But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. 3 "He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the Lord offerings in righteousness. 4 "Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

 

If we do not accept the role that God has given us we will be trying to live out our lives in the wrong way - against God’s will.

 

The Lord is also a consuming fire. This means one thing to the unbeliever and another to the believer. As believers, we cannot hope to stand against, or go against, His will.

 

HEB 12:28-29

Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

 

Obstacles: The flesh (pride), the world (fear), the devil (temptation).

 

Doing God’s will in the places and situations you are in, will manufacture much divine fruit which you never imagined, will amaze you, and will fill you with purpose, contentment, and joy.

 

John remains in his role. The Lord Jesus remains in His.

Remain in yours.

 

Do God’s will in all things and you will find the role that God has willed for you.

 

HEB 10:35-39

Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.

 

37 FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE,

HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY.

38 BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH;

AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM.

 

39 But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving [deliverance; life] of the soul.

 

HEB 13:20-21

Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, 21 equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

 

In Matthew 3, the Lord is going to begin His ministry with John’s water baptism, identifying Himself with the Father’s will. Immediately, He is tempted by the devil to do something else than the Father’s will.

 

We are all going to be tempted to do something else than God’s will.

 

Satan is no dummy. He is not going to tempt us with something which at first seems good and profitable.