Upside Down Kingdom: Mission & Message | Week 2 | Kingdom Coronation & Conflict | Matthew 3:13-4:11

Week 2 | Kingdom Coronation & Conflict  

And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;  and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” - Matthew 3:16-17

Matthew 3:13-4:11
 
Around the age of 30 Jesus begins His public ministry by coming to His cousin John the Baptizer. John has been preaching “repent the kingdom of heaven is at hand” The kingdom of heaven is at hand because the King of heaven has arrived in Jesus. He is telling people there is sin that needs to be dealt with. They have been made dirty because of their sin and need to be made clean. The Baptism of John is symbolic of repentance turning from sin and being made clean. John says a better baptism is coming that includes the Holy Spirit breathing new life into dead hearts because of their allegiance to the king of Heaven.

Amidst the public baptisms of countless sinners, Jesus arrives and tell John “I need you to baptism me too.” John is skeptical. Jesus does not have sin to be forgiven or unrighteousness to clean yet there was a purpose to His baptism. He is revealing his identity while identifying with His people. In Jesus’ baptism he is entering into the individual story of sinners who need to be cleaned, estranged people who need to be made family, and rebels who need to become citizens.

God also used this moment to make a royal announcement. As Jesus is identifying with lost sinners, seeking repentance and restoration; Jesus is being identified by God the Father as God the Son. Jesus is God. Then God the Holy Spirit descends on him like a dove and in case the symbolism is lost on everyone God the Father speaks and says, “This is my son with whom I am well pleased.”  Here we see the trinity, the Godhead 3 in 1, made manifest in the mission to make people new.

Jesus’ coronation is immediately met with intentional conflict. Jesus is led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to endure 40-day trial of fasting and temptation. After 40 days fasting in wilderness, and then being tempted by Satan, He faithfully overcomes where Adam failed in a garden paradise. He taught the law of God is as simple (an overwhelmingly comprehensive) as love God and love people. He preached to crowds of thousands, played with kids, healed countless sick, performed mighty miracles, insulted the self-righteous, and befriended sinners all on a mission to rescue lost people and restore the broken relationship between the perfect Creator and His fallen creation. Jesus’ life of perfect obedience succeeds for us where everyone of us has failed.

QUESTIONS: 

1. What part of the text or sermon had the greatest impact on you? Did you learn anything new about Jesus or John the Baptist?
2. How is Jesus life and ministry different than what God’s people in the Old Testament anticipated? How is Jesus different than what you expect?
3. In Matthew 4 Jesus is tempted in the wilderness. What do we learn about Satan, God’s word, and Jesus during this encounter?
4. Why is the gospel more (but not less) than “Jesus died on the cross for my sins.”?  

PRAY – Praise the work of the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to enter our stories, identify with our sin and brokenness, and make us both clean and new. Thank Jesus we have a savior who has been tempted in every way we have been yet is faithful and without sin.