Preparation

Jesus’ Lost Years

• Jesus’ family flees to Egypt and later returns to Nazareth (Matt. 2:13-23).
• At age 12, Jesus talks with teachers in the temple (Luke 2:41-51).
• He grows in wisdom and stature, growing in favor with both God and man (Luke 2:52).
• Jesus worked as a carpenter in Nazareth (Mark 6:3; Matt. 13:55).
• John the Baptist begins his ministry right before Jesus begins his (Matt. 3:1-12; Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:1-17; John 1:19-34).
  

John the Baptizer

• The task of John the Baptist was to clear the way for the coming Messiah.
• John the Baptist fulfilled Old Testament prophecies:
  • The messenger who prepares the way of the Lord (Mal. 3:1; cf. Matt. 11:10)
  • Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare 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 (Mal. 3:1).
  • The one who comes in the spirit of Elijah (Mal. 4:5-6; cf. Matt. 11:14; 17:10-13; Luke 1:17).
• John the Baptist was born to Zechariah and Elizabeth, devout, older Jews of the priestly line (Luke 1:5-25, 39-80).
• Elizabeth and Mary were related (Luke 1:36).
  • And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren (Luke 1:36).
• John the Baptist was known for (Matt. 3:4-5):
  • Preaching in the wilderness
  • Wearing camel’s hair
  • Eating locusts and wild honey
• John baptizes Jesus (Matt. 3:13-17):
  • John doesn’t feel worthy
  • Jesus sets an example
  • Jesus was baptized to fulfill all righteousness
• At Jesus’ baptism, we see evidence of the Trinity (Matt. 3:16-17).
  • In addition to Jesus’ baptism (Matt. 3:16-17), the NT also contains other examples of the Trinity (Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; John 14:16-17, 26; 1 Peter 1:2; Titus 3:4-6; John 15:26).
• John decreases because he knows Christ must increase (John 3:30).
• Before John was beheaded (Matt. 14:1-12), he questioned Jesus’ identity (Matt. 11:1-19).

Jesus & the Tempter

• After Jesus’ baptism, Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan (Matt. 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-11).
• Satan tempts Jesus with “every temptation” (Luke 4:13), but these Gospel writes share 3 of the main temptations (provision, power, protection).
• Jesus had fasted for 40 days and was hungry, indicating the reality of his humanness.
• Jesus does in 40 days what Israel could not do in 40 years – be completely obedient to God’s laws.
  • Ref. - Moses’ fast of 40 days (Ex. 34:28), 40 days spying out of the Promised Land (Num. 13:25), and 40 years of Israelites wandering in the wilderness (Num. 14:34; Deut. 8:2-3).
• Jesus doesn’t argue with Satan; he simply quotes Scripture.
• Satan also quotes Scripture but misinterprets it.
• Satan, in defeat, leaves but promises to return at an “opportune time” (Luke 4:11; cf. Eph. 4:26-27).
• After this altercation and being ministered to by angels (Matt. 4:11), Jesus begins his public ministry (Matt. 4:17).

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