MEMORY SCRIPTURE
Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased: I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He will declare justice to the Gentiles.
(Matthew 12:18)
Jesus, the epitome of love and righteousness, provides an eternal example of living with purpose, compassion and unwavering faith as a divinely prepared leader.
DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READINGS
Mon. 21: God Prepares Man For Dominion (Gen. 1:28)
Tue. 22: God’s Clay In God’s Hand (Jer. 18:5-6)
Wed. 23: God Prepares Esther (Est. 4:9-14)
Thurs. 24. God Prepares David (i Sam. 16:1)
Fri. 25: God Prepares Naomi For Ruth (Ruth 3:1-5)
Sat. 26:God Prepares Moses (Exod. 3:10-15)
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT
To build a formidable spiritual leadership capacity as in Jesus’ case, a deliberate and measurable process of preparation is inevitable.
INTRODUCTION
TEXTUAL SOURCE: Matthew 3:1-17; Luke 1:13-15; John 1:29,36,37
Last week’s lesson highlighted the influences that shaped John the Baptist. Our understanding of how God prepared him in the wilderness and through his godly parents has shaped our perspective and attitude towards the influences God allows in our pathway to leadership.
This is the 27th lesson in this series with the topic: “Jesus’ Classical Example.” The lesson is intended to identify and understand how Jesus, as a New Testament leader, was fully prepared for His leadership assignment responsibility. This will ignite an enduring passion for the godly pursuit of leadership preparation as a Christian.
LESSON OUTLINE
- JOHN THE BAPTIST PREPARES THE WAY
- THE TRINITY PREPARES HIM ALL-ROUND
LESSON EXPOSITION
JOHN THE BAPTIST PREPARES THE WAY (Matthew 3:1-12; Luke 1:13-15; John 1:29,36,37)
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways.
(Lk 1:76).
a) Lk 1:13-15: This is John, the forerunner of Jesus, born to Zacharias, a Jewish priest, and Elizabeth. He was set apart for special service to God, which was to prepare people for the coming of Jesus (Mat. 11:10; Lk1:17).
b) Matt. 3:2: John the Baptist’s message was unmistaken: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand! (Mk. 1:4) Thus, Jesus must have been influenced, as He also preached the same message during His earthly ministry (Matt. 4:17, 6:10).
c) vv. 3-5: John prepared Jesus by baptising Him. By this, Jesus also showed His submission to the Law–humility. This invariably enhanced His earthly ministry.
d) vv. 11-12: He prepared their minds for greater expectation for what Jesus would do which includes baptism with Holy Spirit and fire.This must have prepared the minds of the people for His message
e) Jn. 1:29,36: Behold! The Lamb… John revealed Jesus to all who were around him. This was important for Jesus to confirm the truth that John had been preaching.
f) 37: He also allowed his disciples to follow Jesus for continuity of what
they had learnt from him (Jn. 1:28-30). Jesus Himself later spearheaded baptising disciples, showcasing John’s influence on Him (Jn.4:1).
THE TRINITY PREPARES HIM ALL-ROUND (Matthew 3:13-17)
When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
(vv.16).
a) v. 13: Jesus came.. to be baptised by John. Proper preparation requires
cooperation from the one being prepared. Jesus didn’t bypass this process but humbled Himself (Mk. 1:4).
b) v.14: John’s suggestion for Jesus to baptise him would have disrupted
the divine plan and the subsequent witness of the Trinity at Jesus’ baptism (Lk. 3:22). There are no shortcuts to a lasting destiny. Be cautious!
c) v.15: Jesus didn’t assert His superiority before His time but instructed John to allow the baptism to fulfil all righteousness. Those who understand their journeys are discerning in choosing which opportunities to pursue.
d) v. 16: The Holy Spirit came upon Jesus to prepare Him for His earthly ministry (Acts 10:38). Despite being divine, Jesus, as a human, faced His first challenge in the form of temptation by Satan, which He
overcame (Matt. 4:1-11).
e) v. 17: The heavenly Voice affirmed Jesus’ identity as the Son linked Him with the suffering servant (Isa. 42:1), and signified the Father’s approval of His mission (Jn. 1:1), providing Jesus with much-needed encouragement.
f) The appearance of the Holy Spirit, the Word (in the Father’s voice), and the Father’s involvement were all-round preparations for Jesus (in human form). Water baptism and baptism by the Holy Spirit are evidences of the true preparation process for Christians.
LESSONS DERIVED
- God has proven to us His unbiased interest in true preparation for godly leadership, through Christ.
- The Holy Spirit is the non-negotiable power of God Who every Christian must possess for a total spiritual preparedness for the Kingdom business (Acts 1:8).
QUESTIONS
- What was John the Baptist’s roles in preparing Jesus for His earthly, ministry?
- The Trinity prepared Jesus. Discuss.
