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Name: ___________________________ Date : ________ © 2011 Ronald Williams, 8306 James A Reed Rd, Raytown, MO; [email protected]

Through th e Bibl e

G O S P E L S

Introduction

John the Baptist: prepare the way

Isaiah 40:3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

STUDY Through th e Bibl e John the Baptist: prepare the way (13.11) 3

ondayonday:: Introduction There are many unusual things in the world today—some of them harmless and some of them dangerous.

Write the unusual ways these foods can be eaten: fried, ketchup, peanut butter, sugar.

_______1 _____________2 ______________________3 ___________4

Some people are famous (infamous) for the strange way they are (sometimes due to no fault of their own). Ripley’s Believe It or Not has made a living from showing these people to the world.

Circle the picture of the irregularity you think would be the easiest to live with and put an ‘X’ on the picture of the irregularity you think would be the hardest to live with.

Similarly, some people are famous (infamous) for the strange things they have done.

Write the unusual things these people are remembered for: Vietnam war, jump a motor-cycle, kill all the Jews, mass suicide.

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4 John the Baptist: prepare the way (13.11) STUDY Through th e Bibl e

Person Action

Evil Knievel tried to ____________________________5 over the Grand Canyon

Jim Jones led a _______________________6 for his followers

Hitler tried to ____________________________7

Jane Fonda demonstrated against the _____________________8

These people are not totally different than you or me. We’ve all done strange things that we would undo if given the chance. But at least one person in the Bible is recognized immediately when you mention his strange qualities.

Preview This week you will study a man in the Bible well known for some eccentricities—John the Bap-tist. He is not your typical preacher/prophet (even by God’s standards) which is why he’s a prime candidate for Ripley’s Believe It or Not. For instance, you’ve already studied his unusual con-ception (prophesied by the angel) and birth (both parents were past the age of child bearing). This week you will see some other areas where he is distinctive.

Fill in the blanks with the word from the references that show John the Baptist’s ministry.

• message: ________________9 (Matt 3:2)

• ‘memoirs’: spoken of by the _______________10 (Matt 3:3)

• mannerisms: personal _______________11 (Matt 3:4) • monasticism: in the _______________________12 (Luke 3:2)

• method: _________________13 for the remission of sins (Matt 3:6)

• madness: warning of ___________14 to come (Matt 3:7)

MultitudesMultitudes:: prepare the way The ministry of John the Baptist had a two-fold emphasis. First, he prepared the way for the Messiah by preaching to the multitudes about their need for the baptism of repen-

tance for the remission of sins.

MessiahMessiah:: proclaim THE Way Second, he proclaimed THE Way (John 14:6). He made it clear that Jesus was not only the promised Messiah but also the only way for them to receive forgiveness of sins. We

will study the first point this week and tackle the second one next week.

Morning Meditation: Mark 1:2-4 Write the meditation verse on a 3X5 card.

Review the previous meditation verses.

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STUDY Through th e Bibl e

John the Baptist: prepare the way (13.11) 5

uesdayuesday:: Message: repent The next event in the gospel timeline is the emergence of John the Baptist.

Historical background The historical background is given in Luke 3:1-2a.

• Roman ruler: _______________ of ________________________15 • governor of Judaea: ______________________16

• tetrarch17 of Galilee: ________________18

• tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis: ________________19 • tetrarch of Abilene: ________________20

• High priests: ___________ and ________________21

Personal background Next, in Luke 3:2b we see one of John’s peculiarities—he lived in the ________________.22

Geographical background • Luke 3:3a states where he ministered: the country about ____________,23 • Matt 3:1 is a bit more specific: in the _______________24 of ____________25

Scriptural background The first unique thing about John’s adult life is his message. • Luke 3:3b and Mark 1:4b state John’s message: the _____________26 of ______________27

for the _____________________________.28

• Matt 3:2 also mentions their need to ______________29 but also adds a message for the Jews

who were looking for the Messiah stating why they should respond: for the ______________

_____________30 is at hand (at any time).

Bible Reading: Isa 40

Meditation Verse: Matt 3:1-2 Write the meditation verse on a 3 X 5 card.


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ednesday: ednesday: Ministry: prepare the way Not only was John’s message unique but his ministry was even more so—he was the only man in history given the task of preparing the way for the Messiah.

Fill in the correct verses from Matt 3, Mark 1, Luke 3, Mal 3 and Isa 40 for each phrase.

Matt Mark Luke Prophet

by the prophet: Esaias (Isaiah) 31 32

in the prophets 33

I send my messenger before thy face 34 35

prepare thy way 36 37 38 39

voice of one crying in the wilderness 40 41 42 43

make his paths straight 44 45 46 47

path: in the desert 48

Malachi 3 contains additional information that seems to refer to the tribulation. It will begin with the rapture of the church (when Jesus appears in the air to take his bride to heaven—1Th 4:14-17) and ends with his return to the earth (Zech 14).

Fill in the blanks to show the details of the beginning and the ending of the tribulation.

Rapture: Jesus appears in the air

Return: Jesus returns to the earth

Tribulation: starts Tribulation: ends

1b … and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly

come to his ____________,49 even the messen-

ger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold,

he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

2bAnd who shall stand when he _____________?50 2aBut who may abide the day of his _________?51

Outside: 2d … and like __________________:52 Inside: 2c … for he is like a _______________,53 3And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of sil-ver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. 4Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years. 5And I will come near to

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you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.

Luke includes a portion of Isaiah 40 that the other gospel writers do not. It seems to be a ref-

erence to the Lord’s return at the end of the tribulation.

Fill in the blanks to show what will happen at the Second Coming.

Luke 3 Isaiah 40 5Every valley shall be ____________,54 and every

mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the

crooked shall be made straight, and the rough

_________55 shall be made _____________;56

4Every valley shall be ________________,57 and

every mountain and hill shall be made low: and

the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough

__________58 __________:59

6And all flesh shall see the ___________________

________.60

5And the __________________________61 shall

be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for

the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Isaiah 57 and 62 give more details about what needs to happen to prepare the way for the Messiah. Notice that it involves a change of heart (the equivalent of “repentance for the remis-sion of sins” that John preached).

Fill in the blanks to show the different words used in 57:14 and 62:10.

Fill in the blanks in the 2nd row to show how they needed to change.

Isaiah 57 Isaiah 62 14And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare

the way, take up the ______________________62

out of the way of my people.

10Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye

the way of the people; cast up, cast up the high-

way; gather out the __________;63 lift up a stan-

dard for the people.

15For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhab-

iteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the

11Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the

end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion,


high and holy place, with him also that is of a

_____________64 and _____________65 spirit, to

revive the spirit of the ______________,66 and to

revive the heart of the ________________67 ones. 16For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be

always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me,

and the souls which I have made.

Behold, thy _________________68 cometh; be-

hold, his reward is with him, and his work before

him. 12And they shall call them, The _________69

people, The ________________70 of the LORD:

and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not

forsaken.

One final interesting note is given by Jesus in Matt 11:7-14 where he questions the multitude about John the Baptist.

• Vs. 9: John is not only a prophet but much more than a prophet.

• Vs. 10: Jesus reminds them of the prophecies you just saw in Malachi and Isaiah.

• Vs. 11: Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

• Vs. 12: From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth vio-lence, and the violent take it by force.

• Vs. 13: For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

But the most interesting part is in vs. 14, “And if ye will receive it, this [John the Baptist] is Elijah, which was for to come [in the tribulation—Rev 11:3-6].” Jesus seems to be saying that the tribulation could have been then (without the rapture and following church age) if they (the nation as a whole) had responded to the message of repentance that John preached.

Bible Reading: Mal 3

Meditation Verse: Matt 11:14 Write the meditation verse on a 3 X 5 card.




hursdayhursday:: Manner of life Matt 3:4 and Mark 1:6 both record John’s eccentric manner of life.

Fill in the 1st blank for each section with the words that describe the unique manner of life John lived.

Fill in the 2nd blank for each section with the following words to show what John was willing to sacrifice: material wealth, physical pleasure, pride.

Fill in the 3rd with the words from 1John 2:16 to show the three kinds of sin it illustrates.

Fill in the 4th blank with the words from the reference to show what it teaches.

• Diet: _____________________________71 His food showed that he was willing to sacrifice

_________________________72 (resisting the ____________________73). The wild honey was

probably a reminder of our need for ______________________74 from God. (1Sam 14:24-29)

• Dwelling: _________________________75 His home showed that he was willing to sacri-

fice ______________________76 (resisting the ______________________77). It was probably a

reminder that we should be content with ________________________.78 (1Tim 6:8)

• Dress: ________________________________79 His clothes showed that the was willing to

sacrifice _____________80 (resisting the _____________________81) since “they that wear soft

clothing are in kings’ houses.” It was probably a reminder that our best human efforts can’t even

match the __________________________82 (Matt 6:28-30).

You saw yesterday that John was a partial fulfillment of the return of Elijah in the tribu-lation. Fill in the blanks below to show the similarities between Elijah and John.

Elijah John

1Kgs 17:4 the ravens brought him __________ and _________83 locusts & wild honey

1Kgs 17:5 dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before _________84 in the wilderness

2Kgs 1:8 ______________________85 camel’s skins, leather girdle

Bible Reading: Rom 6

Meditation Verse: Matt 3:4 Write the meditation verse on a 3 X 5 card.


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ridayriday:: Baptizing Matthew 3:5-6 and Mark 1:4-6 record John the Baptist’s ministry of baptizing—water baptism was the visible evidence of their invisible repentance. They weren’t prepared

for the Messiah until they admitted their sinful condition. That’s why in Mark 2:17 Jesus said he came not to call the _________________,86 but _________________87 to repentance.

Fill in the blanks with the details of John’s baptizing. • Who: ____________________________________________________________________88

• Where: _______________________________, ______________________________89

• Why: _______________________________________90

The baptism of water by John was a type or picture of the spiritual baptism by the Holy Ghost that Jesus would give.

Fill in the blanks below using the references to show the spiritual fulfillment (right col-umn) of the physical figure (left column).

Physical: water Spiritual: Holy Ghost O. T.: blood of ______________91 (Heb 9:13) N. T.: blood of _____________92 (Heb 9:14)

1 Peter 3:21 filth of the __________93 good ____________________94

Hebrews 10:22

___________95 washed: visible _____________96 sprinkled: invisible

But before Jesus could baptize believers with the Holy Ghost (spiritually) he had to fulfill its meaning (literally). Paul explains how Jesus did that and what it means to those who are saved (baptized into his death) in Rom 6:3-11.

Fill in the blanks below using the given verses to show how the believer’s baptism (right column) is only possible because of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection (left column).

Christ Believers

death (vs 3) _______________97 into his death

____________98 (vs 4) buried with him by baptism into _____________99

raised up from the _________100 walk in newness of _________101

death (vs 5) planted together in the likeness of his __________102

resurrection in the likeness of his _____________________103

crucified (vs 6) ______________104 is crucified with him

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that the ________________105 might be destroyed should not ____________106 sin

___________107 with Christ __________108 with him

dieth no more (vs 9) raised from the _________109

dead unto _________110 (vs 11) _________111 unto God

The very first lesson you studied in this series (NT Introduction) showed you that it’s essen-

tial to rightly divide the Bible in order to correctly interpret it. One of the divisions you saw was

who a passage is written to: _________, _______________ or _________________.112 You also

saw that the gospel of Matthew is written almost exclusively to the _______.113 Therefore, when

you read about water baptism in Matthew (and Mark to a lesser degree) you should view it from

the perspective of what it meant to the Jews. Even though it was a picture or type of the baptism

of death that Jesus went through it also has a prophetic meaning for the Jews in the tribulation.

During that time they will be required not only to believe in Jesus but also to show it in a tangi-

ble way—baptism. That doesn’t mean they earn salvation by being baptized (as some denomina-

tions believe). It only means that they must show it (like OT Jews showed their faith by offering

sacrifices to God). For you and I in the Church Age public baptism isn’t much of a problem. But

for Jews living in the tribulation “going public” can and usually does mean death. Therefore, if

they’re not willing to be baptized publicly they will not be saved.

This very doctrine is shown in Acts 2:14-41. Peter’s sermon is God’s lead into the tribulation (if the Jews confess their sins and repent). Notice the tribulation references: • Vs. 14: The message was for Jews—from _______________ and __________________114

• Vs. 16: it fulfills the prophecy of __________115 (related to the tribulation)

• Vs. 17-21: When? the __________________116 • Vs. 19: _______________117 in heaven above (Rev 12:1, 3), and __________118 in the

earth beneath; __________, 119(Rev 8:7-8) and ___________,120 (Rev 8:7-8) and vapour of

____________:121 (Rev 9:2, 7, 17-18)

• Vs. 20: The sun shall be turned into ________________, (Rev 16:10) and the moon into

___________,122 (Rev 6:12) before that great and notable day of the Lord come:

• Vs. 21: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.


Having established the tribulation context, Peter goes on to tell the men of Israel about Jesus

of Nazareth and his right to be both Lord and Christ (vs. 22-36). When they asked, “what shall

we do?” (vs. 37) he gave the same message as John the Baptist: ____________________123 and

be ________________124 every one of you for the ______________________________,125 and

ye shall receive the gift of the _________________.126 (vs 38) But he added one new twist: it

was all to be done “in the name of _________________.”127 Then in vs. 41 they that gladly re-

ceived his word were _______________,128 thus publicly displaying their private decision. This

same pattern for Jews is displayed many more times in Acts: 8:12, 13, 16, 36, 38; 9:18; 16:15;

18:8; 19:3-5.

Meditation Verse: Rom 6:3-7 Write the meditation verse on a 3 X 5 card.


STUDY Through th e Bibl e John the Baptist: prepare the way (13.11) 13

undayunday:: Warning: wrath to come Finally, in Matt 3:7-12 and Luke 3:7-14 John gives a strong warning of wrath to come. What does he call them that shows the seriousness of their sin? ___________________

______________129

Fill in the blanks below to show the differences between the two accounts.

Matthew 3 Luke 3 7But when he saw many of the _____________

and _______________130 come to his baptism,

he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who

hath warned you to flee from the wrath to

come? 8Bring forth therefore fruits ________131

for repentance: 9And think not to say within

yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for

I say unto you, that God is able of these stones

to raise up children unto Abraham.

7Then said he to the ___________________132

that came forth to be baptized of him, O gen-

eration of vipers, who hath warned you to flee

from the wrath to come? 8Bring forth therefore

fruits _______________133 of repentance, and

begin not to say within yourselves, We have

Abraham to our father: for I say unto you,

That God is able of these stones to raise up

children unto Abraham.

Both Matthew (vs. 10) and Luke (vs. 9) continue with the judgment that is coming: Israel is

compared to a _________134 that will be cast into the ________135 and God’s judgment is com-

pared to an ________ that will be used on the tree if it doesn’t bring forth ________________.136

Matt 3:11 adds one further piece of information that Mark didn’t—Jesus will also baptize with

_______137 (vs 11b). Some people think this also refers to the Holy Ghost baptism but it is really

a continuation of the judgment just mentioned. Vs. 12 continues the judgment with a contrast

between the two baptisms. It begins with a statement that encompasses both baptisms, “Whose

fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge [clean] his floor,” and then contrasts how believ-

ers and unbelievers will be baptized.

Write the phrases from vs. 12 that show the different baptisms (1st blank).

Write believers or unbelievers to show whom each baptism is for (2nd blank).

• Holy Ghost: _______________________________________________________138

(______________)139

• fire: ______________________________________________________________140

(_______________)141

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Use Luke 3:10-14 to record the group and instruction. (Look back at vs. 7 from each passage and decide if the people who responded in vs. 10-11 were the Pharisees & Sadducees or the multitudes.)

Vs. Group Instruction

10-11 142 He that has two __________,143 let him impart to him that has none;

and he that has ____________,144 let him do likewise.

12-13 145 Exact [charge] no more than that which is ___________________146

14 147 Do ______________148 to no man, neither accuse any _________;149

and be ______________150 with your wages.

Write ‘John the Baptist: prepare the way’ for the Event of Matt 3:1-12, Mark 1:2-8 and Luke 3:1-18 on the Harmony of the Gospels outline.

Conclusion The order of events in the preaching of John the Baptist are significant because it shows the way of salvation.

Fill in the blanks of each step (baptism, confession, remission) to show their correct order and their meaning: = spiritual baptism, salvation, repentance.

1. __________________151 of sins (= __________________)152 2. __________________153 of sins (= ___________________)154

3. __________________155 with water (= ___________________________)156

Unfortunately, many people today misunderstand the meaning of these events and seek sal-vation in the wrong way.

Write the following phrases after the erroneous way people think they can get saved: Abraham is our father, baptism, bring forth fruits worthy of repentance.

Write the following references in the parentheses to show how these ways are wrong: 1Pet 3:21, Rom 2:28-29, Tit 3:5.

• works: ___________________________________________________157 (__________)158

• heritage: __________________________________159 (__________)160

• ceremony: ____________________________________161 (__________)162

Key 1 sugar 2 ketchup 3 peanut butter 4 fried 5 jump a motorcycle 6 mass suicide 7 kill all the Jews 8 Vietnam war 9 repent 10 prophet 11 raiment 12 wilderness 13 baptism 14 wrath 15 fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar 16 Pontius Pilate 17 four parts 18 Herod 19 Philip 20 Lysanias 21 Annas and Caiaphas 22 wilderness 23 Jordan 24 wilderness 25 Judaea 26 baptism 27 repentance 28 remission of sins 29 Repent 30 kingdom of heaven 31 vs. 3 32 vs. 4 33 vs. 2 34 vs. 2 35 vs. 1 36 vs. 3 37 vs. 2 38 vs. 4 39 Mal 3:1, Isa 40:3 40 vs. 3 41 vs. 3 42 vs. 4 43 Isa 40:3 44 vs. 3 45 vs. 3 46 vs. 4 47 Isa 40:3 48 Isa 40:3 49 temple 50 appeareth 51 coming 52 fullers’ soap 53 refiner’s fire 54 filled 55 ways

56 smooth 57 exalted 58 places 59 plain 60 salvation of God 61 glory of the LORD 62 stumblingblock 63 stones 64 contrite 65 humble 66 humble 67 contrite 68 salvation 69 holy 70 redeemed 71 Locusts and wild honey 72 physical pleasure 73 lust of the flesh 74 enlightenment 75 In the wilderness 76 material wealth 77 lust of the eyes 78 food and raiment (clothing) 79 Camel’s hair, girdle of skin 80 pride 81 pride of life 82 lilies of the field 83 bread and flesh 84 Jordan 85 Leather girdle 86 righteous 87 sinners 88 Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan 89 Jordan river, in the wilderness 90 confessing their sins 91 animals 92 Christ 93 flesh 94 conscience 95 bodies 96 Hearts 97 baptized 98 buried 99 death 100 dead 101 life 102 death 103 resurrection 104 old man (body & soul joined) 105 body of sin 106 serve 107 dead 108 live 109 dead 110 sin 111 alive 112 Jews, Gentiles, Christians 113 Jews

114 Judaea, Jerusalem 115 Joel 116 last days 117 wonders 118 signs 119 blood 120 fire 121 smoke 122 blood 123 Repent 124 baptized 125 remission of sins 126 Holy Ghost 127 Jesus Christ 128 baptized 129 generation of vipers 130 Pharisees and Sadducees 131 meet 132 multitude 133 worthy 134 tree 135 fire 136 good fruit 137 fire 138 gather his wheat into the garner 139 believers 140 burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire 141 unbelievers 142 people 143 two coats 144 meat 145 publicans 146 appointed 147 soldiers 148 violence 149 falsely 150 content 151 confession 152 repentance 153 remission 154 salvation 155 baptized 156 spiritual baptism 157 bring forth fruits worthy of repentance 158 Tit 3:5 159 Abraham is our father 160 Rom 2:28-29 161 baptism 162 1Pet 3:21

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