Matthew 3 - January 3rd, 2024

Good morning.

My name is Nathan, and I'm one of the pastors here at Church of the Grove, and we're so thankful that you're joining us today as we journey through the Gospels together.

We'll be using the acronym BRED for our time today, which stands for Breathe, Read, Encounter, Apply, and Devote.

As we approach the scriptures today, let's remember that we're not called coming to gain more information, but we are wanting to have an encounter with a personal God.

He tells us in his word that we will seek him and will find him when we search for him with all of our heart.

So, as we enter into his presence this morning, believe that he wants to meet you with you where you are today.

While you may listen to this on a commute or while you're doing something around the house, I would strongly encourage you to set aside some time to go and be in a place where you can totally focus on being with the Lord.

I would suggest having a journal and a pen handy so that you can take notes for anything the Lord might be saying to you.

And with that, let's open up the scriptures to today's assigned passage.

Before we begin reading today, let's first begin by breathing.

Let's be silent with Jesus for a few moments.

And let's just pay attention to him.

Make sure you remove as many distractions as you can and just take a minute in this stillness to just be with Jesus.

Focus your whole self on the Lord this morning.

Maybe even open up your hands to him and then take a deep breath in.

And then exhale out.

Maybe take another breath in.

And then exhale out.

Calming your spirit.

And then just ask for the Holy Spirit to come and to be with you and to lead you as you begin to read through the scriptures together.

And as we read through the passage today, Matthew chapter three, let's just slow down and just ask the Holy Spirit to speak to us.

And just as we're reading through this together, just ask, what is jumping out at you?

What is set apart?

What maybe is the Holy Spirit bringing to your mind?

Let's read together.

In those days, John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching.

His message was, Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the kingdom of heaven is near.

The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said, He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord's coming, clear the road for him.

John's clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist.

For food he ate locust and wild honey.

People from Jerusalem and from all over Judea and all over the Jordan Valley went out to see and hear John.

And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.

But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him be baptized, he denounced them.

You brood of snakes, he exclaimed, who warned you to flee the coming wrath?

Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.

Don't just say to each other, We're safe, for we have descendants from Abraham.

That means nothing.

I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones.

Even now the axe of God's judgment is poised, ready to sever the root of the tree.

Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.

I baptized with water, those who repent of their sins and turn to God.

But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am, so much greater that I am not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals.

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork.

Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn, but burning the chaff with a never ending fire.

Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John.

But John tried to talk him out of it.

I am the one that needs to be baptized by you, he said, so why are you coming to me?

But Jesus said, It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.

So John agreed to baptize him.

After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him, and a voice from heaven said, This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.

This is the word of the Lord.

As we asked before, we're trying to determine what the Holy Spirit may be saying to us through his word.

And so we're now moving into the encounter phase of the morning.

So take a moment and think through what verse or verses that the Holy Spirit might have led you to.

What stands out to you today?

What's something that resonated with your soul?

As you think about that verse, just ask the Lord, what are you trying to tell me?

What are you saying to me, God?

Does this verse or passage make you feel a certain way?

Does something jump out?

Does it stir some emotions within you?

What do you think the Lord is trying to say to you?

If you have a pen or some journal of some kind, maybe even take a moment and write a short reflection of what the Lord might be trying to say to you now.

As the Lord has maybe spoken to you already, now we're turning our focus outward and we're thinking about how we might actually practically live out what God has been saying to us today.

So ask the Holy Spirit now for just wisdom.

Ask, how should you apply this to your life today?

Spend a moment thinking and praying through that.

Just focusing on the Holy Spirit giving you wisdom and guidance.

Again, if you have paper and pen, I would encourage you to write this down.

As we come to a close for this morning, let's focus on the devotee.

And take some moments and time just to write a simple prayer of devotion to the Lord.

What do you need to say to him?

What do you need from him this morning?

Just write that down as you devote yourself fully to him today.

But I do pray that today, as you go throughout your day, that the Lord would fill you with hope and joy and peace as you commit your day to Him.

Thank you so much for joining me today for our reading.

And please join us again tomorrow for our next reading.