HCBC Sunday School - “Friends” Class
The Way Prepared (Matthew 3:1-12)

1) First Thoughts
a. Consider preparing the ground for planting. It’s hard work.
b. After the prophet Malachi, 400 years passed without a prophetic voice in Israel. The people grew more sinful. Now was God’s time for the coming of His Son to provide a way of escape for those who receive Jesus as Savior. To prepare, God sent John to warn people of judgment to come.
2) Understand the Context
a. Matthew 1-2 record Jesus’ birth and childhood in Nazareth. Chapter 3 describes John as a prophet and Jesus as the Savior. Both carried out their roles in God’s plan of salvation.
3) Explore the Text
a. Preparing the Way (3:1-6)
i. For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. ~ I Cor. 1:21
ii. To repent means to turn away from a sinful lifestyle that leads away from God’s way of living set forth in Scripture. Discuss the ABC’s of repentance.
iii. John’s “baptism of repentance for the remission of sins”. Water, sent to Israel.
b. Proclaiming the Truth (3:7-10)
i. Intro to Pharisees and Sadducees. Differences vs. commonalities
ii. …, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. ~ Luke 12:1
iii. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. ~ Matthew 7:15-16a
c. Pointing to the King (3:11-12)
i. Discuss the three baptisms in verse 11.
ii. Extremely important that we, like John, point people beyond ourselves to the Messiah with appropriate humility.
iii. Example of the threshing floor: repent and be saved, or refuse to repent and face God’s judgment in hell and the lake of fire.
4) In My Context:
a. God is at work in our world. Join Him. Anything or anyone else is a false hope.
b. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. ~ Matthew 28:18