Mark 1:9-13

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

The Baptism and Temptation of Christ

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. The Lord Jesus did not need to be baptized by John the Baptist.

  2. It is not a sin to be tempted.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. Pleasing God should be our top priority.

  2. Let's not forget about God's holy angels.

QUESTIONS

  1. Why did the Lord Jesus submit to the baptism of John?

  2. Is it a sin to be tempted? Is it a sin to yield to temptation?

  3. Why was Jesus driven into the wilderness?

  4. How can Jesus, being without sin, understand our temptations?

  5. Who ministered to Jesus when he was in the wilderness?

  6. Do angels minister to us today? If so, how?

  7. s it alright to worship angels?

ANSWERS

  1. Even John was surprised (Matthew 3:13-15). It was fitting to fulfill God's will; to show approval of John's baptism; to set an example; for Jesus to identify Himself with those who were denouncing religious hypocrisy; for those who were preparing themselves for the coming of the Messiah.

  2. No. Yes. The sin is not in the temptation, but in the yielding.

  3. To be tempted of the devil, and to show that He would not yield.

  4. Our High Priest, Jesus can sympathize, for He was tempted as we are (Hebrews 4:15).

  5. Angels

  6. Yes, they minister to believers (Hebrews 1:14). By protecting us.

  7. No. We are not to worship or try to contact angels, or have an unbiblical interest in them. But we are not to forget that they minister to us, and we should thank God for them.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. Are there recurring temptations in your life? If so, and if you yield to them, do you try to justify or minimize your actions?

  2. Read the Matthew account of Jesus' temptation (4:1-11). How did Jesus deal with the temptations of the devil? Look at each temptation separately, and note how Jesus dealt with each one. Look up the Scripture references in the Old Testament that Jesus quoted.

CHALLENGE

  1. Consider how you must deal with your temptations, then act accordingly.

KEY VERSES

  • "Then a voice came from heaven. 'You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Mark 1:11)



Mark, Talks, New TestamentDeb HarmsMark 1:9-13