The Big Story

The Big Story Week 21: Jesus Obeys God

Bible Truths

  • We are sinners who need a Savior. (Week 13)
  • Memorizing Bible verses can help me make right choices.

Bible Verse

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

Psalm 119:11 NIV

Focus

Starting this week we will be in the New Testament. In December we learned about the birth of Jesus and when he was a boy in the Temple. Our story this week starts when Jesus is 30 years old.

Day 1

Baptized from The Action Bible

Day 2

In week 14, we learned that God sent a messenger to prepare people for Jesus’s ministry and teaching. The messenger was Jesus’s cousin John. John is also know as John the Baptizer or John the Baptist because he preached that people should repent, turn to God and be baptized.

Today’s passage begins with John speaking.

11 “I baptize 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’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12 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 never-ending fire.”

The Baptism of Jesus

13 Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to talk him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?”

15 But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.” So John agreed to baptize him.

16 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. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”

Matthew 3:11-17 NLT
  1. Why should someone be baptized?
  2. Jesus was perfect and had never sinned. Why did He want to be baptized?

Day 3

Tempted in the Desert from The Action Bible

Day 4

1 Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry.

Then the devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread.”

But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone.’ (Deuteronomy 8:3)”

Then the devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. “I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them,” the devil said, “because they are mine to give to anyone I please. I will give it all to you if you will worship me.”

Jesus replied, “The Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God
    and serve only him.’ Deuteronomy 6:13

Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! 10 For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect and guard you.
11 And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.”

12 Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.” (Deuteronomy 6:16)

13 When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came.

Luke 4:1-13 NLT

Jesus had just been baptized God sent and a message showing that Jesus was His son. It was a great day for Jesus. The next thing that happens is told to go to the desert and spend 40 days praying and fasting (not eating). That is more than a month without eating. He must have been very hungry and physically weak from not eating. So why did he do that?

Jesus went to the desert to spend time alone in prayer and preparing for the plans God had for him. Jesus is about to spend 3 years on earth teaching people about God’s way.

Another important thing happens during this time. Satan tempts Jesus to disobey God. If Jesus is perfect and never disobeyed God. Why was He tempted? One reason is so that He could relate to our weakness when we are tempted.

Day 5

Look back the passage from yesterday. Three times Satan tried to get Jesus to sin. How did Jesus respond each time? Each time Jesus quoted scripture.

When we are struggling with something maybe making good choices, discouraged, lonely or scared; then we can use Bible verses to help. Remembering or reading Bible verses can give us strength to do the right thing or courage. That is why it is so important to memorize scripture.

Read this week’s memory verse.

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

Psalm 119:11 NIV