The Kingdom Fulfilled, Part Two

Week thirty-six | september 8-14

As John the Baptist was preparing the hearts of the people, Jesus was also preparing for the right time to begin his ministry. He waited 30 years before revealing to the world who he really was! His ministry on earth began with an act of obedience, baptism. Though Jesus himself had never sinned and did not need to repent, through his baptism he identifies with his people. As Jesus comes out of the water we see a picture of the Triune God, a declaration of Jesus’ true identity as the Son of God, and his empowerment for ministry by the Holy Spirit. Directly after, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan, once again identifying with his people. Unlike Adam and Eve and the people of Israel who gave into temptation, Jesus endured the temptations of Satan without giving in. He then began his public ministry by calling his disciples, a group of 12 men from all walks of life who were specifically chosen to be his closest followers and the ones to carry on the work of building God’s kingdom on earth. Each of these events set in motion the fulfillment of God’s kingdom, God’s presence on earth with his people under his rule and blessing, just as he designed it to be. 

Memory Verse

And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” 

Mark 1:11

Worship

Day One

Read

Here are some verses to read with your family about Jesus’ baptism:

Matthew 3:13-17 (ICB)

Matthew 3:13 At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River. He came to John and wanted John to baptize him. 14But John tried to stop him. John said, “Why do you come to me to be baptized? I should be baptized by you!” 15Jesus answered, “Let it be this way for now. We should do all things that are right.” So John agreed to baptize Jesus. 16Jesus was baptized and came up out of the water. Heaven opened, and he saw God’s Spirit coming down on him like a dove. 17And a voice spoke from heaven. The voice said, “This is my Son and I love him. I am very pleased with him.”

Pray

Lead your family in a time of prayer over what you read.

Consider the ACTS model:
A – Adoration/ praise God (remember that this is part of worshiping God)
C – Confession (confess sin and your need of God)
T – Thanksgiving (thank God)
S – Supplication (ask God to supply your needs) 

God, our hearts rejoice at the coming of Christ in scripture. Thank you for coming to earth to rescue us. But God, we so often turn to our sin instead of trusting in you to rescue us. Thank you, Jesus, for paying the price for that sin through your death on the cross. Help us trust in you to be our Rescuer rather than the things of this world. In the name of our Rescuer, Jesus, Amen.

Day Two

Read

Read with your family this parallel passage about Jesus’ baptism, told from John the Baptist’’s perspective in the Gospel of John:

John 1:29-34

John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ 31I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”

Pray

Lead your family in a time of prayer over what you read.

Consider the ACTS model:
A – Adoration/ praise God (remember that this is part of worshiping God)
C – Confession (confess sin and your need of God)
T – Thanksgiving (thank God)
S – Supplication (ask God to supply your needs) 

Day Three

Read

Here are some verses for your family to read about Jesus’s temptation in the desert: 

Matthew 4:1-11(ICB)

Matthew 4:1Then the Spirit led Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2Jesus ate nothing for 40 days and nights. After this, he was very hungry. 3The devil came to Jesus to tempt him. The devil said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these rocks to become bread.” 4Jesus answered, “It is written in the Scriptures, ‘A person does not live only by eating bread. But a person lives by everything the Lord says.’”
5Then the devil led Jesus to the holy city of Jerusalem. He put Jesus on a very high place of the Temple. 6The devil said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off. It is written in the Scriptures,
‘He has put his angels in charge of you.
They will catch you with their hands.
And you will not hit your foot on a rock.’”
7Jesus answered him, “It also says in the Scriptures, ‘Do not test the Lord your God.’”
8Then the devil led Jesus to the top of a very high mountain. He showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and all the great things that are in those kingdoms. 9The devil said, “If you will bow down and worship me, I will give you all these things.”
10Jesus said to the devil, “Go away from me, Satan! It is written in the Scriptures, ‘You must worship the Lord your God. Serve only him!’”
11So the devil left Jesus. And then some angels came to Jesus and helped him.

Pray

Lead your family in a time of prayer over what you read.

Consider the ACTS model:
A – Adoration/ praise God (remember that this is part of worshiping God)
C – Confession (confess sin and your need of God)
T – Thanksgiving (thank God)
S – Supplication (ask God to supply your needs) 

Day Four

Read

Here are some verses for your family to read about Jesus calling his disciples, the men who would be his closest followers and carry on the work of building the kingdom of God:

Luke 5:1-11; Mark 3:13-19.

Luke 5 On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, 2 and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

Mark 3:13 And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. 14 And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach 15 and have authority to cast out demons. 16 He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); 18 Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot, 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Pray

Lead your family in a time of prayer over what you read.

Consider the ACTS model:
A – Adoration/ praise God (remember that this is part of worshiping God)
C – Confession (confess sin and your need of God)
T – Thanksgiving (thank God)
S – Supplication (ask God to supply your needs) 

Day Five: Family Sabbath

Be Present

Set aside distractions (electronics, work, chores, etc.) and spend time with God and each other. 

Pray

God, thank you for giving us rest. You created us with limitations and command us to rest to remember You and all You provide. Help us rest in You today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Play

Choose a fun activity to do together as your family rests from work. 

• If someone from your family (parent, grandparent, older child) has experienced baptism, make time for them to retell about their baptism. If you have photos or video of it, pull them out and enjoy them together. 
• Create a blanket fort in your living room or under the dining room table.
• Pull out the blender and make homemade milkshakes. 

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