PASSAGE: Matthew 3:1-12
SERIES SUMMARY
As Jesus steps onto the scene of history, Matthew paints a picture of him that invites our participation in what Jesus is doing. The portrait is that Jesus is the True King who is bringing the kingdom of heaven to earth. This good news is not reserved for especially religious people in a distant future; it’s good news, right now, for ordinary people who come to Jesus in faith.
And while Jesus inaugurated the kingdom among us through teaching and serving in dozens of ways, he ultimately brought heaven to earth by embracing the cross as his throne and wearing thorns as his crown. In doing this, he broke the powers of the kingdom(s) of this world and opened up God’s new world through his resurrection. Now, because of these things, discipleship to Jesus is about praying and living “Your kingdom come, Your will be done.” It is about whole-life transformation and embodying kingdom realities. It is about becoming people who naturally live out what Jesus taught. Today, because of Matthew’s witness and Jesus’ ministry, the kingdom is coming in our own lives, “on earth as it is in heaven.”
PASSAGE GUIDE
God’s love is not only comforting, it is also confronting. This text centers on the reality that God speaks in ways that unsettle us on purpose, not to shame us but to rescue us. He exposes what is crooked in us, challenges false peace, and calls us back when we’re drifting toward patterns and choices that destroy life with Him.
A central question that emerges: do you have people in your life who can lovingly confront you, and even more, do you have a view of God that allows Him to do the same? Healthy correction is not cruelty; it’s one of love’s strange gifts. In a world that often prefers comfort without change, Scripture presents a God who cares enough to disturb us when we’re drifting toward harm, toward patterns, habits, and self-deceptions that quietly erode our joy and holiness.
Matthew 3 introduces John the Baptist as that “disturbing voice”, a prophet-like figure in the wilderness who announces that the kingdom of heaven is near and therefore repentance is urgent. His call is not primarily moral scolding; it’s a summons to turn because the King is arriving. Repentance is not mere regret or trying harder; it is a decisive reorientation changing the mind and direction, rethinking reality in light of God’s reign, and preparing the “road” of the heart for the rightful King.
John’s sharpest words are aimed at religious insiders who assume their heritage, knowledge, or proximity to spiritual activity makes them safe. He exposes the danger of substituting outward religion for inward surrender: God wants fruit that matches repentance, real change that shows up in attitudes, relationships, speech, habits, and integrity. Images like an axe at the root and fire are meant as merciful clarity, not sadistic threat: God tells the truth about sin’s seriousness because redemption is possible, and the King’s arrival forces a choice between humble turning and stubborn resistance.
John also points beyond himself to the Coming One who is greater, who brings a deeper baptism: not only water as a symbol of repentance, but the Holy Spirit and fire as the power of inner renewal. Fire in Scripture can mean both purification and judgment, separating what is real from what is hollow, wheat from chaff. The warning lands as both sobering and hopeful: the King who confronts sin is also the Savior who bears judgment for sinners. The response, then, is concrete: identify where you need to turn, refuse religious presumption, welcome God’s loving disturbance, and take real steps of confession and obedience so that the path in your heart is cleared for King Jesus to reign.
*We are a church located in Greenville, South Carolina. Our vision is to see God transform us into a community of grace passionately pursuing life and mission with Jesus.
SUGGESTIONS FOR COMMUNITY GROUP QUESTIONS
Remember, these are “suggested” questions. You do not have to go through every single one of them. You do not need to listen to both sermons at both campuses to participate in the discussion.
LIFE WITH JESUS
Before you discuss the sermon ask someone from the group to share what they have been learning in God’s Word over the past few weeks.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- What stood out to you from the sermon or the passage on Sunday?
- In Matthew 3, why is John’s message aimed primarily at the professing people of God rather than outsiders and what does that imply for us?
- What do you think it means that John’s main announcement is “the King is coming,” and repentance is the appropriate response?
- When you hear “repent,” do you default to “feel bad and try harder,” or “turn around because reality has changed”? Which one are you living with right now?
- What’s the difference between someone being harsh and someone being loving-but-honest? How can you tell?
- How have you seen correction done poorly in church culture, and how did it shape your view of repentance?
- What “earthly kingdom” are you tempted to build or protect (comfort, reputation, control, financial security, family image, political tribe, ministry platform)?
- How does clinging tightly to personal agendas make God’s voice feel “disturbing” rather than life-giving?
- Who are the “lovingly disturbing voices” in your life right now and how do you typically respond when they confront you?
CLOSING PRAYER
Father, we confess that we cling to our own agendas and try to build our own little kingdoms. Forgive us for presuming on religion while resisting surrender.
Jesus, You are King. We repent, change our minds, turn our hearts, and clear the way for You.
Holy Spirit, show us what needs to change, give us humility to receive correction through Scripture and Your people, and help us bear fruit that matches repentance. In Jesus’ name, amen.
RESOURCES