March through Matthew in a Month

Matthew 3

During the season of Lent in March 2026 we are reading through the Gospel of Matthew as we follow Jesus from Bethlehem to Nazareth to Galilee to Jerusalem to Calvary to an empty tomb and by grace through faith in Christ to heaven.

Basic Background Info on the Gospel of Matthew:

1. Just think--yesterday in Matthew chapter 2 Jesus was about 2 years old when God led the Magi to find and worship Him; now in Matthew 3 about 30 years have passed! Jesus is an adult coming to John to be baptized in order to fulfill prophecy and God’s plans.

2. The Old Testament connections continue in Matthew! Isaiah prophesied (in Isaiah 40:3) God would send a VOICE (John the Baptizer) to announce the “Kingdom of heaven” has arrived in the person of Jesus, our Messiah and Savior!

3. The “Kingdom of Heaven” is a very important theme in Matthew and is used 32 times! (Matthew is the only New Testament author to use this theme). Matthew is emphasizing that the Reign of God has intersected with the reality of our lives through the coming of Jesus.

4. The primary purpose of John the Baptizer’s ministry is to POINT people to Jesus. God sent John to PREPARE the way for Jesus. John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. Jesus submitted to John’s baptism to fulfill Scripture. John reminds us of Elijah and is the final prophet sent before Jesus begins His saving work and fulfills God’s plan of salvation. Later, we hear Jesus say in Matthew 5:17, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Jesus gives us His ongoing and complete Triune baptism in the final chapter of Matthew (28:18-20).

5. Jesus received John’s baptism in order to identify with sinners like us--even though Jesus was without sin. Perfect Jesus stood in our place to receive baptism as part of His mission to cleanse and save us from sin. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “21 For our sake [God] made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

6. When Jesus is baptized, we see and hear the entire Trinity as “the heavens were opened” (Mt. 3:16) as Jesus is baptized (God the Son), and a dove descends (God the Spirit), and the voice from heaven (God the Father) says: “This is my beloved Son with Whom I am well pleased.” (NOTE: God’s voice will echo these similar words about Jesus later at the Mount of Transfiguration in Matthew 17:5).

7. John’s message is crystal clear: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt. 3:2).

What is REPENTANCE? Repentance is a total change of heart and mind given to us by the power of God. To repent means to turn away from unbelief to faith and to turn away from our sin to trusting in God.

8. Repentance is in an ONGOING, God-empowered activity for all Christians. In his summary of the basic teachings of Scripture, Martin Luther magnifies in The Small Catechism that repentance is NOT a one time act. When we do repent and confess our sins, God gives us FULL and FREE forgiveness by grace through faith in our Savior, Jesus! 

Matthew 3 (ESV)

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

3 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord;

    make his paths straight.’”

4 Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

The Baptism of Jesus

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

> We apply God’s Word to our lives…

+ PONDER this very PERSONAL question:

Of what sins in my life do I need to repent?

+Prayer+ Dear Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner and struggle with sin daily. I am often selfish and put so many other priorities ahead of You. Forgive my many sins of thought, word and deed. Convict me through Your Word to repent of my sins. Through the power of Your Spirit give me a change of heart and mind to trust and have faith in Jesus and to follow Him as my Savior during 2020. Amen.

Pastor Scott Schmieding

Senior Pastor

Immanuel Lutheran Church and School

115 S. Sixth Street

Saint Charles, MO 63301

636.946.2656