Learning the Jesus Way of LifeSample

Famous Relatives

Pray: Jesus, give me the faith to go where you go, do what you do, trust what you say, and love how you love. Today, I commit to following you. Amen.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be related to someone famous? Maybe you’ve wished that your uncle was a little bit less crazy and a lot more creative. That way he could invent something that would get his name on the news and some more money in the bank. Or maybe you’ve imagined what it would be like for your cousin, who is super into their sport or hobby, to actually go pro?

Well, Jesus had some pretty famous relatives. And this chapter highlights two of them. The first is His cousin, a guy known to most as John the Baptist. The second is His Dad, a person most of us know as God the Father.

John was the kind of famous where some people loved him and others couldn’t stand him. Why? Because he came preaching a message that most people don’t want to hear:

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

Matthew 3:1–2 NIV

The message John was bringing might be one you don’t like hearing, either. Because the word repent can be a very confrontational word, and, in the wrong context, can potentially come across as condemning.

Because of this, we want to pause here and remind you why Jesus came into the world in the first place. It certainly wasn’t to condemn the world. In fact, the most famous verse in the Bible is followed by a verse that tells us exactly that:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17 NIV

And in the very next chapter, Jesus begins His ministry preaching the same message that John did.

From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Matthew 4:17 NIV

So, if God’s goal is to save people, not condemn them, and both John and Jesus are calling people to repent, then how should we think about their words?

For starters, it’s helpful to know what the word repent actually means. Repent means to change the direction of your life. John and Jesus were seeing the way the Jewish people were living, and their hearts were broken over the fact that the people had lost sight of what matters most. Instead of prioritizing God and His purpose for their lives, they were living for themselves. Instead of practicing love, justice, forgiveness, and righteousness, they were just doing whatever was normal, convenient, and comfortable.

So, John and Jesus were inviting them to return to God and the way of life He designed them for. Why? Because the kingdom of heaven has come near. What does that mean?

A kingdom is a nation ruled by a king. Heaven is the realm where God rules. So, when John and Jesus announce that the Kingdom of Heaven has come near, they are saying that the rule and reign of God is taking root in history. God is bringing His kingdom, a place called heaven, here to the earth. So, the time has come to return to Him and change your life because you don’t want to miss out on what He has in store!

It’s a message of good news. And that’s why, even though John was a little strange, people from all over came to hear his message, confess their sins, and return to God.

John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. Matthew 3:4-6 NIV

And then, Jesus, the Son of God and Savior King of the world arrives to be baptized by His crazy cousin John.

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. Matthew 3:13-15 NIV

At first, John resists. Because he knows that he’s just the opening act. Jesus is really the one everybody came to see. But Jesus wants to make it clear to everyone that He is not above being baptized by John.

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:16-17 NIV

Have you ever wondered what God thinks of you? Have you ever worried that you haven’t done enough for Him to be proud of you?

In this scene, before He’s even begun His ministry, God looks at Jesus and tells Him, “I love you and I’m proud of you.”

When you put your trust in Jesus, you become one with Him. When God looks at you, He sees His son or His daughter. He loves you—not because of what you’ve done, but because of who He is. He’s proud of you—not because of your achievements, but because of His goodness. The Apostle Paul tells us:

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 NIV

Application: When we repent, we are turning away from our old way of life and toward the new way of life we have in Christ. What is different about your life now that you’re following Jesus? What are some areas where you still need to make some changes? And remember, your rightness with God isn’t based on how rigorously you’ve repented. It’s based on your relationship with Jesus. So confidently confront the parts of your life that still need to change to become more like Jesus.