1.         And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”      -Luke 2:49           Context: Luke 2:41-50

When Jesus gave His Great Commission to believers in Matthew 28:16-20, He said that after a person becomes a disciple and is baptized they need to be observe all that He has commanded. In the four gospels, there are at least 175 commands Jesus gives! This study will take us through those commands. Some of those commands are explicitly taught, others are implicitly taught through the example of Jesus. Luke 2:49 fits into the implicit command category. At 12 years of age, Jesus stayed behind at God’s house so he could interact with others around the Word of God. When Mary finally found him, she said to Him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have sought you anxiously!” Jesus never sinned against His earthly parents, but models for us here prioritizing our relationship with God the Heavenly Father, saying, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My heavenly Father’s business?” We are all to obey our earthly parents in the Lord, but God comes first. The Christian will want to often gather with others in God’s house around the Word of God!

2.         Then Jesus answered and said to him (John the Baptist), “Permit it to be so now (Jesus’ baptism), for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.                                                  -Matthew 3:15           Context: Matthew 3:13-17

All followers of Jesus are called to be baptized in His name after coming to faith in Him (Matthew 28:16-20). When we get baptized, we are testifying that our faith is in Him alone to “lift us out” of future judgment, as the water represents death (see Romans 6:4). Just as Noah and his family were in the Ark and were lifted out of judgment waters, the believer is now in Christ and is rescued from the judgment due their sins (see I Peter 3:18-22). They have been forgiven of their sins “in Christ” and are now saved. Water baptism is the believer’s public testimony of the spiritual baptism that has already taken place when they received Christ. The Holy Spirit lives inside of them now, and they are identifying themselves with other believers (see I Cor. 12:13). Jesus did not have any sins that needed to be forgiven, so John the Baptist was shocked that He was coming for baptism. The key is that Jesus will never call us to do what He wasn’t personally willing to model! That is completely different than the sinful record of other religious figures like Mohammed and Buddha and Joseph Smith. Isn’t it wonderful to serve a God that models for His followers what He expects of them?!

3.         But He answered and said, “it is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” -Matt. 4:4            Context: Matt. 4:1-4

We humans need not just physical nourishment but spiritual nourishment from God’s Word, the holy Bible. Many Christians, spiritually speaking, look and act malnourished because they simply don’t spend enough time in God’s Word!

4.         Jesus said to him (Satan), “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’”                      -Matthew 4:7             Context: Matthew 4:5-7

Don’t do dumb stuff and ask God to bless it! Don’t let Satan twist a Scripture passage to make you think it’s okay to do something presumptuous. Answer Satan’s lies and distortions with Biblical truth!

5.         Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.”

-Matthew 4:10            Context: Matt. 4:8-10

Don’t make any deals with the Devil, or anyone or anything else trying to draw you away from God. Worship God in everything you do! Many set aside worshipping God to gain more of the world. Whether it’s a shady business deal, cheating to succeed, being in a sinful relationship with someone, dishonoring God in the way you play sports, etc… God demands our ultimate allegiance, and everything we do should be done as an act of worship.

As you begin your prayer time today, thank the Lord for these commands He has given and modeled obeying. Thank God that He doesn’t ask you to do anything that He Himself wasn’t willing to do when He was on earth. Have you done all of these basics He’s called you to? If you have accepted Him as your Savior and Lord, are you in His house the church regularly? Have you followed Him in believer’s baptism? Are you as serious about spiritual food from the Bible as you are about physical food? Follow Jesus, dear friend!