Matthew 3:16-4:11

We slowed down in our typical covering a chapter of the Bible at each of our corporate studies. We slowed down with the beginning of Matthew 4 and looked at the importance of scripture and the role of the Holy Spirit in guiding and empowering the Christian life. True worship involves recognizing God's word as supreme instruction. Key points discussed include comparing the four Gospels for a comprehensive understanding of Jesus, the necessity of the Holy Spirit for living a Christian life, and the process of sanctification. We look at these key points through Jesus's temptation by Satan, illustrating that Jesus overcame temptation not by divine powers but by being filled and led by the Holy Spirit as man. Christians are to rely on the Holy Spirit rather than their own strength, and how the Spirit helps resist temptation and empowers believers. We seek an authentic relationship with God, marked by obedience, humility, and an inward transformation by living under the Holy Spirit's influence. God's work is often unreasonable by worldly standards but ultimately more powerful.