This week’s readings: Matthew 3; Mark 1; Luke 3
Don’t forget to record your impressions and read the ideas an outline in the new Come, Follow Me manuals on lds.org.
Bible Video
Scripture Insight
This week’s scriptural insight comes from Verse by Verse: Volume 1 by Andrew C. Skinner and D. Kelly Ogden.
The words “my messenger” in Mark 1:2 are in Hebrew malachi, which is also the name of the prophet who pronounced the prophecy of the messenger who would prepare the way for the Messiah (cf. Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40:3). Jesus himself explained that the messenger was John the Baptist (Matthew 11:10).
Study Ideas
These ideas and topics are compiled from Come, Follow Me and have been adapted for specific situations. Check out the manuals online for more ideas, or come up with your own as you study!
For couples:
After reading these chapters, you might consider reviewing your baptismal covenants together (see Mosiah 18:8-10) and discussing how you can better fulfill those covenants within your own relationship. Possible conversation starters could included: What burdens can you help each other carry? How can you stand as a witness of God to each other?
For singles:
One of the first words spoken by John the Baptist in the New Testament is “repent.” Consider focusing your study on Luke 3 and looking for ways that the people were invited to prepare to receive Christ. As you think about how these invitations also apply to you, you might want to pick one invitation to write down in a place where you will see it and remember to focus on it throughout the week.
For families with young children:
To help children understand baptismal covenants, consider playing a baptism matching game. You can create several pairs of cards that represent our baptismal covenants through pictures or words, depending on the children’s ages. As you take turns flipping over two at a time searching for a match, you can review what each card means. Then, whoever makes a match can share one way that they can or already are keeping that covenant.
For families with teens:
After studying about John the Baptist and how he was preparing the way for the Messiah, consider discussing or reading together some of the talks from modern-day prophets in general conference and talking about similarities between warnings and counsel. You might make a list of counsel from our current prophet and make a goal together of how you can, as a family, do a better job of following one of the pieces of prophetic counsel from your list.
Click here for a family home evening lesson idea connected to this week's study.
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