The Way - Day 003 (Luke 3)

Pastor Tom's Journal on Today's Reading:
Luke 3:1-20
Luke has already documented the events surrounding the miraculous birth of John the Baptist to his parents, Elizabeth and Zacharias (1:5-25, 57-80), but he skips ahead in the narrative to around AD 29 where the reader finds John emerging from the desert "...preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins..." (3:3). John's baptism was distinct from our Christian baptism because it was a symbol of cleansing from sin in anticipation of the arrival of the Messiah, Jesus. The nature of this act of baptism was not simply an action which brought forgiveness, but an attitude of the heart which understood the extent of an individual's sin before God; in fact, Luke refers to the words of the prophet Isaiah concerning this one, John, who would call people to repentance before the Messiah's arrival, "Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough ways smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God" (3:4-6).

Luke then records the direct message of John to the people concerning the necessity of repentance for salvation, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father'" (3:7-8a). John points to a future and final judgment where all who refuse to repent and believe will stand before God and receive everlasting punishment for their sins. Some thought that their ancestry (being Abraham's descendants) alone would provide automatic entrance into the kingdom of God; however, John proclaimed that true repentance leading to good works revealed those who were going to enter the kingdom of God. This is why John says, "Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire" (3:9). True repentance and faith will always lead to good works and ultimately to eternal life.

When those who were listening to John's message were convinced of their own sinfulness before God they inquired concerning their next step, "What shall we then do?" (3:10); in other words, how do we give evidence of sincere repentance? John responded to the crowd (3:11), the tax collectors (3:12-13), and the soldiers (3:14) by telling them to change their sinful ways. Instead of demonstrating a lifestyle in obedience to the ways of the world, they were now to live life with love for God and love for others. Many people wondered whether John was the promised Messiah or not, but he quickly declared, "I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire" (3:16). Furthermore, John also declared that the coming Messiah would bring "His winnowing fan [tool for separating grain from chaff]... in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire" (3:17). These words reveal that the coming Messiah will be able to separate those who are truly repentant from those who are not.

John continued to preach his message of repentance, even confronting the sexual sins of King Herod (3:18-19; Matthew 14:3-4); however, John's message of repentance eventually landed him in prison (3:20). John is a great example of someone who refused to compromise and was willing to confront people regarding their sin, in order to call them to repent as well as change. In a culture which ignores the commands of God, Christians are demanded to demonstrate a lifestyle of obedience to God and challenge others to do the same; after all, forgiveness and hope has been offered freely to all who will repent and believe.
 
Luke 3:21-38
So far in Luke's account of the life and ministry of Jesus, he has focused on two main characters: John the Baptist (1:5-25, 57-80; 3:1-20) and Jesus Christ (1:26-56; 2:1-52). John, miraculously born to barren Elizabeth and her husband Zacharias, became the one who prepared the way for the promised Messiah (Jesus) by calling people to repent and change their sinful ways (3:1-20). Jesus, born of the virgin Mary and conceived with the Holy Spirit (1:34-35), was sent by God as the One promised (Genesis 3:15) to save people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). By living a sinless life and perfectly submitting to the will of God, Jesus became the only One worthy to remove the punishment for sin, which is death (John 1:29). Although much of His coming sacrifice was not completely understood in Jesus' early life, it was the event to which His life was pointing.

When John began preaching repentance, he used water baptism as a symbol to signify a person's cleansing from sin (3:1-20). So when Jesus, the promised Messiah (John 1:29), finally arrived He went to be baptized by John...not because He needed to, but in order to identify Himself with sinners. This would be Jesus' first step in revealing His humanity as well as His ability to die for the sins of men (2 Corinthians 5:21). All four gospel writers document Jesus' baptism, but Luke describes it by saying, "...it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, 'You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased'" (3:21-22). The words of the Father would have reminded those witnessing Jesus' baptism about the prophecies concerning the Messiah written in Psalm 2:7 (only Old Testament reference to the relationship between the Father and the Son) and Isaiah 42:1.

Following Luke's account of Jesus' baptism and the pronouncement of God the Father confirming Jesus as the Messiah, Luke traces the genealogy of Jesus all the way back to God so that his readers can see that Jesus truly is the promised One. While Matthew's genealogy (Matthew 1:1-17) starts with Abraham and ends with Jesus, Luke lists 76 names (excluding God) beginning with Jesus and moves backward to Adam. Matthew and Luke's genealogy also offer differing perspectives as Matthew provides the genealogy through Joseph, Jesus' legal father, and Luke details Jesus' line through His mother Mary's ancestors, beginning with "the son of Heli" (3:23). Luke's genealogy reminds his readers that Jesus is the Son of God as well as the Son of Man and that He was in line to inherit the throne of David, which was symbolic of the messianic kingdom (see 2 Samuel 7:13-16; Psalm 89:26-29). When combining both Matthew and Luke's genealogies, they prove that Jesus has the legal right to inherit David's throne (Luke 1:31-33) and establish His kingdom forever.
 
Dear God, I am grateful that You sent Your Son, Jesus, to identify with man and become the sacrifice which satisfied the wrath of God upon sinners. As He has given His life to bring forgiveness, may I give my life to be used by You.