December 5, 2004 - Luke 3:1-6
Open It
When have you participated in a meaningful outdoor worship service?
If you could make a certain style of clothes or hair popular again, which would it be?
What well-known public person would you most readily describe as a great speaker?
Explore It
What different rulers did Luke mention in giving a historical setting to John the Baptist's ministry? (3:1-2)
What was John's basic message? (3:3)
Where did John the Baptist carry out his ministry? (3:3)
What Old Testament prophecy was fulfilled by John the Baptist? (3:4)
Get It
What is repentance?
When John explained repentance to people, how did it relate to the work they did in life?
When we are confronted with a call to repent, why do we tend to accept or reject the invitation strongly?
What connection is there between repentance and forgiveness?
In what ways could John the Baptist's directions to his listeners help someone today who reaches the point of repentance?
How did John apply the principle that while God is at work changing people, He often does not change their work or their place in life?
In what ways does John's life teach us about humility?
How should your relationship with God make your work habits differ from those around you?
Apply It
In what areas of your life do you need to show the fruits of repentance this week?
At work this week, what action can you take because of agreement with God's priorities?
Notes
Luke 3:1: Tiberius, the Roman emperor, ruled from A.D. 14 to 37. Pilate was the Roman governor responsible for the province of Judea; Herod (Antipas) and Philip were half brothers and sons of the cruel Herod the Great, who had been dead more than 20 years. Antipas, Philip, Pilate, and Lysanias apparently had equal powers in governing their separate territories. All were subject to Rome and responsible for keeping peace in their respective lands.
Luke 3:2: Under Jewish law there was only one high priest. He was appointed from Aaron's line, and he held his position for life. By this time, however, the religious system had been corrupted, and the Roman government was appointing its own religious leaders to maintain greater control over the Jews. Apparently the Roman authorities had deposed the Jewish-appointed Annas and had replaced him with Annas's son-in-law, Caiaphas. Nevertheless, Annas retained his title (see Acts 4:6) and probably also much of the power it carried. Because the Jews believed the high priest's position to be for life, they would have continued to call Annas their high priest.
Luke 3:2: Pilate, Herod, and Caiaphas were the most powerful leaders in Palestine, but they were upstaged by a desert prophet from rural Judea. God chose to speak through the loner John the Baptist, who has gone down in history as greater than any of the rulers of his day. How often we judge people by our culture's standards-power, wealth, beauty-and miss the truly great people through whom God works! Greatness is not measured by what you have, but by your faith in God.
Luke 3:3: Repentance has two sides-turning away from sins and turning toward God. To be truly repentant, we must do both. We can't just say we believe and then live any way we choose (see Luke 3:7-8), and neither can we simply live a morally correct life without a personal relationship with God, because that cannot bring forgiveness from sin.
Luke 3:4-5: In John's day, before a king took a trip, messengers would tell those he was planning to visit to prepare the roads for him. Similarly John told his listeners to make their lives ready so the Lord could come to them.
Luke 3:6: This book was written to a non-Jewish audience. Luke quoted from Isaiah to show that salvation is for all people, not just the Jews (Isaiah 40:3-5; Isaiah 52:10). John the Baptist called all mankind to prepare to meet Jesus.