WWUTT 2286 The Word of the Lord Came to John the Baptist (Luke 3:1-3)

John the Baptist as the Forerunner in Luke 3

John the Baptist was the voice of one crying in the wilderness saying prepare the way of the Lord Make his paths straight. He came proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. When we understand the text.

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Here once again is Pastor Gabe. Thank you Becky in our study of the gospel of Luke this week. We are on to chapter 3 where we are going to read about the ministry of John the Baptist. Let me begin by reading verses 1 through 22.

Hear the word of the Lord in the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Idaria and Trachonitis and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas the word of the Lord came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness and he went into all the region around the Jordan proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins as It is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet the voice of one crying in the wilderness.

Prepare the way of the Lord make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low and The crooked shall become straight and the rough places shall be level ways and all flesh Shall see the salvation of God.

He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him You brood of vipers who warned you to flee from the wrath to come. Bear fruits in keeping with repentance and do not begin to say to yourselves.

We have Abraham as our father for I tell you God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

And the crowds asked him What then shall we do. And he answered them? Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none and whoever has food is to do likewise. Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him teacher What shall we do.

And he said to them collect no more than you are authorized to do. Soldiers also asked him and we what do we do. And he said to them do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation and be content with your wages as.

The people were in expectation and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John whether he might be the Christ. John answered them all saying I Baptize you with water. But he who is mightier than I is coming the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn. But the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.

So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. But Herod the Tetrarch who had been reproved by him for Herodias his brother's wife and for all the evil things that Herod had done.

Adding this to them all that he locked up John in prison. Now when all the people were baptized and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying. The heavens were open and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove and a voice came from heaven.

You are my beloved son with you. I am well pleased and There we read of John the Baptist ministry in Luke chapter 3 what comes next is the genealogy of Jesus Christ. Which actually closes out chapter 3 and then we begin Jesus ministry in chapter 4.

So everything we've read here is Luke's account of the ministry of John the Baptist serving as the forerunner to the Christ who was to come. Now when we started in Luke chapter 2, we had a very general sort of period of time that was mentioned coinciding with Caesar Augustus and Kyrenia as governor of Syria.

So let me read that to you again in Luke 2 1 in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Kyrenias was governing Syria and remember we considered how there was all kinds of pushback against that statement because Luke therefore puts Kyrenias is ruling at the same time of as Herod and a Historian like Josephus would have said that Herod and Kyrenias were not governing at the same time.

Well, we considered all that last. I was gonna say last week. But however many weeks ago that was that we started in Luke chapter 2 and Luke really gives us a very general period of time. I mean, it's specific.

It's just not like to the day or to the year which is generally the way that most people read it. It was in a time of Caesar Augustus and the particular census that was being taken was the same census that was.

At the time that Kyrenias was governing Syria doesn't mean that the decree and the time that Kyrenias is governing Syria are necessarily at the same time. So we have a very broad span of time. It's somewhat general there in Luke chapter 2 whereas at the start of chapter 3 here We have something very specific.

Luke is a lot more specific with the time in the place in which this is happening. This is in the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar so now we have a an exact year that all of this began with the ministry of John the Baptist and Tiberius Caesar being Caesar for 15 years.

That means this has been well after Caesar Augustus now. It's during the time of the Caesar that followed Augustus. Tiberius Began reigning in 14 and reigned to about 37. So he was the Caesar during the time of Jesus ministry John the Baptist ministry and Christ ministry.

This is in the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar. So that puts it sometime around 30 80 30 is when all of this is taking place. So you have Tiberius Caesar Pontius Pilate being the governor of Judea and Herod being the Tetrarch of Galilee.

This wasn't Herod the Great. Of course, this was Herod's son along with his brother Philip who was the Tetrarch of the region of Iteria and Draconitis and Lysanias who was the Tetrarch of Abilene? This is during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas and Caiaphas of course was the high priest at the time that Jesus was put to death because it was Caiaphas that Jesus was brought before when he was arrested.

So during this period of time The Word of the Lord came to John the Baptist. John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. So remember we read about Zechariah's in chapter 1 and I had said Regarding John son of Zechariah that he was well known to the people.

He was not just some weirdo who was out in the wilderness and the guys bonkers and preaching something. And so because he's acting kind of crazy, that's what drew the people's attention to go out and listen to John preach.

That's the way the Chosen depicts John the Baptist. That's the way John the Baptist is often depicted when it comes to TV shows or movies. That kind of chronicle the events that we read about in the gospel.

So that wasn't the case at all. I can't remember actually ever watching a film or a Any sort of dramatic depiction of this that actually captured John the Baptist in the right light. I mean, it's bad enough.

They don't get Jesus, right? Of course, that's terrible in about all these movies and TV shows. But John the Baptist should be the easy one to get and if you want Drama, if you really want drama, you've got it with everything in John the Baptist.

But they just can't seem to get John the Baptist, right? He's just some weirdo. He's kind of inconvenient to the story. We don't really want to hear about John the Baptist. We want all this other stuff.

Jesus is the cool one. He did all the miracles. So let's get over the crazy guy who's preaching out there in the wilderness and let's just jump right to the stuff from Jesus. So John the Baptist was very well known among the people.

Part of the reason why the people listened to him is because they knew all of the miraculous things that had surrounded his birth. His mother was beyond childbearing years. That was known among the women it was known that the way of women was no longer with her and There was already like lament among family that they would look at somebody like Zechariah and Elizabeth and know that they can Never have children.

They've never had children. They're not going to have any children. And so Zechariah is somebody who worked in the temple who was himself a priest. Who was among the order that was even entrusted to go in and burn incense when his order was up.

This was a well-known man a well-known minister in Jerusalem and in the high country of Judah the hill country as was talked about in chapter 1 and So then there's this miraculous birth that occurs with them.

Zechariah couldn't have children then he sees a vision of the Lord and Then his wife is suddenly pregnant and Zechariah can't talk for the whole time that she's pregnant. The people were not as amazed at what happened with Mary because they didn't really believe that she was a virgin.

Nobody can be a virgin and get pregnant and So it was just some weird thing that they were saying to try to cover up the fact that she had been Unfaithful if they were even talking about it at all. So Joseph and Mary even though Joseph defended Mary he remained with Mary and even Zechariah and Elizabeth would have defended Mary they would have defended everything that happened concerning her because Elizabeth knew exactly who she was yet.

The people were not as amazed with that story. Joseph and Mary weren't well-known and What in the world can come out of Nazareth? Remember that statement from was it Nathanael and John chapter 1 who said can anything good come out of Nazareth?

It was not a place of great reputation where people were looking for the Messiah to come out of there. And so the story regarding Joseph and Mary was largely dismissed by people. People weren't watching to see what was gonna happen with this child that Mary gave birth to and what he was gonna grow up to be but they were Thinking that with Zechariah and Elizabeth and we read that in chapter 1.

So the people were amazed and were kind of Curious were largely curious to see what kind of child is John going to grow up to be. Luke 1 66 and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts. Saying what then will this child be for the hand of the Lord was with him.

So when the day finally comes that John the Baptist begins preaching in the wilderness, it catches a lot of people's attention. They're already waiting to see what's gonna happen with this miracle baby who has grown up.

He's living in the wilderness. This is Zechariah's son. They all know whose son he is. It's even recalled here or recounted in Luke chapter 3 that this is John the Baptist the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.

And he goes into all the region around the Jordan proclaiming a baptism of repentance. For the forgiveness of sins people are listening. Because maybe this one is the Christ think back to or think of also verse 15.

Which we read here as the people were in expectation and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John. Whether he might be the Christ so the people are anticipating the Christ is coming. They've already been wondering maybe the miracle baby that Elizabeth gave birth to is The Christ and here he is preaching in the wilderness and the things that he is proclaiming in the baptism that he is He is doing with the people for the forgiveness of sins.

They're starting to ask. Maybe the time has finally come. Luke is very meticulous with his dates and the timing of all of this and so he stayed specifically in what year this Began and all of this going on at the time of Annas and Caiaphas the word of the Lord came to John now.

Remember John is not just out there preaching whatever it was. He wanted to preach. This was a man that was well-versed in the scriptures surely being the son of Zechariah. But then also he's a prophet.

He's the last prophet before the Son of God comes and so whatever he preaches comes from God and John actually heard from God. This is not just whatever thoughts are rushing into his head. Well, this is what my heart feels in the moment.

So that's what I'm gonna preach and therefore that's what makes him a prophet. God Verbally spoke to John the Baptist. We also have this in John chapter 1 where verse 29 It says that he saw Jesus coming toward him and said behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

This is he of whom I said After me comes a man who ranks before me because he was before me. I Myself did not know him but for this purpose I came baptizing with water that he might be revealed to Israel and John bore witness.

I Saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove and it remained on him. I myself did not know him but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain.

This is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and I have seen and if born witness That this is the Son of God. So God in heaven had said to John the Baptist here's how you'll know who the Messiah is you're gonna baptize him and The Holy Spirit will descend from heaven and remain on him and that's the one Whom you have been prophesying about who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.

So again, John the Baptist being a prophet actually hears the Word of the Lord and testifies according to the Word of the Lord and Preaches to the people what it is that God has spoken to him. But even pointing to the fulfillment of the scriptures itself John knew that he was the one who was the fulfillment of the prophecy made in the book of Isaiah so all went out to the region around the Jordan proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins as It is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet the voice of one crying in the wilderness.

Prepare the way of the Lord make his paths straight. Now, how do we know that John the Baptist knew that he was the fulfillment of these words of the prophet Isaiah. But that John was not at all clueless to this it wasn't just happenstance and now Luke is connecting the dots for us and showing us that John was the fulfillment of Isaiah the prophet.

And you know Matthew does the same thing. John does the same thing. Well in the Gospel of John it is said that the Pharisees the the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him. Who are you and John the Baptist Confessed and did not deny but said I am NOT the Christ and so they asked him what then are you Elijah?

And he said I am NOT are you the prophet and he answered? No, so they said to him Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say? About yourself. And In John 1 23 John answers.

I am the voice of the one crying out in the wilderness. Make straight the way of the Lord as the prophet Isaiah said. So again, John knew that he was the fulfillment of this Isaiah prophecy. Now this is significant for Luke to include this when we get to chapter 4 at the beginning of Jesus ministry Jesus points to the fact that he is the fulfillment of the Isaiah prophecy as well.

Not the same Isaiah prophecy but a different prophecy concerning the coming of the Savior. Isaiah prophesies of one who will precede the Savior and then speaks of the Savior. So John shows himself to be the fulfillment of the Isaiah prophecy about the one crying out in the wilderness.

Jesus is going to show himself to be the fulfillment of the prophecy of the anointed one whom God would send. So all of this being spoken about in the Old Testament John the Baptist. Knowing that he is the fulfillment of that because he knows that this is the time the fullness of time has come and the Messiah is about to arrive so the Baptism that he's doing is preparing the people for the arrival of the Messiah.

Not anybody could just go into the presence of the king and whatever condition they were they had to be cleansed first. They had to be bathed before coming into the king's Court or the king's palace and so that's in a sense what John the Baptist is doing preparing the people.

For the coming of the king the coming of the Messiah. So let's come back to that tomorrow. We're gonna begin by talking about what kind of baptism that John baptized with as he went into all the region around the Jordan.

Proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. What was unique what was specific about this baptism. There's no baptism in the Old Testament. Nothing that's being said of the people.

Will you have to be washed and cleansed? There were certain ceremonial cleansings that were done but it wasn't upon every one of the people that in order to show yourself as a follower of God that you had to be baptized.

Baptism is a New Testament institution. But what is unique about John's baptism that may be different than the baptism that we do now as Jesus had commissioned his disciples to do. Let's come back and consider that tomorrow.

So let me finish here in prayer. Heavenly Father. We thank you for what we have read Regarding the ministry of John the Baptist and I pray that it would be upon us. That we also would testify to the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Messiah has come. He gave his life he died on the cross for our sins. He rose again from the dead so that whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life. We must turn from our sin.

We must be washed clean we must be risen to new life in Christ and walk in that new life that he has given to us and Lord may the conviction of our hearts guide us in that truth today. It is in Jesus name that we pray.

Amen.

You've been listening to when we understand the text with Gabriel Hughes. Pastor Gabe is the author of 25 Christmas myths and what the Bible says Examining some of our most common Christmas beliefs and traditions and bringing them back to the truth of Scripture.

You can find this and other books at our website WWW .com. Join us again tomorrow for more Bible study when we understand the text.