The People and the Proclamation
Notes
Transcript
The People
The People
If the Bible were in fact real and historical, then we could use information found within and connect these people to real locations, historical documents, and other non-scriptural references.
The beautiful thing about the Word of God, is that the Author (God) is not afraid of textual criticism. He does not mind you “checking the facts”. As a matter of fact, God puts so much information in His word, it is almost like He is saying: check all you want, here are those who can testify!
So Luke 3 opens up with a bunch of people, all who can be referenced.
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, while Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, God’s word came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.
Political Authorities
Political Authorities
Luke Begins by naming the Roman rulers, the Geographical authorities.
Tiberius Caesar - Replaced Augustus as Roman Emperor
Herod the Great died in 4 BC and his territory was divided between his 3 sons:
Herod Antipas tetrarch of Galilee
Brother Philip, tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis (northeastern region, beyond the Jordan river)
Archelaus, ruled Judea - however you do not see his name here. He was banished by Rome in 6AD and replaced by a Roman Governor:
Pontius Pilate, Governor of Judea
Lysanias, tetrarch of Abilene (Northwest of Damascus in Syria)
Religious Authorities
Religious Authorities
Annas, former High Priest. He retained the title. Similar to Mr. President.
Father in law to Caiaphas.
Caiaphas was the actual high priest at the time.
God’s Representative
God’s Representative
John, son of Zachariah
John lived “in the wilderness”. This is important.
I go back to Luke 1:17
And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to make ready for the Lord a prepared people.”
In the Spirit and power of Elijah - We understand the POWER part - that is the POWER of the Holy Spirit, the POWER of the Lord working through Elijah. The Spirit of the Lord rested UPON Elijah.
The same POWER that rested UPON Elijah RESIDES within you and I!
It is the Spirit part that I cling to. What do I mean? Because the Spirit here does not mean the Holy Spirit.
I truly believe that this is saying something even more profound. We understand that the Holy Spirit is there because of the POWER part. So why double say it, when it is not necessary. Which is why I believe that God is saying here what we find regarding all of the Prophets who were devout and sought the Lord above all: all the way back to Enoch.
They were not found among society. They lived, by and large, on the outskirts, the edges, and “in the wilderness”.
Why? Because when you seek the Lord that hard, when you are that devoted, that committed, that much about the Father’s business:
YOU DO NOT FIT IN!
People DO NOT UNDERSTAND!
The Proclamation
The Proclamation
He went into all the vicinity of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:
A voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
Prepare the way for the Lord;
make his paths straight!
Every valley will be filled,
and every mountain and hill will be made low;
the crooked will become straight,
the rough ways smooth,
and everyone will see the salvation of God.
These were words that the people of the time would understand! These were words that the people of the time were looking for! Because these were the words of the Great Prophet Isaiah!
A voice of one crying out:
Prepare the way of the Lord in the wilderness;
make a straight highway for our God in the desert.
Every valley will be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill will be leveled;
the uneven ground will become smooth
and the rough places, a plain.
And the glory of the Lord will appear,
and all humanity together will see it,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
Wilderness: These words reflect the Spiritual condition of the nation of Israel! They are lost in the wilderness of this world!
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
John was calling the people to COME BACK TO GOD!
That is what it means to REPENT! TO TURN ABOUT. To Change your MIND!
Repentance is Sorrow over sin and the inner resolve to turn FROM it!
John was calling the people to have the right attitude about SIN!
Baptism by water would be a external sign of an internal decision. It would be visible! A public declaration that the believer would be dedicated to the Lord.
He then said to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance. And don’t start saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones. The ax is already at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance.
Brood of Vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath!
BOLDNESS! No fear!
He was speaking to those who felt no need to repent of their sins! He is saying: You claim to be sinless, produce the fruit! You claim to be people of God - do what God’s Word commands!
The Pharisees - all classes, revolved around the local synagogues, cared about social power.
The Sadducees - Wealthy, upper class, revolved around the Temple in Jerusalem - cared about political power!
Both cared more about power, tradition and oral teachings than the actual Word of God, the Scriptures they had, the Sacred Scrolls!
Verse 9 - the ax is already at the root of the trees - Judgement is right around the corner!
The people in the crowds start asking:
“What then should we do?” the crowds were asking him.
If we are not supposed to do what they are doing, then what are we to do?
He replied to them, “The one who has two shirts must share with someone who has none, and the one who has food must do the same.”
Do not take revenge or bear a grudge against members of your community, but love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.
For there will never cease to be poor people in the land; that is why I am commanding you, ‘Open your hand willingly to your poor and needy brother in your land.’
A generous person will be blessed,
for he shares his food with the poor.
generosity
generosity
Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?”
He told them, “Don’t collect any more than what you have been authorized.”
Honesty
Honesty
Some soldiers also questioned him, “What should we do?”
He said to them, “Don’t take money from anyone by force or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”
Contentment
Contentment
John’s message was simple and it is repeated all through Scripture
For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself.
Generosity
Honesty
Contentment - Be satisfied with what the Lord has blessed you with!
QUIT with materialism.
Stop always trying to be better, get more, WORK WORK WORK!
It’s a simple message!
It’s a simple message!
The people were looking for a political savior: to save them from Roman oppression. But Jesus is not here for the political! Jesus came to seek and to save the lost!
“Today salvation has come to this house,” Jesus told him, “because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”
Jesus came to save us form our sin and judgment - which we rightly deserve.
The people then are not that different than you and I, or the people outside the doors of this church.
They came to John, they came to Jesus, they longed and hoped for a Savior to save them from the troubles of their day. But that is not Jesus. Because Jesus is Savior. He came to save us from our sins, from the wrath that is to come.
For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
We are so short sighted! I know, it is easy to see the now. Sometimes you can’t see the road from the fog. Jesus knows this as well!
You are just trying to get step by step and keep on stumbling. The Word of God needs to be your lamp!
Your word is a lamp for my feet
and a light on my path.
Listen:
I know that sometimes people sell Jesus like a Genie in the Bottle. “Oh give your life to Jesus and all will be well”. Then maybe you bought that bag of goods, and got hurt because it did not work out like cupcakes and rainbows.
Jesus promises that “in the end” all will be well. But he also promises:
I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
I won’t stand up here and promise you sunny skies and fair winds. But what I can do is tell you that the Word of God never fails.
Pastors Goodbye Prayer:
“May the Lord bless you and protect you;
may the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
may the Lord look with favor on you
and give you peace.” ’
