Preparing the Way

The Voice of one Crying

Why do you think we get all this background work from Luke? Luke describes the time and who all were in charge. Luke tells of Pontius Pilate, Herod, Philip, and others. I believe this was to make what was getting ready to happen was believed. Remember that before John was born; before Jesus was born, they met. John was said to have lept in his mother’s womb. (ESV)

41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

Did you have anything leap within you today as you prepared your hearts to see the baby Jesus? Shouldn’t we get excited as we prepare for the coming?

John the Baptist was the message because of his great authority. I hope that I come across with authority because if you don’t believe the messenger, you will never believe the message. John was bigger than life and lived such a life that people came to hear what he had to say. Israel had not heard from a prophet for more than four hundred years when John began his message.

What was it that made John’s message hard or difficult for the Jew to accept? I first of all, want to talk about membership because baptism is much like membership. Now I am getting ready to do baptisms and membership in another week. Ask yourselves, what is it that is required for membership? Since we just came out of stewardship this should be easy for all of us to understand: giving of gifts, joining a bible study, ect…

Here is what was difficult. You often see the church thinking that they are the saved ones, right? The Jews were those people of the church who felt this way. Before John, the Jews did not get baptised. They were the chosen people right? They didn’t feel that they had todo anything to secure their salvation, for they were born righteous. Do you believe that? John changed things for the Jews because he knew that they were not following their call to be holy. They were not living the life of a chosen people. You see just because God chose them, did not secure who they were.

Luke 3:4 (NRSV)

4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,

“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord,

make his paths straight. How can we make his paths straight? Perhaps by living according to his word. Not by thinking we are special but living special lives. Think about the shepherd and what he is doing for us. He leads us to green pastures, he makes us to drink from safe waters. But what does the shepherd do if the sheep do not follow? He goes after the sheep and brings them back to safe places. This makes his path very crooked does it not?

(NRSV)

5 Every valley shall be filled,

and every mountain and hill shall be made low,

and the crooked shall be made straight,

and the rough ways made smooth;

6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ” John was asking the followers to return to their lives and bear fruit. Good fruit. Don’t continue to do wrong things and expect to be saved. John called them a brood of vipers because he knew who they were, truly. My wife tells me this all the time, I know who you are.

You see, the people who heard John’s message, were the same people who had Abraham as their father. How far back do you trace your heritage? The Jews were telling him and anyone who would listen that they were okay, they had Abraham as their father.

Luke 3:8 ESV

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.

The axe is laid to the root of the tree.

Luke 3:9 ESV

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.”

Luke 3:10 ESV

And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?”