Preparing the Way for Christ
Notes
Transcript
1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert. 3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:
“A voice of one calling in the desert,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.
5 Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
the rough ways smooth.
6 And all mankind will see God’s salvation.’ ”
Introduction
Introduction
Recall that last time we were together in Luke’s Gospel, we considered the account of Jesus in the temple at the age of 12 years.
Two key things that we saw through that account....
Firstly, Christ acknowledging His relationship with the Father - He knew that He was the Son of God.
Secondly, the fact of Christ’s great wisdom. Just prior to that passage, as Luke recorded the account of Jesus as a young boy that was presented in the Temple at his consecration, Luke ended the passage with the words...
40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.
Then after the account of Jesus at the age of 12 in the temple, we found a similar phrase...
52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
And so, Luke has set the scene for us in terms of what took place as Christ was preparing to begin his ministry.
The passage that we come to today jumps forward about 17 or 18 years, as the work of preparing the way for the coming of the Messiah in His formal ministry years is going to be laid down.
And so to do this, Luke switches back to considering John, the one that was sent as the forerunner to the Messiah, the One who God had chosen for this very task of preparing the way of the Messiah.
Before we delve into this text, recall also that John himself had been growing in wisdom.
In Luke 1:80, Luke recorded for us (concerning John)...
80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel.
Chapter 3 marks the arrival of that day when John would appear publicly to Israel.
So, this text will show us the preparation (at least in part) that was taking place in order to prepare the way for Jesus to come and begin His Gospel ministry.
As we consider this passage together, notice firstly with me...
1. The Context of the Preparation (vv.1-2a)
1. The Context of the Preparation (vv.1-2a)
This is very important for us to consider for a few reasons.
The first thing that Luke does as he comes to this new section is to outline for the Most Excellent Theophilus (the person to whom he addressed this Gospel account) precisely who it was that was reigning and ruling at the time of John’s ministry.
Luke would have done this for a couple of reasons.
The first reason (and the most obvious reason) was that He is indicating to Theophilus the time that this all took place. By giving the list of names of people that were ruling at the time, Luke gives a pretty good indication of when all the things happened that are about to unfold.
But further than this, Luke gives an indication to Theophilus (and to any other person reading the Gospel) the temperature of the political environment of the day. He’s giving a list of names of the rulers in that day, that would demonstrate to the person who knew the leaders, just what kind of context and situation was prevalent as the Gospel ministry was begun.
This was a context and situation filled with a deep lust for power, along with an unbridled indulgence in fleshly pleasures. Such is the context.
Further to this - Luke is speaking about the rulers of the day. But the Gospel is about another ruler - the true King.
But it’s into this terrible context of power-hungry and evil earthly rulers, that the humble Messiah will come.
And what a contrast He will prove to be in comparison the sin-filled, selfish people around Him.
Let us then consider briefly these leaders that were ruling at the time of John beginning his preparatory work.
In verse 1 we read...
1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene—
In the first statement, Luke refers to the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar.
There is some measure of dispute regarding where precisely this places us on the timeline - either 26 A.D. or 28-29 A.D.
The dating depends on the date that is settled on to be the start of the reign of Tiberius.
You will recall that we considered Octavian previously (who became known as Augustus - see 2:1 - he issued the decree for a census to be taken.
Well Tiberius was his step-son, who then became his adopted son, taking on the full rights and privileges of being an heir.
What happened was, before the death of Augustus, Tiberius was given various regions to rule over, and so there was a period of time where there was an overlap of leadership.
But what is significant to note is the extent of godlessness in the rule of Tiberius Caesar.
Godless rule. Men used and abused power.
Time marked by Political depravity and godlessness.
5 of the first 11 were assassinated.
2 others suicide - to avoid assassination.
Tiberius himself was a vile man.
He lived most of leadership in seclusion - island of Capris....
He was accused of indulging in immorality that was beyond thinking in our minds.
Executed anyone who breathed a threat against his throne.
Eventually smothered with a pillow on his bed.
He was so wicked that the people celebrated by dancing on the streets when he died.
Sadly, some of the leaders that were to follow were even worse.
Caligular was so perverse that it shocked even the most liberal Roman citizens.
Nero torched Rome. Blamed Christians. Started persecution to the death of anyone who proclaimed Christ.
Pontius Pilate
He was governor of Judea.
With Pilate being governor in Judea, he had pretty much unrestricted authority. Although technically he was an appointed governor, and he was under higher authority, he was able to rule without interference over Judea.
He pandered to the wants of the people.
We will come across Pilate later on in the Gospels again - most notably as the one who hands Jesus over to be crucified, in order to please the people.
1 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.
Pilate had obviously put a group of Galileans to death while they were offering sacrifices, and their blood was included in the sacrifice.
Pilate was not a pleasant man.
Herod - Tetrarch of Galilee.
Herod Antipas.
Son of Herod the Great.
Herod the Great - wanted to have Jesus slaughtered. (wise men came; he wanted to know where baby was etc.)
Herod the Great divided up the territory among his sons. Keeping the power in the family.
Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Galilee, will be the man to imprison John the Baptist, and eventually have John the Baptist beheaded.
We will see something of this next week from verse 19.
Philip Tetrarch - This was the step-brother of Herod Antipas… also a son of Herod the Great.
Note - he was so different from some of the others...
Luke 3:1–20 The Ministry of John the Baptist
According to Josephus, this Philip was a man of excellent character, one who bestowed much personal care upon his people. He ruled from 4 B.C. until his death, A.D. 34.
Lysianas, tetrarch of Abilene...
This is a somewhat strange inclusion in this text.
Significant for us now....
Not much known about him… In fact, no other record in history of a Lysanias at this particular moment in history.
Many used the inclusion of this man to discredit Luke’s chronological account...
But a later inscription in a temple found through archeological exploration reveals that Luke was in fact correct.
Now these were the political rulers that Luke mentions - and the time that the Gospel ministry was being initiated.
Into this depraved context, the Son of God, the message of the Gospel is going to enter into this world. This depraved world.
Time of moral infamy.
But take that just a step further.
If it’s bad and demoralizing to have a evil political leadership, it’s worse to have a religious leadership that is evil.
But that’s precisely the situation of that day.
2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert.
Now, we must take note here that the office of High Priest was a perpetual office, for as long as the individual lived. And usually there would be only one High Priest at any given time.
But here we find that two are named.
Annas was appointed high priest of the Jerusalem temple around AD 6 by Quirinius, the Roman governor of Syria. He officially served as high priest until AD 15, when he was removed from office by Valerius Gratus, procurator of Judea.
Caiaphas was the son-in-law of Annas, and when Annas was removed from office, Caiaphas was the one that was appointed as the new High Priest.
But Annas continued to hold considerable power as a High Priest.
Both of these men would be involved in the crucifixion of Jesus, or at the very least in determining that He was guilty of an offense.
3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4 and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him.
12 Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him 13 and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year.
This was a period of time where there was religious hypocrisy.
Caiaphas was High Priest of the Jews. Still Annas had the power… but both of them were political puppets.
What a state of turmoil and mess..
But it’s to this turmoil and mess that John will come and begin preaching his message.
That’s significant, particularly as we will consider the content of his message.
But notice, secondly with me...
2. The Place of the Preparation (v.2b-3a)
2. The Place of the Preparation (v.2b-3a)
In verse 2b we read...
2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert.
But it’s into this context that “the word of God came to John...”
Must see “prophet” - Luke was showing John to be a prophet, and a man with a particular function in the outworking of God’s purposes…
2 The word of the Lord came to him in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah,
1 The word of the Lord that came to Hosea son of Beeri during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the reign of Jeroboam son of Jehoash king of Israel:
1 The word of the Lord that came to Micah of Moresheth during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah—the vision he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
Luke confirms for Theophilus that John was a prophet that was sent by God, and he was now beginning to fulfil his role as prophet.
Recall...
76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
But notice that he is in the wilderness.
Two things to briefly point out...
This was in fulfilment to prophecy.
Being in the wilderness demonstrated that this was the man that was prophesied of through Isaiah...
Isaiah 40:3.
We’ll come to that shortly.
But secondly, we must recognise the wilderness is a terrible and harsh place.
It’s harsh; it’s barren; it doesn’t have anything drawing you to it.
But in the OT it is a place where God says he will lead his people in order to bring them to repentance.
Think of Hosea...
But this is the place that this preparation for the Gospel will take place.
It is a fitting place for the proclamation of the Gospel of repentance.
John beckons you away from that place called civilization where civilized sinners are all too easily duped by the demons into believing the lie. Leave that place where you are easily tricked into believing that your job is your life, your family is your life, your possessions are your life. Leave that place where trivial pursuit is not just a game but a way of life. Leave that place where death masquerades as life, where the person who is “living it up” has made pleasure into a god, where the person who is said to have lived a “full life” may never have been baptized, where “real life” has nothing to do with Christ but just getting by in a dog-eat-dog world. Leave that place where people think they have civilized sin, but where, in fact, sin has transformed them into savages at heart.
There is part of us that is uncomfortable with . . . no, there is part of us that hates John the Baptist. The ugly Old Adam in us hates to be stripped naked and made to stand ashamed in the front of the mirror of the law. So he loathes John. For John lays bare how comfortable we’ve become with our love of mammon, how adept we are at blaming others for our shortcoming, how easy we are on ourselves. This preacher’s sandpaper words are much too abrasive for our civilized hearts.
This leads us to consider our third point...
3. The Message of the Preparation (v.3b-6)
3. The Message of the Preparation (v.3b-6)
3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
John is called by God to prepare the way for Christ by preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Critical Christian doctrine - core!!!
John is a prophet of God, calling people to repentance from their sin and self-centredness.
He’s calling them to come to God.
Firstly, a word on repentance...
Components of Repentance...
OT - two different word groups that were using.
One word group referred to “sorrow” or “regret”. Used of weeping and grieving and lamenting.
Other word group meant to turn.... a contrast to what went before.
The word always meant forsaking the old, and going in a new direction.
NT - two word groups...
Change ones perspective - you change the way in which you see things.
Other word - to be convinced, and to go in a different direction.
Repentance begins when someone recognises and acknowledges wrongdoing that brings guilt. It is the recognition of personal defilement, and guilt in your life.
There is also the aspect of grief / sorrow. When you realise that you are that person that is helpless, there must be a grief / remorse that comes. Not merely particular sins, but rather the sorrow over the sinful nature that is intrinsic and forms who I am.
9 yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
When John Baptizes, he is saying that you must repent. You need to acknowledge that you were outside of the ways of God.
Needed to confess that you were an outcast.
Tied with this was the aspect of Baptism. He was preaching a baptism of repentance.
Where did John get the idea of Baptism? Purification rights in law of Moses
The book of Leviticus has extensive purification practices that were to be followed.
The idea was a picture of washing in order to purify.
One example...
19 Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet with water from it. 20 Whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister by presenting an offering made to the Lord by fire,
Also, for years before Christ, the Jews had used baptism in ritual cleansing ceremonies of Gentile proselytes.
As Christians - we know that true purification is deeper…
But the idea of washing for purification and cleansing was there, and John uses this baptism - going down into the water in order to be cleansed - as a symbol of cleansing the soul.
Being baptized by John demonstrated a recognition of one’s sin, a desire for spiritual cleansing, and a commitment to follow God’s law in anticipation of the Messiah’s arrival.
We need to however recognise that John’s baptism was not Christian baptism as we find in the church.
This is a precursor to Christian baptism.
This is not the exact practice of this baptism. It is not yet church baptism.
This is essentially because it was inadequate.
Look with me at some Scriptures… (Turn to Acts 18).
24 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.
1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
3 So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”
“John’s baptism,” they replied.
4 Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
Church baptism happens when you believe in Jesus Christ.
Christian Baptism shows 4 things...
Death
Burial with Christ. Cleansing aspect.
Resurrection. Raised with Christ
(Summary) United with Christ in Baptism.
This is Christian baptism. There was no such baptism in the Old Testament, and even here with john.
As we look back to our text, we find that Luke refers to these prophecies that were fulfilled...
4 As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:
“A voice of one calling in the desert,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.
Immediately we see that John was coming as the fulfilment of the one prophesied of by Isaiah. In the wilderness/desert...
But I want us to just consider the context of Isaiah...
Turn to Isaiah 40...
The book of Isaiah is a sad indication of the sinfulness of the people Israel.
Opens with these words...
2 Hear, O heavens! Listen, O earth!
For the Lord has spoken:
“I reared children and brought them up,
but they have rebelled against me.
3 The ox knows his master,
the donkey his owner’s manger,
but Israel does not know,
my people do not understand.”
4 Ah, sinful nation,
a people loaded with guilt,
a brood of evildoers,
children given to corruption!
They have forsaken the Lord;
they have spurned the Holy One of Israel
and turned their backs on him.
First 39 chapters… speak about the sins of Israel, how evil and wicked they are.
Then look at Isaiah 40:1-5
1 Comfort, comfort my people,
says your God.
2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
double for all her sins.
3 A voice of one calling:
“In the desert prepare
the way for the Lord;
make straight in the wilderness
a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.
5 And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the
Lord has spoken.”
What a wonderful text of hope and of the mercy and compassion of God!!!
Despite their sin and waywardness, there would be a hope of restoration and joy and peace.
And this is the time that John is coming to prepare for...
Luke 3:5 continues with the words that are found in Isaiah 40...
5 Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
the rough ways smooth.
That is quoting Isaiah 40:4-5.
But we must ask, what was the meaning. What do the Scriptures - Isaiah and Luke - mean when they say that the valleys will be filled in, and the mountains and hills made low?
What does it mean when it speaks about the crooked roads becoming straight?
We must recognise firstly that the pictures that are given are directly linked to the message of repentance that was being preached by John.
Essentially then, the picture here speaks about cleaning up the topography of the heart.
John is preparing the way by calling people to do some serious heart surgery…
Hills will be made low… meaning that those who are proud in heart will be humbled.
Valleys will be filled in.... meaning, those who are oppressed and weak - for them it will be a time of being raised up.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Then there is the picture of crooked ways being made straight.
This would speak of all the perverse ways that were so prominent among the people of that time. We’ve seen this as we looked at the context of this preparatory work of John.
40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”
Here is the way of true repentance...
You die to self.
Turn from you.
This is not about cleaning your life up before you come to him. Only he can prepare the heart....
But there must be true humility. True Confession. Prepare your heart in repentance and faith.
Application and Conclusion
Application and Conclusion
A.1. What is Your Relationship with Repentance?
A.1. What is Your Relationship with Repentance?
John came to prepare the way by calling people to repentance.
But that message would be continued by Christ.
He, too, would preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
The calling of a Christian is a calling to repentance and faith in Christ.
We must personally humble ourselves before God, repent of a selfish way of life, and turn towards Jesus Christ and follow in obedience to Him.
Where do you stand in this regard.
Does this mark your way of life - even when you as a Christian sin - do you confess that sin before Christ, and seek forgiveness, and then commit to walking in His ways?
This is so important. The Scripture has strong warnings for a lack of repentance. We’ll see something of this next week...
8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
5 Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
Are you living in a place of repentance?
A.2. Proclaim the Gospel of Repentance
A.2. Proclaim the Gospel of Repentance
Preaching the Gospel, proclaiming the Gospel, is to replace the rule of wicked rulers, earthly rulers, with Christ’s rule in the hearts and lives of people.
We live in a wicked world… consider it… Nepotism, corruption, extortion, pride, lies and deceit… you name it, we see it around us.
This should not surprise us, but it should lead us to have a desire to point this world to the true King!
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”