There have been several times over the last few months that I have been reminded about the importance of even small parts on teams or in performances.
back up quarterback who comes in for one play because his speed or gift could help move the ball down the field
Ballerina who comes in for a single scene as a character helps to tell the story of the ballet.
Even as a part of the body of Christ, there is value in each person using what God has given us for Gods glory and the church’s edification.
Today, as we move from the end of Luke 2 into Luke 3, we jump forward nearly 20 years. These first verses of Luke 3 give us a glimpse in the brief, but important ministry of John the Baptist. If you have your bibles, open them to that chapter.
Luke 3:1–22 ESV
In the fifteenth 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 Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God 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 become 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 shall 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 sandals 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, added 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 opened, 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.”
While the birth of John the baptist takes up almost as much space in Luke’s gospel as Jesus’ birth, his ministry is much shorter. He had a very specific part to play as the forerunner of Jesus. In this passage, it seems like we get to see five things that John did in order to make way for Jesus.
John was given the task to…
Prepare the Path (1-6)
Luke, as he has at other times in both this book and in the book of Acts, provides some very clear time stamps in order to help us understand when this took place. While the names of these political and religious leaders mean little to us, some have noted that these help to mark the beginning of John’s ministry in about AD 29. John would have been a little over 30 years old.
When we last encountered John, he was in the wilderness until the time of his call to ministry. (Luke 1:80).
Now, Luke notes that the “word of the Lord” (Luke 3:2) came to John while he was in the wilderness. This was similar to what would happen with the prophets of the OT when God would call them to minister or God would give them a word to convey to the people of Israel and Judah. Incidentally, the Greek word translated into “word” here is one that implies a specific instruction, which is in part why John’s ministry was so pointed and precise. God had given him a specific word to obey. In response to that word…Luke 3:3 “And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”
What was this baptism? In the OT, we don’t really get to see baptisms. There have been some traditions and some sects of Judaism that used multiple washings as an indication of being a part of that community of faith. Some have suggested that this was a sort of initiation into the faith. But it seems like John’s baptism is really unique to him. We don’t see examples of this in the OT. Darrell Bock suggests that “John’s baptism represented for his pre-cross Israelite audience a commitment to a new approach to God resulting in a life of fruitfulness for God and expectation of the eschaton” or in the final days. He goes on to say that “John’s baptism was a step on the way to the Promised One’s forgiveness.” (289)
John’s teaching and baptism seemed to be a means by which people became more aware of their need for redemption.
In our own lives, there is work that we get to do in preparing people to come to faith. While the Holy Spirit actually does the great work of wooing or drawing people to Christ and bringing conviction of sin (John 16:8) there is role that we must play in being able to proclaim the good news.
Romans 10:13–15 ESV
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
While some of us may be called in unique and special ways to proclaim the good news, we are all called to share.
1 Peter 3:15 ESV
but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
How are we doing verbalizing the hope that we have? Do our words and our lives prepare the way for people to come to faith?
In addition to preparing the path for Jesus, John’s ministry was one that called people to…
Produce Lasting Fruit (7-14)
While much of John’s ministry served to prepare the way for Jesus, his message was focused on producing certain outcomes. As we can see in verses 7-9,
Luke 3:7–9 ESV
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.”
Now people tend to not like “hell-fire and brimstone” messages, but this message of judgment that John preached seemed to produce results. God used his message to awaken people to the idea of real repentance and true transformation in light of a coming judgment. They could not rely on their heritage as descendants of Abraham, because God was after their hearts.
So, in response to his message, his listeners come to get baptized - signifying a move from their old way of living to a new way on God’s terms - began to ask specific questions about how they should live lives of repentance. He calls them to bear fruits. For some, that fruit looks like living generously (11), for others, it looks like equity (13), and for others, it looks like contentment (14).
For us, I think it’s important to consider what kind of a difference being a follower of Christ means. Are we sensitive to how the Holy Spirit and the Word of God are calling us to live? Is it making a difference in our lives and in the lives of those around us? Even in just considering the areas that John addresses:
Are we being generous with our possessions? Are we able to share with those in need? Are we making space in our budgets to begin with a tithe and then live generously with the rest? Do we live in open-handed ways? (Dave Ramsey - currency)
Are we treating people fairly or are we taking advantage of them? For the tax collectors, they would charge people extra for their taxes, which would go right into their pockets. And it might be a different amount for each person. But are there people in our lives that we are treating inequitably? Are we being fair and just in our dealings with others?
Are we content with what we have or with what God has provided for us or are we clamoring for more? Our society does not value contentment, but God does. 1 Tim. 6:6
1 Timothy 6:6 ESV
But godliness with contentment is great gain,
What does the fruit of repentance look like in our lives?
So, John prepared the way for Jesus by calling people to produce lasting fruit. In the next few verses, John is quick to…
Proclaim Christ's Supremacy (15-18)
John’s fiery sermons prompted people to ask if he was the Messiah or the Christ. In response, John mentioned that his baptism was with water, but that the one who would come afterward was greater and would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
John was clearly all about Jesus. He wanted to point people to Jesus. Even in the gospel of John, he testifies
John 3:30 ESV
He must increase, but I must decrease.”
But there is something interesting that John states about the ministry and baptism of Jesus. Let’s look at that again…
Luke 3:16–17 ESV
John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals 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.”
What does he mean by baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire?
Baptism of the Holy Spirit seems like a fairly easy and straightforward baptism to consider. Jesus promised His disciples that He would send the Holy Spirit (John 16:7; Acts 1:8). In the book of Acts, we see the initial pouring out of the Holy Spirit on the first believers. The was accompanied by a couple of unique signs - speaking in other languages and tongues of fire (Acts 2:1-4)…
Acts 2:1–4 ESV
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
It seems like as the church expanded and matured, the signs of the Holy Spirit minimized, but the presence of the Holy Spirit in people’s lives continues to this day.
2 Timothy 1:14 (ESV)
By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us…
John 14:17 (ESV)
even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
So, this baptism of the Holy Spirit is a filling or an indwelling that all believers receive. Part of the beauty of this is that it is a fulfillment of what was spoken by the OT prophets. Jeremiah prophesied about a new covenant - which speaks to the new covenant that we have in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.
Jeremiah 31:31–34 ESV
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
As we put all of these pieces together, we receive forgiveness of our sins through Jesus Christ. Then, by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we get the law of God written on our hearts, bringing conviction, leading guiding.
So, when he speaks of baptism with the Spirit, I think that’s what John is teaching toward.
Beloved, you have the Holy Spirit of God in you! May we rejoice in the grace of God toward us and may we not take the access that we have to God by His spirit for granted.
But what about the fire? Is that the tongues of fire at Pentecost? Is it something else?
Theologians disagree about what exactly this might be, however, given the context, it seems like this fire is the fire of judgment. To those who receive Jesus’ salvation also receive this baptism of the Holy Spirit. For those to reject Jesus free gift of salvation, there will be the fire of judgment. There will be a time when we will all have to give an account for our lives.
I know it’s not common anymore to talk about judgment and Hell, but it is in scripture and it’s addressed in this passage - so it seems we need to touch on it at least.
In John’s day, people responded with repentance and baptism. Have you responded to that message? Have you received salvation and the Spirit? Is Jesus standing in your place of judgment or will you face judgment on your own?
Hebrews 9:27 ESV
And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,
Friend, you don’t know when you will breathe your last breath. Respond to God’s free gift of salvation before you have to face that judgment without an advocate.
John proclaimed the supremacy of Christ because the forgiveness that Jesus offered is eternal. The transformation that Jesus brings through the Spirit is lasting. John’s role was simply to prepare the way.
One of the beautiful things that we see in John is the way that he pressed on, even in the face of opposition. From his example, we too should…
Persevere in Faithfulness (19-20)
John didn’t back down when his audience included royalty. He spoke out about infidelity in the royal palace and that landed him in prison. Eventually, it resulted in him losing his life.
Now, here, we live in a nation that values religious freedom. We may not face the same political and legal pressures that John did, but are we willing to make Jesus known to our neighbors and friends? Are we willing to stand up for our faith in the face of opposition and personal cost?
While we were at the cross conference, one of the speakers shared a story of several men who had been imprisoned for their faith. While in prison, one of the other prisoners came to faith as well. At one point in time, the men were taken outside to face execution. They were given one final chance to recant their faith. None of them did - not even the man who was a young believer. He testified about the joy and hope that these mature believers possessed because of Jesus Christ. It gave him hope as well - even in the face of death.
Will we speak up even if it means losing some friends or being “canceled”?
So, we’ve learned from John’s example how we should prepare the path for people to come to Jesus, produce lasting fruit in our own lives through true repentance, proclaim Christ’s supremacy, and persevere in faithfulness. Finally, this passage seems to urge us to…
Proceed confidently in Jesus (21-22)
The final two verses in this passage state:
Luke 3:21–22 ESV
Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, 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.”
Now, remember, John’s baptism was a baptism for the forgiveness of sins. So why did Jesus get baptized by John if he was sinless? I’m glad you asked such a good question.
It seems like Jesus got baptized, not because he needed a transformation or forgiveness, but because he was legitimizing John’s message. His baptism became a way for the baton of ministry to be passed from John to Jesus. It also became a way for God the father to confirm Jesus’ as the anointed one, the messiah, the Christ, His Son. In essence, God the Father confirmed that the One for Whom John was preparing the way was here. John had played his part.
Closing thoughts
John had a part to play in getting people ready for the Kingdom of God as revealed in Jesus Christ. He called them to repentance and faithfully exalted Jesus above himself. He was so confident in Jesus that he was willing to lay his life down in service to Him.
So, how should we respond?
Believe and be baptized (if you’ve not yet been baptized and would like to start some conversations about this, talk to me after church or fill out the portion of the connect card)
Live in such a way that the fruit of repentance can be seen. Are there entangling sins that have control in our lives? Repent and turn away from those so that our testimony may be untarnished.
Speak of Christ
Rest confidently in who Jesus is and what he has accomplished for you!
Let’s pray.
Benediction
2 Corinthians 13:14 ESV
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Questions for reflection and discussion
Sources:
Anyabwile, Thabiti. Exalting Jesus in Luke. Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2018.
Beeke, Joel R., and Paul M. Smalley. Reformed Systematic Theology: Man and Christ. Vol. 2. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2020.
Bock, Darrell L. Luke 1:1-9:50. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999.
Martin, John A. “Luke.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.
McKinley, Mike. Luke 1–12 for You. Edited by Carl Laferton. God’s Word for You. The Good Book Company, 2016.
Stewart, R. A. “Passover.” Edited by D. R. W. Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard, J. I. Packer, and D. J. Wiseman. New Bible Dictionary. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996.
Wilcock, Michael. The Savior of the World: The Message of Luke’s Gospel. The Bible Speaks Today. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1979.
