The Man and His Message. Luke 3:1-20 The Gospel of Luke has the whole scope of Christianity in view, not particularly just the Jewish believers. Luke puts the beginning of the story of Jesus in His public ministry in the historical, political, and geographical context of the place and people where He did His “Father’s business.” Names of government leaders would have had some meaning to the Gentile believers who were living under Roman government control where they were living. The significance of this short introduction to the preaching of John the Baptist would have shown those who read this book how the last of the Old Testament prophets and the forerunner of Jesus lived and preached.
When the ministry of John the Baptist began, Tiberius Caesar was the emperor of Rome, and the area of Judea and surrounding provinces were put under the leadership of appointed tetrarchs and Roman governors. The various leaders Luke lists in the first verses of this chapter show the historical and political situation in Israel, which was very complex during the time of Jesus’ ministry. People living in Israel in those days had to respond to the changing edicts of the Roman emperor and then other regulations imposed on them by those who governed locally where they lived. Besides the taxes demanded by Rome, there were the complex demands of the Jewish religious leaders who taxed the Jews with a temple tax and other taxes to support their religion and themselves. Further complicating the whole tax system was the fact that the Roman government put the collection of taxes into the hands of “publicans.” They would charge whatever they could, give the government what was due, and keep the overcharges they imposed for themselves. That was why publicans were so despised. They charged what they wanted, and no one could do anything about it because the Romans had “farmed out” the collection for them.
It was in this unhappy place and time John the Baptist was called by a word from God to leave the wilderness where he had been living and “prepare the way of the Lord” as Isaiah had prophesied. The Romans placed counterfeit chief priests into leadership as the religious leaders in Jerusalem. They had a lot of authority in some areas of life. Temple worship had become a profitable business and religious forms were the expected and accepted practices of the Jews. Isaiah 40:3- 6 tells of the coming of deliverance and salvation for all nations. The Gospel message was to be proclaimed by John but particularly by the Lord Jesus “to as many as received Him.” John was to prepare the road ahead of time for the King which made his work of preaching extremely important. John’s role and work were no afterthought or insignificant matter as the New Testament period unfolded. Luke tells more about the arrival of salvation for all mankind than Matthew or Mark.
John’s message called all “mankind” to prepare their hearts to meet the Lord Jesus Christ regardless of nationality, political or social position, or even religious affiliation. When a person seeks the Lord, they will find Him. When they find Him, they will soon realize they are following an “outsider” to the people around them who are satisfied with life the way it is with a little bit of religion thrown in. John’s message went far beyond the connection of the Jews to Abraham. Fruits of repentance are essential to salvation in each individual. A person’s personal connections to those who are Christians do not change one’s attitude toward God. God values real repentance above rituals and relationships we might have. Admitting one’s sins and repenting of them to God will change a person’s life. Faith in Christ is revealed by what we do. To act on what our Lord Jesus Christ says means far more than just saying the right words.
A personal relationship with God doesn’t come through our parents or spiritual advisors. Each repentant sinner comes to God acknowledging their own needs and accepting His forgiveness by putting personal faith in Christ alone for salvation. No one else can tell you that you are saved. That comes to us through taking God at His word as directed by the Holy Spirit to our own hearts. Trusting Christ is a personal decision.
The baptism of John was a public commitment to moral and spiritual renewal, which was evident by the change of attitude of the people who were baptized. They would show the reality of what they testified to in John’s baptism by sharing what they had with other people. Also, they would do their daily work well and fairly without complaining. They would be content with what they earned and what they had. That baptism indicated a change in their minds toward God they professed to believe in and serve.
Believers’ baptism goes much farther than John’s baptism. When a believer is baptized, that person indicates they have been born again by the Spirit of God and are raised from being spiritually dead to “newness of life” in Christ. John’s harsh words to the multitude went beyond the Pharisees and Sadducees, which we read in Matthew’s account. The emphasis on sinfulness and the need for cleansing is pertinent to every person. Fruits of repentance go beyond baptism. When “the ax is laid to the root of the trees,” that is a warning of judgment on those who do not repent of their sins even if they have been baptized.
The Holy Spirit baptizes believers into the body of Christ when they have been born again and are cleansed from sin by the precious blood of Christ. Unbelievers face a fire that will never be quenched when they reject the Savior. Salvation is offered, but spurning it and rejecting the Savior is the reason those people will be eternally lost.
John covered all the bases when he preached the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Messiah. He didn’t hold back from saying all that had to be said, even to Herod. John exposed “All the evil that he had done” directly to Herod as he honestly and faithfully rebuked the king for the ungodly sins he had committed. The consequence of that was that John was put in prison, which ultimately led to his execution.
THE BAPTISM OF JESUS