Luke 3

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DON’T SKIP THE NAMES!

March 18, 2023

“It was now the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius, the Roman emperor. Pontius Pilate was governor over Judea; Herod Antipas was ruler over Galilee; his brother Philip was ruler over Iturea and Traconitis; Lysanias was ruler over Abilene. Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests. At this time a message from God came

“You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy” (Luke 3:22 NLT).

March 18, 2022

THE FELLOWSHIP OF LOVE AND JOY Consider the boundless love and unconquerable joy of God the Father for His Son, Jesus. Notice how the curtains of heaven were parted as the Father’s voice declared His divine approval at Christ’s baptism. Such love and joy is the eternal state of the Godhead. It was this love

“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.” (Luke 3:1-2 HCSB).

March 18, 2021

DON’T SKIP THE NAMES! Do you skip over names and places in your Bible reading? If so, you’re missing one of the richest parts of the Bible, namely, its historical and geographical rootedness. In these two verses, we see Luke’s careful research and historical accuracy on display. Wherever skeptics have cast doubt at the Bible’s

“Isaiah had spoken of John when he said, ‘He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!” (Luke 3:4).

March 18, 2019

HOW IS YOUR VOICE KNOWN? The coming of John, son of Zechariah, had not only been announced by the angel Gabriel, it had been predicted by the prophet Isaiah. John the Baptist was the Messianic Forerunner, coming in the spirit of Elijah, he was the Preparer of the Way. Every king must have a herald

“Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his public ministry” (Luke 3:23 NLT).

March 19, 2018

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIRTY YEARS
With the exception of the birth accounts in Matthew and Luke and the twelve-year old in the Temple account in Luke, the gospels contain little detail about Jesus before thirty. All four gospels focus their attention on Christ’s ministry that began with His baptism at thirty and concluded with the cross, the tomb and the ascension three years later. So, why was it significant for Jesus to begin His public ministry at age thirty?

Perhaps these examples from Scripture will shed light on this question:
1) Joseph was thirty when he began serving as Pharoah’s second-in-command over Egypt (Gen. 41:46).
2) Levite priests began their public ministry at age thirty (Ex. 4:3).
3) David became king at age thirty (2 Sam. 5:4).
4) Ezekiel the prophet saw his first vision at thirty (Ez. 1:1).

While the Bible doesn’t answer our question directly, perhaps we might infer by example and type that thirty is the biblical age for one to be publicly acknowledged as a prophet, priest or king. For in Jesus, we see all three offices fulfilled.

It was on my thirtieth birthday that I first studied these Scriptures and finally answered the call of God that had been on my life since I was a boy.

“You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy” (Luke 3:22 NLT).

March 18, 2018

THE FATHER’S LOVE AND JOY FOR HIS SON
Consider the boundless love and unconquerable joy of God the Father for Jesus, HIs Son. See how the curtains of heaven were parted as the Father’s voice declared His divine approval at Christ’s baptism. Such love and joy is the eternal state of Godhead. It was this love that moved God to give His Son for us (John 3:16). It was this joy that moved the Son to “endure the cross” (Heb. 12:2) that He might obtain our salvation.

Now, Christ invites us to enter into the fellowship that He has with the Father, to know the divine love and great joy they share. Listen to how Jesus prayed concerning us: “I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. …May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me” (John 17:21-22).

Try putting your name in the blank below to experience what Christ has made possible for God the Father to now say to us:

“__________, you are my dearly loved child, and you bring me great joy.”

“Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness” (Luke 3:1-2 NKJV).

March 18, 2017

Do you skip over names and places in your Bible reading? If so, you’re missing one of the richest parts of the Bible, namely, its historical and geographical rootedness. In these two verses, we see Luke’s careful research and historical accuracy on display. Wherever skeptics have cast doubt at the Bible’s historicity, it has stood the test of comparison to extra-biblical sources and to archaeological discoveries. The gospel of Luke is a historical masterpiece of its time.

Here’s an assignment for today: Look up all of the names, titles and places found in these two verses. Let your own research give color and shape to the time and setting of John the Baptist’s appearance on the scene. As you do this, ask the Lord to speak to you in your study and deepen your faith and understanding. The Word of God is true and powerful!

“Isaiah had spoken of John when he said, ‘He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!” (Luke 3:4)

March 18, 2014

The coming of John, son of Zechariah, had not only been announced by the angel Gabriel, it had been predicted by the prophet Isaiah. John the Baptist was the Messianic Forerunner, coming in the spirit of Elijah, he was the Preparer of the Way. Every king must have a herald to go before him announcing his arrival. John was Christ’s herald. His job was to prepare the soil of the people’s hearts for the Seed of God’s Word. His message was to proclaim, “People get ready! The King is coming!”

“At this time a message from God came to John son of Zechariah, who was living in the wilderness” (Luke 3:2)

March 18, 2012

Luke wrote his gospel so that it’s historical context was clear. He named the Roman Caesar, the Judean king, even the Jewish high priest at the time when John the Baptist started preaching. This does not read like myth, as some suggest. It is true history. We can depend on God’s Word.

“His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Luke 3:17)

March 18, 2011

Have you gone down to the threshing floor to lay at Christ’s feet? This is what Ruth did for her kinsman-redeemer. Your redemption is in Christ alone.