Luke 3:7-9 ( ESV )
7He 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?
8Bear 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.
9Even 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.”
·
John was always honest with people and let them
know first of all that they were sinners. He calls them vipers which were
looked upon as unclean animals. The heavy part of this is in the parallel passage
in Matthew 3:7 John is addressing specifically the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Even the quote religious ones were lost. He even goes a step further by saying, Who warned you to flee? He was
tired of those who pretended to be believers when they were really enemies of
God.
·
He begged of them to live a life that did not
just go through the motions and say the right words but that they would be
changed and bear fruit. Their ancestry could not save their souls. God could
make these rocks into a people who would follow after Him. He also can change a
heart of stone into a heart of flesh.
·
Judgment is coming. The whole thing root and all
would perish as unfruitful trees would be cut down and thrown into the fire. So
is the person who lives religiously yet lives without a true relationship with
Christ as they will face an eternal judgment of fire.
Luke 3:10-14 ( ESV )
11And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics£ is to
share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”
14Soldiers 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.”
·
When confronted with their need and punishment
that was in store for them many wanted help and asked what could be done?
·
In the next few verses we read how repentance
will affect us all differently. For some they would become more giving. A tunic was a shirt like garment and only one
could be worn at a time. John was still stressing the coming judgment. This is
not a time to hoard surplus goods. If you have an abundance of food sacrifice
it for others.
·
Tax collectors were told not to collect more
than they should. This was a common practice as many would pocket the
difference.
·
Soldiers were told not to shake people down with
violence to gain more money or to accuse people wrongly. They were to be
content or satisfied with what they had.
Luke 3:15-17 ( ESV )
15As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in
their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ,
16John 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 with fire.
17His 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.”
·
The people were now anticipating the coming of
the Messiah and many were reasoning within themselves if John was the one who
would be Him.
·
Note John’s humility as he tells them there is
one who is stronger. He saw himself as not even being worthy to act as a slave
to him and untie his shoes. John simply offered water as a sign of his coming.
Messiah would baptize them with the Holy Spirit but he would also baptize many
of them with fire in the form of punishment. The reason why I say this is as
you look at the immediate context this is what he is talking about. A winnowing fork was used for tossing grain
into the wind so that the chaff would be blown away. He will gather the wheat
or the believers into his barn but the unbelievers would be burnt in the
unquenchable fire of Hell.
Luke 3:18-22 ( ESV )
19But 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,
21Now when all the people were baptized, and when£Jesus
also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened,
22and 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.”£
·
What was the good news John preached? Repent for
the Messiah is coming. He had to bring them to a point of recognizing that they
were sinners in need of a Savior.
·
We must realize that in sharing the Gospel as
well that like John when we speak truth not all will want to hear the
message. We know that it cost John as He
had told Herod it was not right for him to commit the sins he had with Herodias
and for his other sins. He would be confined into prison and eventually it
would cost John his life.
·
Before this takes place though Jesus would
identify himself with John’s message of people’s need for repentance and the
righteousness that only God could give. Even though He was sinless by being
baptized He declared to all of mankind their need for a savior who alone could
save them.
·
At the baptism all of the trinity were involved
and represented. The Spirit descended on Jesus in bodily form like a dove which
represented a symbol of virtue. The Father testified to the world of His Son’s
perfect and sinless character in whom He had the greatest pleasure in.
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