Luke 3:1–38

August 23, 2012

John the Baptist went throughout the land preaching about changed hearts and changed lives. Many came to be baptized and oddly, John called them "vipers." Why vipers? Because they wanted to give the appearance of changing their hearts, but their hearts weren't changed. They were just trying to "run away from God's coming punishment," so John called them vipers.  

"Rescue me O Lord from evil men, protect me from men of violence, who devise evil plans in their heart and stir up war every day. They make their tongues as sharp as serpents; the poison of vipers is on their lips."  (Psalm 140:1–3) 

John tells them to,"Do the things that show you really have changed you hearts and lives." (Luke 3:8) Don't rely on the fact that you call yourself children of Abraham (or Christian). DO what is right! Change you hearts and lives. Show it by what you do. Luke 3:9 - "The ax is now ready to cut down the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."  

"Happy are those who don't listen to the wicked, who don't go where sinners go, and who don't do what evil people do. They love the Lord's teachings, and they think about those teachings day and night. They are strong, like a tree planted by the river. The tree produces fruit in season, and its leaves don't die. Everything they do will succeed. But wicked people are not like that. They are like the chaff that the wind blows away. So the wicked will not escape God's punishment. Sinners will not worship with God's people. This is because the Lord takes care of his people, but the wicked will be destroyed."  (Psalm 1)

So the people ask John, "Then what should we do?  And John replies—share. Don't be a taker. Share what you have with others. The tax collectors asked, "What should we do?" And John replies—be fair. Don't collect more than you are supposed to take as a way to make extra for yourself. The soldiers asked, "What about us?  What should we do?" John replies—don't do "violence" (KJV) to any man. Luke 3:14 - "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely." (NIV) "Don't force people to give you money, and don't lie about them." (NCV)  Be satisfied with what you have. Don't be willing to lie, trap, steal, extort, to get more for yourselves.

"Rescue me O Lord from evil men, protect me from men of violence... keep me O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; protect me from men of violence who plan to trip my feet. Proud men have hidden a snare for me; they have spread out the cords of their net and have set traps for me along my path." (Psalm 140:4–5)

John explained to them that he was not the Christ, he was preparing the way for Christ who, "will come ready to clean the grain, separating the good grain from the chaff. He will put the good part of the grain into his barn, but he will burn the chaff with a fire that cannot be put out."  (Luke 3:17)

"...But the wicked people are not like that. They are like the chaff that the wind blows away. So the wicked will not escape God's punishment. Sinners will not worship with God's people. This is because the Lord takes care of his people, but the wicked will be destroyed." (Psalm 1)

Absolutely amazing how the words of Luke 3 correlates with Jane's God-given words of Psalm 140 and Psalm 1.

The Family History of Jesus—Luke takes Jesus' lineage all the way back to Adam. Matthew took it to Abraham. Jane's (Her Name Was Jane) KVJ says this genealogy is of Mary. I never noticed that before. Last year one of my Sunday School girls asked me how Jesus could be the Son of David when Joseph wasn't the father. I had never thought about that. Since Luke's record of Jesus' genealogy is through Mary then that totally explains it for David was Mary's ancestor too. Someday I want to take the time to compare the lineage of Jesus as Matthew wrote it to the lineage of Jesus as Luke wrote it. I think it will be a very interesting study.  


Next Entry: Luke 4:1–44