John Prepares the Way for All to See the Salvation of God
John the Baptist is an important Biblical figure. He was important enough that he himself was a prophecy. But what importance does John hold for us?
John bore witness to Christ. And John’s message could be summed as, “Here is the one we’ve been waiting for. This is the Son of Man who will restore us to God.”
Now, obviously, we’re not waiting for Jesus to come–we’re waiting for Him to return! While we wait, though, John’s witness gives us confidence that Jesus is the Christ. What good is this confidence?
Scripture tells us to “test the spirits” and by doing so, we can be confident that John’s witness is true. With that confidence, we know that we can always go to Christ. That confidence reinforces that we are forgiven. That confidence allows us to trust in God’s providence for our lives.
Most importantly, we can be confident that we are clothed in His righteousness.
Here is today’s full sermon text from Luke 3:
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, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 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.
5 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,
6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”
7 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? 8 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. 9 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.”
10 And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” 11 And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” 12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” 14 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.”
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Christmas Services: We will host Christmas Eve Vespers in-person at 7 pm. Christmas Day will also be in-person at 10 am.
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