When the Word of God Comes (Luke 3:1-10)

Follow Along with the Message

"Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, (2) in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. (3) And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins; (4) as it is written in the book of Isaiah the prophet, 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make ready the way of the Lord, make His paths straight. (5) Every ravine will be filled, and every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked will become straight, and the rough roads smooth; (6) And all flesh will see the salvation of God.' (7) So he began saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, 'You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (8) Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, "We have Abraham for our father," for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. (9) Indeed the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; so every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.' (10) And the crowds were questioning him, saying, 'Then what shall we do?' " (Luke 3:1-10).

" ' Behold, days are coming,' declares the Lord God, 'when I will send a famine on the land, not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, but rather for hearing the words of the Lord' " (Amos 8:11).

"In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 17:6).  Secular people.

Then.  One day.  "The word of God came to John in the wilderness"(v. 2).  

"Men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do" (1 Chronicles 12:32, NIV).

His word!  More than Bible. His truth with HIs power for His purpose.  "It will not return to me void" (Isaiah 55:11).

A _________________________ word.

Not logos.  Luke uses the word rhema.  More situationally specific.

"Before Philip found you, while you were under the fig tree, I saw you" (John 1:48).  The all-seeing God.

A_________________________word.

Circle the word ACT.

The word of God came to John.  epi--upon.  Burden, weight, directional pressure

"Is not my word like fire, like a hammer that shatters the rock?"

(Jeremiah 23:29).

A_________________________word.

Two actions we take (baptism, repentance) in pursuit of one action from God(forgiveness).

True need.  Religion no substitute.  "Do not say we have Abraham for our father."

"Judgement begins in the house of the Lord" (1 Peter 4:17).  Repentance is our permanent work.

A_________________________word.

The king is coming.  We can get ready.  He will be pleased.

"Faith, HOPE and love" (1 Corinthians 13:13).

_________________________________________

Happy New Year!  His word is the key ingredient required.

"Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord" (Acts 3:19).