How do you get right with God? How do you show you’re right with God? John wasn’t the gentlest of preachers—because he wanted people to walk the walk, not just talk the talk.
Your problem
Read Luke 3:7
• How do you feel about how John describes those who want him to baptise them (v 7)?
• What point does John make about whether coming to be baptised is enough to be right with God?
This was a way God described His enemies (Jeremiah 46:22). To be baptised, as we saw yesterday, meant accepting you’d lived in opposition to God.
• John demolishes another ground for people thinking they’re right with God in verse 8. What is it?
• What will be a sign that someone really has repented (v 8)?
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APPLY
This is deeply challenging stuff for us today as well as for them then! As Christians, we should be able continually to point to ways we act which are different to how we acted in the past; areas of our lives where we have repented and it has made a difference.
• What would you point to?
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Your reaction
Read Luke 3:10
• What general principles lie behind the examples of “fruit in keeping with repentance” that John gives here?
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APPLY
• How do you need to apply these principles to your own life?
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Your Christ
Read Luke 3:15
John clearly made an impression. Could he be God’s promised all-powerful King (v 15)? No, says John—but He’s coming…
• How does John compare to the Christ (v 16)?
The centre of John’s ministry was water baptism. At the centre of Christ’s will be:
• the bringing of the Holy Spirit to those who follow
• the fire of division as His coming shows who truly is part of God’s people, and who is not.
• What two things will the Christ do (v 17)?
John’s message is “good news” (v 18).
• Look back over v 1-18. How is the arrival and preaching of John “good news” for his hearers then and now?
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PRAY THRU
Thank God for sending John to point to the Christ and how to be ready for Him.
Pray that you would produce more and more fruit in keeping with repentance.
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This devotional is taken from Explore—a daily Bible-reading devotional from the good book company which enables you to engage with Scripture and which will encourage, equip and inspire you to live for Christ. Explore features contributions from pastors such as Dr Timothy Keller, Mike McKinley and Tim Chester.
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