John the Baptist's Ministry

Question 1

John the Baptist’s Message in Luke

Answer 1

• 1) The arrival of an eschatological judgment
  
  • The day of judgment has arrived
  • The bearing of fruit is evidence of the life you’re living
• 2) What does the fruit look like that God is looking for?
  
  • “The man who has two tunics…” - Share
  • Tax Collectors - “Don’t collect more than you aught…” - Be honest
  • Soldiers - “Do not take money from anyone by force…” - Be content with your wages
• 3) The coming messiah
  
  • He is NOT the messiah
  • Luke 3:16
    
    • Two baptisms
      
      • Salvation
      • Divine Judgement

Question 2

The setting of John the Baptist in Luke 3:1-2

Answer 2

• When the word of God came to John it was a dark age politically
  
  • Leaders that would do anything to hold on to their power
  • Herod Antipas has JTB decapitated
• It was a dark age religiously
  
  • Ciaphas
    
    • Handed Jesus over
• John was called into service in a dark age
  
  • He is in the wilderness and reminiscent of Elijah

Question 3

The Ministry of John the Baptist

Answer 3

• Baptism of repentance
• Make ready the way of the Lord
  
  • Isaiah 40:3-4
    
    • Luke quotes this more than Mark and Matthew do
    • “And all flesh will see the salvation of God”
      
      • Meant a lot to gentile readers
• He is a forerunner
  
  • A Baptism of repentance

Question 4

What We Can Learn from John the Baptist’s Ministry

Answer 4

1) The greatest people are the most humble

• “Merely a voice in the wilderness”

2) John called people to repentance

• Biblical preaching calls people to repentance

3) Authentic preaching teaches about both heaven and hell

• Coming judgment
• You can’t ignore the doctrine of hell

4) When we are used by God our greatest rewards are in heaven

• JTB was decapitated