JOHN THE BAPTIST PREPARES THE WAY

Luke 3:1-38

Key verse: 3:2b

* THE WORD OF GOD CAME TO HIM (1-6)

1. Look at the name of the political and religious leaders. What do you know about them? What does this tell us about the times of John?

2. How does Luke describe John's call to preach? (2) [Compare Jer.1:2,4; Eze.1:3; Hos.1:i] Why is the prophet's call described in this way? (1 Pe.1:23,24; Heb.4:12; 1 Sa.3:1;7,21)

3. Where did John begin? What was his message? Why does everyone need to hear the message of repentance and judgment? (Heb.9:27; Ac.2:38,40)

4. How did John's life and message fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah? (Isa.40:3-5) What was the good news John proclaimed? (6) What does this mean? How did his ministry prepare the way for Jesus?

* THE RESPONSE TO THE MESSAGE OF REPENTANCE (7-14)

5. How and why did John rebuke the crowds who came to be baptized? What is the "fruit in keeping with repentance"? What keeps people from producing good fruit? What warning does John give to those who do not?

6. What can we learn from John's specific directions to the crowd? To the tax collectors? To the soldiers? To Herod? (19,20) (What light does this throw on the times of John?) What might he say to us?

* ONE WHO BAPTIZES WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT (15-38)

7. What did many people think about John? (15) How did John answer this and introduce Jesus? (16,17) What can we learn about Jesus? How can this message of repentance and judgment be good news? (18)

8. What happened when John baptized Jesus? What does this tell us about Jesus? How was his baptism different in meaning from that of other people? What was the one word god gave his Son Jesus?

9. Look at Jesus' genealogy recorded here by Luke. (Most scholars say that this is Mary's genealogy.) How and why is it different from Joseph's genealogy recorded in Matthew? Why does Luke go all the way back to Adam? (1 Co.15:22)