Today’s Passage: Luke 3:1-14

This fella knows how to make an entrance. It started with the dramatic announcement by an angel. Now JB is the one making the announcements—and they are no less dramatic.

Luke has again grounded all of this in the reality of space and time—and that includes prophecy.

The characters of these first few chapters have been thrilled because they find themselves part of Israel’s story that has been foretold through the prophets. They know the prophesies, but many of Luke’s readers may not. If you don’t know this larger story, then these first chapters of Luke can be a bit mysterious. For those who did know them—John the Baptist has a message.

This God-anointed-wilderness-prophet-and-preacher draws on God’s own words. These words cut people to the heart. He tells them not to rely on their heritage. He even insults them. Who is it that he is criticizing? Those who do not know God: religious and non-religious. Apparently, his words convict them. They cry out, “What must we do?”

How do John’s words intersect our hearts? We, too, are real people, grounded in space and time. Have I made straight the path, so that I too might see the salvation of God?