Scripture to Read: Luke 3:3–6
God called John to preach repentance to the people, as we read in Luke 3:3–6, “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 the words 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 will be brought low; The crooked will become straight, and the rough roads smooth; 6 And all flesh will see the salvation of God.’” God led John to preach a baptism of repentance. This identified the person’s need to get right with God and be cleansed. John’s call to repent was a call to action. Repentance is a willingness to change direction, to change the way we think. We willingly choose to turn away from the ways of the world and our fleshly desires and we turn to walk with God and obey His Word. God confirmed through Luke that John the Baptist was the one prophesied about by Isaiah in Isaiah 40:3–5. John would also have known this about himself, because his father, Zacharias, after being filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied about God’s call on John’s life in Luke 1:76–77. The Jews of John’s day thought their main problem was with the Romans who oppressed them. God used John to help the Jews realize that their problem was within and that they needed to get right with God through repentance of their sins.
Challenge & Application
What do you need to repent of, cast aside, and crucify so that you can passionately pursue God and His Word?
What kind of things seem to distract you from pursuing your fellowship with God and His Word and why?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!