Read Luke 3:1-18

JOHN THE BAPTIST PREPARE THE WAY FOR JESUS
Tiberius, the Roman Emperor, ruled from A.D. 14 to 37. Pilate was the Roman governor responsible for the province of Judea; Herod Antipas and Philip were half-brothers and sons of the cruel Herod the Great, who has been dead for than 20 years. Antipas, Philip, Pilate, and Lysanias had equal powers in governing their separate territories. All were subject to Rome and responsible for keeping peace in their respective lands.
Under Jewish law there was only one high priest. He was appointed from Aaron’s line, and he held this position for life. By this time, however, the religious system had been corrupted, and the Roman government had bee appointing its own religious leaders to maintain greater control over the Jews. The Roman authorities had deposed the Jewish appointed Annas and had replaced him with Annas’s son-in-law, Caiaphas. Nevertheless, Annas retained his tittle and also much of the power it carried. Because the Jews believed the high priest’s position to be for life, they would have continued to call Annas their high priest.
Pilate, Herod, and Caiaphas were the most powerful leaders in Palestine, bu they were upstaged by a wilderness prophet from rural Judea. God chose to speak through the loner John the Baptist, who has gone down in history as greater than any of the rulers of his day. How often we judge people by our culture’s standards, and miss the truly great people through whom God works. Greatness is not measured by what you have but by your faith in God. Like John, give yourself entirely to God so God’s power can work through you.
To turn from sins means turning away from sins and turning toward God. To truly turn from your sins, you must do both. You can’t just say you believe and then live any way you please, and neither can you simply live a morally correct life without a personal relationship with Christ, because that cannot bring forgiveness from sin. Determine to rid your life of any sins God points out, and put your trust in Him alone to guide you.
In John’s day, before a king took a trip, messengers would tell those he was planning to visit and to prepare the roads for him. Similarly, John told his listeners to make their lives ready so the Lord could come to them. To prepare for Jesus’ coming to us, we must focus on Him, read His Word, and respond obediently to His directions.
John called all people to prepare to meet Jesus. That includes you, no matter what your religious affiliation or position. Don’t let feelings of being an outsider cause you to hold back. No one who wants to follow Jesus is an outsider in God’s kingdom.
What motivates your faith? Some people wanted to be baptized by John so they could escape eternal punishment, but they didn’t turn to God for salvation. John had harsh words for such people. He knew that God values reformation above ritual. Is your faith motivated by a desire for a new changed life, or is it only like a vaccination or insurance policy against possible disaster?
Many of John’s hearers were shocked when he said that being Abraham’s descendants was not enough for God. The religious leaders relied more on family lines than on their faith for their standing with God. For them, religion was inherited. But a personal relationship with God is not handed down from parents to children. Everyone must make a personal decision of whether or not to trust Christ. Don’t rely on someone else’s faith for your salvation. Put your faith in Jesus and live it every day.
Confession of sins and a changed life are inseparable. Faith without works is dead. Turning from sin must be tied to action, or it isn’t real. Following Jesus means more than saying the right words; it means acting on what He says.
God desires to pour out mercy on those who confess their sins and then to give them strength to live changed lives.