Luke 3:7-22
7 He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10 And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” 11 And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” 12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”
15 As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, 16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
18 So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. 19 But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother's wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.
21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
Reflection
John’s instructions about repentance (turning from sin to God) help us see that there is no cookie-cutter formula for applying the gospel to our lives (Luke 3:10–14). What is consistent in each of John’s examples is that we should treat others as we would want to be treated (see 6:31).
Regardless of how our repentance looks on the outside, we must realize that there is both a true and a false kind of repentance. The false kind of repentance has the appearance of devotion, but it comes from a heart that trusts in personal deeds or status (“we have Abraham as our father”; 3:8). We must realize that a true Christian is not characterized by self-reliant acts of morality. Christianity is not the same thing as moralism. God is interested in a heart that is truly changed because of his grace. The “fruit” (v. 8) God desires grows only from hearts that have abandoned self-reliance and turned to Christ for mercy.
Ephesians 1:15-23
15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Reflection
In addition to giving thanks (Eph. 1:16), Paul makes three requests that can help us grow in our own prayer lives. Like Paul, we should pray to know God better (v. 17). We should pray to know God’s riches (v. 18). We should pray to know God’s power (v. 19).
In verses 20–23, Paul specifically provides insight into the power of God at work on behalf of his people. God’s power “toward us” (v. 19) is the same power that God used to raise Christ from the dead and place him in the position of highest privilege (vv. 20–21). Christ has been exalted over all other powers in the universe (vv. 21–22), and as the leader and authority over all things, he is working everything for the benefit of the church (vv. 22–23). Paul’s point is that God’s power is supreme, and that Jesus Christ is utilizing that power on our behalf. Believers should be mightily encouraged to know that this supreme God is using his invincible power “toward us” for our good!
Psalm 68:28
28 Summon your power, O God, the power, O God, by which you have worked for us.
There is no greater power in the universe than the invincible power of the Holy Spirit —and he dwells within you! Let this encourage you to pray boldly for God to do mighty things in and through your life for his glory.