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Read Luke 3:1-20 every day this week. This is the account of the beginning of John the Baptist’s ministry. Each day this week, if possible, choose a different translation and ask God to open your eyes to new revelation from His Word.
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Luke 3:15-20
“And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them. But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done, Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.”
On one occasion, Cath and I were staying at a hotel in London. It was a cold, cold day and we’d arrived back at the hotel grateful for the warmth of the room. Not long after arriving back, we heard something that strikes fear into most people staying at hotels: A fire alarm.
However, it didn’t last long and so we just assumed that it had been a false alarm or even a test. Some moments later, it went off again. One more time, it stopped just as suddenly as it had started. Cath opened the room door and immediately began to notice the distinct smell of smoke in the air. This wasn’t a test and something was definitely wrong! With that, the alarm started again and this time it didn’t stop. We hurriedly put on our coats and made our way downstairs and out into the night air. Now it really was cold and looking around, it was clear that some people were definitely not prepared for this at all. Some had come directly from the swimming pool and were in bathing costumes. Hotel staff began to wrap blankets of ‘foil’ around them in an attempt to keep them as warm as they could.
Within minutes, fire engines began to arrive and they began their investigation into what really was happening inside the hotel. After what seemed like hours standing in the freezing cold, we were given the ‘good news’ that we could go back inside. The first thing I noticed that some people were very angry that they’d been forced out into the cold. I guess they wouldn’t have been happy unless the hotel had actually burned to the ground. But many, many people were complaining to hotel staff and even Cath and I were hoping for some kind of compensation! We later found out that there was an electrical fault in one of the storage areas right next to our room! We had actually been ‘saved’ from a potentially life-threatening situation and yet some people were complaining that the evacuation wasn’t needed. It certainly was good news for us, but the others just couldn’t see it.
John the Baptist is saying some pretty difficult things to hear in these verses this week. He’s threatening them with all sorts of judgement and condemnation. But he’s also saying that there’s good news to be heard. Jesus is coming! If we repent and turn from our sin, we can be freed from judgment and delivered from all condemnation. That truly is good news isn’t it?
However, just like the people in the hotel, there were some here who just didn’t want to hear. They wanted to carry on with their lives as they decided to live them. They wanted to stay in their hotel rooms and risk being burned along with the hotel. John the Baptist is the fire alarm. Turn, get out from the lives you’re living and be set free. Judgement is definitely coming but you don’t need to face it. That’s the Good News of Jesus Christ.
- John suffered for sharing the Good News. Perhaps you’re going through difficulties because of your testimony. Take some moments to share your feelings with the Lord and ask Him to grant you courage and peace.
- As is our normal practice for a Friday, write out the entire passage of Luke 3:1-20; in your own words as much as possible.
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