Tuesday
Names, names, and more names.
Luke includes a complete list of Jesus’ family tree. You might wonder why this list is slightly different than the one found in Matthew. The reason is that one traces the genealogy through Joseph and the other traces the line through Mary. It was not a common practice to trace family lines through the women, but I think Luke wanted everyone to know without a doubt that Jesus was a descendant of King David. And did you notice that Luke doesn’t stop with Abraham (signifying the importance of the children of Abraham – the Jews) but also goes all the way to Adam, showing that God’s story was not just for the Jews
We also are given an accurate accounting of the time these events take place – Luke seems to want to help us date these events in a more historical manner. So you might note, that Luke gives us the political date – the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, and the religious date, during the time of the high priests Annas and Caiaphas.
Our story begins with John the Baptist (you remember his miraculous birth), he’s living in the desert when the word of God came to him. And so John goes about the countryside preaching a “baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins”. But he is careful to not let them confuse him with the Messiah. He is not the Messiah.
Did you notice that John is speaking to tax collectors and soldiers. As far as the Jews were concerned the tax collectors had sold out to the Romans and were cheating the people. And the soldiers who were Roman and Gentile. These are not the groups of people you would have thought John would even give the time of day to. John was already living out the gospel message, even before Christ came on to the scene. He is calling the people to share with others who have nothing. John also does a lot to stir up the leaders. He calls out Herod for marrying his brother’s wife. And Herod has him arrested. This is the beginning of the persecution of John. (More about his story later.)
So Jesus seeks out John to be baptized. I imagine that Jesus and John had spent time together before this, they were after all cousins. So John could say with all sincerity, “I need to be baptized by you and do you come to me? (Matt 3:14)
Yet Jesus insists that John baptize him. After Jesus was baptized and while he was still praying, the Holy Spirit descended on Him and God spoke. Do you see the significance of what is happening here? We are witnesses to God being with us, in our midst… Immanuel. Certainly we can believe there is no doubt that Jesus is… the Messiah.
Wouldn’t you love for God to say that about you? “You are my beloved Son (child); with you I am well pleased.” We can have that affirmation, if we are willing to follow Christ. To live by His example. To strive to live holy lives. Can it be done? I believe we can live righteously before God, but not in our own strength or power, but with the Power of the Holy Spirit. I pray that you will invited the Holy Spirit into your life, to live each day for the glory of God. To follow the example of Jesus.
Living For Him
Pastor Kathy