John prepares for the arrival of the promised king
As we arrive in the season of Advent, we put ourselves in the shoes of the people who were waiting for Jesus’ first arrival. In John 3, John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus’ ministry, by getting people ready to meet the Christ. He preached a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
It was a humbling thing for Jewish people to submit to baptism, because normally this was reserved for non-Jewish converts to Judaism. It would have required humility and a willingness to confront their need to be purified by the promised king.
John is linked to a prophecy from Isaiah which commands straight and clear roads for the arrival of God. As we approach Christmas day, we might reflect on the ways our lives need straightening and clearing, and rest in the assurance that God has brought us a perfect rescue by coming to live as one of us.
Questions for reflection
1. What do you do when you’re expecting something? How do you prepare?
2. Read Luke 3:1-20. How was John fulfilling the role of the ‘voice’ in Isaiah? (v4-6)
3. What obstacles or road-blocks might be keeping you from seeing Jesus more fully?
4. How was Jesus’ ministry different from John’s? (v16, 17)
5. What is the significance of being ‘baptised with the Holy Spirit and fire’?