Luke 3:1-6

1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; 6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”— NRSV
 

Luke wrote so carefully that almost 2,000 years later we can date the year John began preaching within 2 or 3 years (about A.D. 29); and the history of Rome verifies these emperors, rulers, and governors truly ruled in these areas. How can this historical accuracy help you when talking to unbelievers about the reliability of the Bible?






Roman authorities “retired” Annas, and placed his son-in-law, Caiaphas, in his place. What would you do if your government decided who would be elders and pastors and who would not?





When talking to unbelievers, what can you do or say to prepare the way of the Lord, so He can enter in and rule in their hearts?





In what ways does Luke emphasize that John’s ministry was ordained by God and according to God’s perfect timing?





John proclaimed that “All flesh will see the salvation of God.” What is and/or Who is “the salvation of God”? What can happen to someone who sees “the salvation of God,” but refuses to receive “the salvation of God”?






© Copyright 2007 L.G. Parkhurst, Jr. Write: lgp@easybiblelessons.com
Reprints Freely Permitted for Not for Profit private or group Bible Study. Listen to the Parkhurst Bible Study Podcast at www.parkhurstbiblelessons.com.
Additional Bible Studies at www.EasyBibleLessons.com
Uniform Series International Bible Lessons at www.InternationalBibleLessons.com.

Discuss the Bible Lesson with other teachers and students at BibleLessonForum.com

Please do not remove the copyright notice or publish these lessons for profit if you reprint them. To download these Bible Studies as an audio file or podcast to listen to, go to ParkhurstBibleLessons.com.

For newspapers, reprints, or other for profit use, contact:
L.G. Parkhurst, Jr. - lgp@InternationalBibleLessons.com.

Unless otherwise noted the Easy Bible Lessons, the International Bible Lessons and Parkhurst Bible Lessons are copyrighted © 2007 by L.G. Parkhurst, Jr. All Rights Reserved. For reprint rights other than noted above contact lgp@InternationalBibleLessons.com. Please do not remove the copyright notice or publish these Bible Lessons for profit if you reprint them. To comment on the Parkhurst Bible Lessons go to the BibleLessonForum.com.  To listen or download them as an audio file or podcast go to ParkhurstBibleLessons.com.