Sermon Tone Analysis

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*TITLE:  *  A Political Season
 
*SERMON IN A SENTENCE: *    God holds us all accountable -- makes us accountable to each other -- and calls us all to repentance.
*SCRIPTURE: *   Luke 3:1-6
 
*EXEGESIS: *
* *
*VERSES  1-2:*   TIBERIUS, PILATE, HEROD, ETC.
 
/1In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler /(Greek:  /tetraarchountos /-- tetrarch) /of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler /(Greek:  /tetraarchountos /-- tetrarch) /of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler /(Greek:  /tetraarchountos /-- tetrarch) /of Abilene, //2during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.
/
 
 
Luke, the historian, sets the ministry of John the Baptist in historical context.
In similar fashion, he said, "In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah" (1:5) -- and also referenced the time of Jesus birth by mentioning Emperor Augustus and Quirinius (2:1-2).
Because verse 1 sounds like a beginning, some have suggested that chapter 3 is the original beginning of this Gospel, but there is no convincing evidence for that.
Instead, chapters 1-2 give us infancy and boyhood accounts, while chapter 3 begins the ministry of John -- including the baptism of Jesus.
In v. 1, Luke introduces four men who will play significant roles in Jesus' crucifixion:  Pontius Pilate, Herod, Annas, and Caiaphas.
It also introduces three officials -- Tiberius, Philip, and Lysanias -- who serve only to date the beginning of John's ministry.
The "fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius" provides the most exact clue to the beginning date of John's ministry, but even that is imprecise.
Tiberius became co-regent with his father, Augustus, in 11 or 12 A.D., and assumed full power on his father's death in 14 A.D.  We don't know whether the "fifteenth year" dates back to the earlier or the later date.
Therefore, the word of the Lord may have come to John (v. 2) as early as 26 A.D. or as late as 29 A.D. 
 
It is probable that "A.D. 26~/27 was a Jubilee year (i.e., every fiftieth year when debts were canceled; see Lev. 25:10)" (Evans, 50).
In a Jubilee year, God requires people who have bought land to return it to original owner (Lev.
25:23, 27 ff.)
-- and also requires that people bound to servitude be freed (Lev.
25:41).
It is very possible that Jesus would choose to begin his ministry in such a year.
If we assume that Jesus was born in 4 B.C., he would be 30-33 years old as he begins his ministry.
Pilate served as procurator of Judea from 26-36 A.D.  Herod Antipas, one of the sons of Herod the Great, ruled Galilee and Perea from 4 B.C. to 39 A.D.  Philip reigned over the relatively minor regions of Ituraea and Trachonitis from 4 B.C. to 34 A.D.  For quite some time, we knew nothing of Lysanias, except for Luke's mention of him.
More recently, an inscription was found in Abila, capital of Abilene (east of Damascus), mentioning him -- and thus verifying Luke's account (Myers, 670-671).
Luke mentions "the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas" (v. 2) as if there are two high priests -- but, in fact, there can be only one at a time.
Annas served as high priest from 6-15 A.D. before being deposed by the procurator of Judea.
He continues to have considerable influence, and people still refer to him as high priest, in much the same way that we might call an ex-president "Mr.
President."
His son-in-law, Caiaphas, is the current high priest, having been appointed in 18 A.D.  Four of Annas' sons will also become high priests (Barclay, 27).
"…the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness" (v.
2).
This language is reminiscent of the calls of OT prophets (Isaiah 38:4; Jer.
1:1-2; 13:3).
The mention of Zechariah reminds us of the miracle of John's birth to aged parents (1:5-25; 57-80) and the angel Gabriel's announcement that John "will be great in the sight of the Lord" (1:15).
"…the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness."
John will be a great prophet, but only because God empowers him.
"…the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness."
Luke has just spoken of Emperor Tiberius, the most powerful man in the world, and has named six other important political and religious figures.
The word of God, however, did not come to Emperor Tiberius.
Nor did it come, as would seem likely, to Caiaphas, the only priest privileged to enter the Holy of Holies.
Instead the word of God came to John, a man whose only distinction is that the word of God has come to him.
This happened -- not in Rome or Jerusalem or the Temple -- but in the wilderness.
In the Magnificat, Mary said, "He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly" (1:52).
That is surely the case here.
It is worth noting that the seven VIPs mentioned in these verses are remembered today primarily because of their mention in the Gospels.
We might think of Tiberius as an exception, because he has a secure place in secular history.
However, most of the people alive today who have heard of Tiberius know him only because he is mentioned in Luke's Gospel.
We are reminded again and again that God chooses unlikely people.
Someone has said, "How odd of God to choose the Jews!"
It was odd of God to choose David, a young lad whose father did not even include him among the sons whom he presented to Samuel for consideration!
How odd of God to choose Mary, a young unmarried girl!
How odd of God to choose John!
Those of us in ministry wonder at our calling.
We also wonder at the ordinariness of the laypeople who do most of the work in our churches.
God has, indeed, "lifted up the lowly."
The wilderness also seems an unlikely place for the word of God.
Why not Jerusalem?
Not only is the Temple there, but also its people need someone to bring them to repentance.
The wilderness is largely unpopulated -- John's proclamation will be unheard unless people travel there to hear him.
However, throughout Israel's history, the wilderness has been a place where God has shaped his people.
It is the place where the nation Israel was forged.
Prophets did much of their work in the wilderness.
Jesus will soon be tested in the wilderness.
God continues to work in the wilderness of our lives today.
We are most open to hearing God's word when life seems most barren.
*VERSE  3:*   A BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS
 
/3He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance /(Greek:/ metanoias/)/ for the forgiveness of sins,/
/ /
John's baptism is not a proselyte baptism to make Jews of Gentiles.
Instead, he requires Jews to repent (/metanoias/) and baptizes them for the forgiveness of sins -- thus fulfilling the angel's prophecy that John will "give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins (1:77).
John spells out the ethical requirements of repentance -- bearing fruit worthy of repentance (3:8) and sharing with those in need (3:11).
When tax collectors and soldiers ask what they should do, he tells them to deal honestly with people and not to use their power in abusive ways (3:13-14).
If Advent is a time of preparation for the Lord so that "all flesh shall see the salvation of God" (vv.
4-6), we find here the way to prepare -- bearing fruit worthy of repentance -- sharing with those in need -- dealing with people honestly -- using power justly.
/Metanoias/ involves changing one's mind -- turning around -- proceeding in a new direction.
Earlier, the angel told Zechariah that John would "turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God" (1:16).
This emphasis on turning is reinforced in Acts 3:19:  "Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out…."
"There must be a decisive change in direction, for the present course of the nation and individuals leads to destruction" (Tannehill, 78).
At the close of this Gospel, Jesus will re-emphasize repentance and forgiveness:  "Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem" (24:46-47).
Peter will make the same emphasis at Pentecost -- "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven" (Acts 2:38).
This is our message yet today.
People still need forgiveness, and God still forgives.
Sometimes we are tempted to gloss over the reality of sin and to emphasize only forgiveness.
To mention sin seems somehow unenlightened and judgmental.
That, however, is faithful neither to the scriptures nor to people's spiritual needs.
People know that they are sinners.
They are relieved when we deal seriously with their sin, because they can then believe that there is a serious possibility of forgiveness.
Furthermore, it is illogical to speak of forgiveness without speaking first of sin.
If there is no sin, there is no need of forgiveness.
* *
*VERSES  4-6:*   AND ALL FLESH SHALL SEE THE SALVATION OF GOD
 
/4as 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.
/
/5Every 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; /
/6and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.' " /
 
 
The quotation is from Isaiah 40:3-5, where the prophet calls people to prepare for the Lord's visitation.
If a king plans to travel, work crews repair the roads in advance of his travel -- to make them straight, level, and smooth.
John calls us to repent as the way to prepare our hearts for the Lord's visit.
Bock calls this passage from Isaiah a " 'pattern' prophecy, speaking to many periods of history at the same time" (Bock, 67).
In the original, Isaiah called people to "make straight in the desert a highway for our God."
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