Preparing for the King



And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Luke 3:3–6, 10–1)

When the word of God came to John the Baptist in the wilderness, it ended over 400 years of prophetic silence. The timing of John's ministry was clearly stated by Luke. The gospel writer goes to great lengths to establish the context of John the Baptist's ministry in Luke 3:1–2. The list of seven leaders, five Gentiles and two Jews, certainly gives us a precise chronological timeline. Still, it also describes the conditions of the time for God's people. The nation of Israel was in the midst of a dark time. They were oppressed politically by the Roman government, they were bearing the weight of religious legalism, and they were bound by the power and penalty of their sin. They needed a King, a Saviour.

In ancient times, when a king was coming to town, a messenger would go ahead to herald his coming and prepare the city for his entrance and the people for his arrival. Simply stated, this was John's role. His ministry was to prepare the people for the coming of King Jesus, and he did so by "preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins" (v. 3).

Why is this message so important, and why was it the prelude to the coming of Jesus? Repentance is sorrow for our sin and a sincere commitment to turn away from it. Jesus came to redeem us and to restore our relationship with God. We are saved by repenting and placing our faith in the One whose sacrifice atones for our sins, Jesus.

Repentance requires a change of mind and heart, but true repentance also leads to action. Repentance causes us to be sorry for our sins and leads us to the cross for forgiveness. There is more, says John in verses 11–14. Truly repentance produces fruit—generosity, honesty, and contentment are marks of our repentance. The call from John is the same one that we should be shouting today: Repent and turn to Jesus for salvation.

LET US PRAY - Father, thank You for Your grace that leads us to repentance. Thank You for the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. We pray that You will give us a humble, forgiving heart and reflect on how we live and serve others. In Jesus' name. Amen.


Location: Exmouth, Reino Unido

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