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• LESSON 4 (January 24) • Luke 3 • John the Baptist Prepares the Way 1. “The word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness” (3:2). What does Luke want us to understand about what we are going to hear from John? 2. Luke draws a connection between John’s actions in the region around the Jordan (3:3) and words written by the prophet Isaiah (3:4-6). Why? What is the significance of the connection? 3. In light of all the wonderful things we’ve heard in Luke 1 and 2, why would John bring up “the wrath to come” (3:7)? 4. “Bear fruits in keeping with repentance” (3:8a) was John’s charge. What does this mean? What does it look like, practically speaking? 5. John spoke ominous words in Luke 3:8-9. What do they mean? What did his audience need to understand and how did they need to respond? 6. What do you make of the questions of the crowds and John’s responses in Luke 3:10-14? 7. John’s answer in Luke 3:15-17 certainly seems to be profoundly important. In light of the rest ofthe New Testament, what is John foretelling? 8. While Luke only briefly mentions Herod and Herodias, other accounts give us more detail (see Matt 14:1-12 and Mark 6:14-20). How should we look at Herod’s example, especially in light of the rest of Luke 3? 9. What do we learn in Luke 3:21-22? How does it continue to set the stage for what is to come in the rest of Luke’s narrative? 10. Why does Luke immediately launch into a genealogical record in Luke 3:23-38? What is he communicating with this record and why is it an important part of his orderly account?