In the waking hours of Christmas day (2020), six Metropolitan Nashville Police officers acted quickly to save people in the downtown area of Nashville because of a bomb warning coming from a parked RV. They jumped into action despite the danger to themselves, going down the street and door-to-door warning everyone of the danger. Despite dozens of buildings and infrastructures being destroyed, all residents were saved. One must ask, what would have happened had people ignored the warnings or if the officers had not been concerned about warning everyone? Fortunately they acted and people responded. This week's Explore the Bible study: Prepared will focus on another type of warning and how we should respond.

In Luke 3:1-3 we are told that John the Baptist issued a warning to repent. This took place during the “fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, while Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea” and while “Herod was tetrarch of Galilee.” It was also the time when Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests.

This was not the greatest of times. Tiberius was considered a scourge to the Roman people. Judea was entirely under Roman governors, one being Pontius Pilate. Judea was a tribute to Rome which meant the people of Judea had no life of their own. Herod Antipas, one of three sons of Herod the Great, was tetrarch or ruler over the region of Galilee. Luke mentions two high priests, a situation which presented its own set of problems. Annas most likely had been high priest but had been replaced by his son-in-law, Caiaphas. Most likely, Annas still wielded a lot of power and influence with the Roman government and was still a prominent leader within the Sanhedrim.

It is during this time in history that God sent John to proclaim a “baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” and to introduce the world to the coming Messiah – Jesus Christ.  His pulpit was unique, his dress was certainly not cool, his eating habits were different, and his message was pointed and direct. Yet the crowds flocked to see what this prophetic preacher had to say. One might think that all this popularity would go to John’s head, but it didn’t.  He was called to prepare a people for receiving Christ and then he would blend back into the landscape as people turned to Christ for their salvation. 

Saving, Not Losing People