Reading the Bible Everyday; Luke 3

Joy: You’re listening to the Lifting Her Voice podcast, Episode Number 47.  Today we’ll read the 3rd chapter of Luke together:  John the Baptist prepares the way for the Lord; Jesus is baptized; and Luke goes through Jesus’ genealogy again.

Welcome to the Lifting Her Voice podcast.  I’m your host, Joy Miller, and I invite you to grab your Bible and join me as we simply read God’s word together.  Some things require discipline and sometimes that’s just not easy to muster by yourself, no matter how badly you want to do it or how much you know you should.  It’s just easier to do it with a friend.  So refill your coffee or tea, get comfortable in your favorite chair and follow along as I read aloud.  I’m so glad you’re here!

You have heard me say that it’s important to read the Bible systematically.  I’m not a fan of opening your Bible and letting your finger drop onto the page and wherever it lands is what you read that day.  You’ve probably already noticed by reading the entirety of the last two books, Matthew and Mark, that you have a whole different understanding of Jesus’ life and the intent of His ministry.  Anyway, I was reading the other day and came across someone who characterized reading systematically totally different than I do.  I gotta say…I panicked just a little.  I mean, I may not be a theologian, but I don’t want to mislead you either!  So, I did what any good Christian girl would do…I called my pastor…and apparently, it can be user-defined.  So, let’s agree that the definition of reading the Bible systematically is this:  Read it in the order it’s written, cover to cover. 

Luke Chapter 3:  1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, 14-37 while Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, God’s word came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the vicinity of the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah: A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way for the Lord; make His paths straight! 5 Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be made low; the crooked will become straight, the rough ways smooth, 6 and everyone will see the salvation of God.” 7 He then said to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance. And don’t start saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones! 9 Even now the ax is ready to strike the root of the trees! Therefore every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” 10 “What then should we do?” the crowds were asking him. 11 He replied to them, “The one who has two shirts must share with someone who has none, and the one who has food must do the same.” 12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” 13 He told them, “Don’t collect any more than what you have been authorized.” 14 Some soldiers also questioned him: “What should we do?” He said to them, “Don’t take money from anyone by force or false accusation; be satisfied with your wages.” 15 Now the people were waiting expectantly, and all of them were debating in their minds whether John might be the Messiah. 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water, but One is coming who is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to untie the strap of His sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing shovel is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and gather the wheat into His barn, but the chaff He will burn up with a fire that never goes out.” 18 Then, along with many other exhortations, he proclaimed good news to the people. 19 But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him about Herodias, his brother’s wife, and about all the evil things Herod had done, 20 added this to everything else-he locked John up in prison. 21 When all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized. As He was praying, heaven opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in a physical appearance like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: You are My beloved Son. I take delight in You! 23 As He began [His ministry], Jesus was about 30 years old and was thought to be the son of Joseph, [son] of Heli, 24 [son] of Matthat, [son] of Levi, [son] of Melchi, [son] of Jannai, [son] of Joseph, 25 [son] of Mattathias, [son] of Amos, [son] of Nahum, [son] of Esli, [son] of Naggai, 26 [son] of Maath, [son] of Mattathias, [son] of Semein, [son] of Josech, [son] of Joda, 27 [son] of Joanan, [son] of Rhesa, [son] of Zerubbabel, [son] of Shealtiel, [son] of Neri, 28 [son] of Melchi, [son] of Addi, [son] of Cosam, [son] of Elmadam, [son] of Er, 29 [son] of Joshua, [son] of Eliezer, [son] of Jorim, [son] of Matthat, [son] of Levi, 30 [son] of Simeon, [son] of Judah, [son] of Joseph, [son] of Jonam, [son] of Eliakim, 31 [son] of Melea, [son] of Menna, [son] of Mattatha, [son] of Nathan, [son] of David, 32 [son] of Jesse, [son] of Obed, [son] of Boaz, [son] of Salmon, [son] of Nahshon, 33 [son] of Amminadab, [son] of Ram, [son] of Hezron, [son] of Perez, [son] of Judah, 34 [son] of Jacob, [son] of Isaac, [son] of Abraham, [son] of Terah, [son] of Nahor, 35 [son] of Serug, [son] of Reu, [son] of Peleg, [son] of Eber, [son] of Shelah, 36 [son] of Cainan, [son] of Arphaxad, [son] of Shem, [son] of Noah, [son] of Lamech, 37 [son] of Methuselah, [son] of Enoch, [son] of Jared, [son] of Mahalaleel, [son] of Cainan, 38 [son] of Enos, [son] of Seth, [son] of Adam, [son] of God.

So, what did you notice about the genealogy that Luke listed compared to the one in Matthew?  They’re different, huh?  How is that possible?  I mean, we believe that the Bible is the inerrant word of God – no mistakes – so one writer can’t be wrong.  Can they both be right?  Well, the answer is ‘yes’!  Here are some suggestions…you decide.  First, it has been suggested that Matthew recounts Joseph’s lineage and Luke lists Mary’s.  They were both in the line of David so both end up in the same place.  It has also been suggested that Mary may not have had any brothers and it’s possible, when Joseph and Mary were betrothed, that Mary’s father adopted Joseph, and in essence took on Mary’s lineage.  Still another scenario may be a Levirite marriage.  Remember how if a man dies without children his brother marries the dead man’s widow and bears children to carry on his name?  That could have happened to Joseph and thereby leaving him with two fathers…one natural and one legal.  So what does this mean to us?  Well, two things pop into my mind.  First, God is totally trustworthy and does what He says.  He promised David there would always be one of his offspring on the throne – forever.  That forever King, is Jesus.  Second…well, let’s just pray about the second.  Father, I am so grateful, that I don’t have to understand any of this in order to be saved.  I love that the Gospel is so simple that a child can understand…and yet, so complex we can spend a lifetime studying it.  Lord, I pray that when You return You will find us rightly dividing Your Word of truth but let us also rejoice that if we believe that You died for our sins and if we ask forgiveness and invite You to be the Lord of our lives, we are saved.  Amen.

Thank you for joining me here today.  I pray God will grow in you what has been planted and watered here.  In this time of unprecedented struggle worldwide, we can look to God for guidance and comfort.  Be sensitive to those in your circle of influence who need a word of encouragement and invite them to join us.  If you like this show, it would be great if you give it a five-star review.  Don’t forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  See you right here tomorrow.  Be well!