Advent - Luke Chapter 3

This is part of a series exploring Luke’s Gospel for the Advent season. One chapter a day for the first 24 days of December. We'll see how we go! I hope you enjoy :)

- Jeff

John the Baptist was one who prepared the way of the Lord. The voice mentioned by the prophet Isaiah, he made straight in the desert a highway for our God, made high places low and crooked places straight (Isaiah 40).

Imagine roadworks. There’s a blockage in the way. In order to get to your location you have to go a long way around, if another road exists at all. If you’re travelling into new country you just have to wait - or step out and grab a shovel.

John’s call is not one to a physical work. It’s a work of our hearts first. ‘Produce fruit in keeping with repentance,’ he cries (Luke 3:8). As with so many things, what starts on the inside becomes visible on the outside.

Do we have a straight path to God, a level way? Through Jesus we have access to Him, but sometimes we don’t trust that. We might be tempted to put all sorts of barriers and roadblocks in the way: maybe we think we aren’t good enough, or that there’s no way God could possibly listen to us after all we’ve done.

The call is still the same. Repent - and show it.

A question remains for us. How are we preparing for Jesus in our hearts and lives?