Turning and Returning to God

The Gospel According to Luke

Pastor Matt Pierson

Luke 3

“To get right with God, you have to admit you are not right with God.”
The Africa Bible Commentary

7 Officials of Luke 3

• Tiberius Caesar – Emperor of the Roman Empire, 14-37 AD
• Pontius Pilate – Governor of Judea, 26-36 AD
• Herod Antipas – Tetratch of Galilee, 4 BC-39 AD
• Herod Philip – Tetrarch of Ituraea/Trachonitis, 4 BC-36 AD
• Lysanias – Tetrarch of Abilene, 28-37 AD
• Annas – High Priest, 6-15 AD
• Caiaphas – High Priest, 18-36 AD

1. John and His Mission

“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
For you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways;
To give knowledge of salvation to his people
In the forgiveness of their sins,
Because of the tender mercy of our God,
Whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
To give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Luke 1:76-79

2. Jesus and His Purpose

“He (Jesus) might truly have claimed that ‘a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins’ was for him unnecessary and inappropriate; but his readiness to undergo it just the same, if that is his Father’s will, is the mark of a man unique among men in his total obedience to God.”
Michael Wilcock, The Bible Speaks Today

“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him in death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”
Romans 6:3-4

3. What Does a Repentant Life Look Like?

“From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 4:17

“Fear-based repentance makes us hate ourselves. Joy-based repentance makes us hate the sin.”
Timothy Keller

“No eye is quicker to see the mercy of God than the eye washed with the tears of repentance.”
Charles Spurgeon

“Show me, then, a professed Christian who does not see and insist on the need for ongoing repentance, and I will show you a stunted soul.”

J. I. Packer, Rediscovering Holiness

“Repent therefore, and turn back that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”
Acts 3:19-20

“He came the first time to die; He is coming again to raise the dead. When He came the first time, they questioned whether He was King; the next time the world will know that He is King of kings and Lord of lords. The first time He wore a crown of thorns; the next time He will be wearing a crown of glory. The first time He came in poverty; the next time He is coming in power. The first time He had an escort of angels; the next time He will come with ten thousands of His saints. The first time He came in meekness; He is coming again in majesty.”
Adrian Rogers