Luke 3:21

Dear Precious friends
On this TGIFF thank God I’m Forgiven Friday we are on
Day 3 of our reading of Luke. Thank you again for your prayers for Rick. We are so blessed! He had a good night and other than being up every hour and being exhausted he’s in good spirits and we are so grateful for the incredible care at Mayo.

What rich blessing we are receiving by being in Gods word!
BIBLE-acronym: Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth!
Everything we need to know on every topic or circumstance we face is in Gods Word... His absolute truth...
His guidance!
Today we are given an amazing glimpse of John’s life and purpose.
The scope and design of John's ministry was, to bring the people from their sins, and to their Savior. He came preaching, not a sect, or party, but a profession; the sign or ceremony was baptism... washing with water.

By the words here, John preached the necessity of repentance, in order to the remission of sins, and that the baptism of water was an outward sign of that inward cleansing and renewal of heart, which attend, or are the effects of true repentance, as well as a profession of it.

Here is the fulfilling of the Scriptures, Isaiah 40:3, in the ministry of John. When way is made for the gospel into the heart, by taking down high thoughts, and bringing them into obedience to Christ, (take every thought captive to Christ) by leveling the soul, and removing all that hinders us in the way of Christ and his grace, then preparation is made to welcome the salvation of God.
Baptism is an outward sign of our inward change.
It won’t save us... our receiving the gift of Jesus and turning from our wicked ways that saves us. Baptism is a show of obedience

Here are general warnings and exhortations which John gave. The guilty, corrupted race of mankind is become a generation of vipers; hateful to God, and hating one another. There is no way of fleeing from the wrath to come, But by Repentance!!
AND by the change of our way the change of our mind must be shown.
Yes my friends, when we receive the gift of salvation we no longer want to live in our old sinful ways.

One of the Bible commentaries puts it this way:
If we are not really holy, both in heart and life, our profession of religion and relation to God and his church, will stand us in no stead at all; the sorer will our destruction be, if we do not bring forth fruits meet for repentance.

John the Baptist gave instructions to several sorts of persons. Those that profess and promise repentance, must show it by reformation, according to their places and conditions.

The gospel requires mercy, not sacrifice; and its design is, to engage us to do all the good we can, and to be just to all men. And the same principle which leads men to forego unjust gain, leads to restore that which is gained by wrong. John tells the soldiers their duty.

Men should be cautioned against the temptations of their flesh. No one can or will accept Christ's salvation without true repentance, so the evidence and effects of this repentance are here marked out.

We all wonder why on earth was Jesus baptized?
By John! Ligonier ministries commentary answers perfectly:

Jesus was baptized by John, not because He needed to repent, but in order to obey the new command God laid upon His people through the Baptist (Matt. 3:13–17).

When we come to be baptized, we follow the example of Jesus and need to realize that God's approval and affection rest upon us as well — "You are my dearly loved child," our Father tells us, "and you bring me great joy!" Isn't it incredible that God gave us the invitation to follow his Son and receive his blessing? Isn't it amazing that we get to do something that was important to our Savior? Isn't it truly a blessing to know how God feels about us when we turn our hearts toward him?

Unlike Jesus, we are not without sin, and so our baptism is one of repentance. Repentance is to be a daily activity (1 John 1:8–9); thus, it behooves us again today to turn from sin and seek the Lord’s face. Spend time praying for an unrepentant friend or family member that he may turn to Jesus.

Next is the long liniage that Jesus came from. Why is this important?
Christianity.com shares these truths that Luke shares:

our salvation does not depend upon our being able to solve difficulties, nor is the Divine authority of the Gospels at all weakened by them. The list of names ends thus, "Who was the son of Adam, the son of God;" that is, the offspring of God by creation. Christ was both the son of Adam and the Son of God, that he might be a proper Mediator between God and the sons of Adam, and might bring the sons of Adam to be, through him, the sons of God. All flesh, as descended from the first Adam, is as grass, and withers as the flower of the field; but he who partakes of the Holy Spirit of life from the Second Adam, has that eternal happiness, which by the gospel is preached unto us.

Wow wow wow! Once again what a blessing to be in Gods word and share such truths with one another
Thank you and God bless you!!

Please share what speaks to you when on the Dec 3rd we are reading Luke 3!
Love to all of you and nay Gods great love for us propel us into this new day ready to change the world for Christ.

Amen!