Focusing on Luke 3:21-4:13, Jesus begins His ministry by submitted to baptism by His predecessor, John. Jesus' identity is majestically confirmed by the presence of the Spirit and the voice of the Father booming affirmation from the heavens: You are My beloved Son, in You I am well pleased! We are each His beloved children as well, just as affirmed and blessed as part of the family (of which His Spirit is a seal upon us). Jesus goes straight into temptation - a pattern of the enemy's, coming after us when we've had a mountaintop experience. Jesus shows us the way to parry the temptations sent our way by being centered in our identity in God and knowledge of His word.

To investigate this most important of stories further, go here.

The ministry of John the Baptist fulfills prophecies made about him by Isaiah and Gabriel, and as he calls the people to repent and be baptized, we are called to do the same, and if we've already done so, it's time to renew our commitments to the King. Luke 3:1-20.

To investigate this most important of stories further, go here.

We begin a series on the Gospel of Luke today, whose first sentence states he will summarize "the things that have been fulfilled among us," in a far reaching work that begins with Gabriel's visit to Zechariah in the temple predicting the birth of John the Baptist through to the gospel being taken to all the known world at the end of the Book of Acts, the companion volume to Luke's gospel. Luke devotes his introductory first two chapters to Jesus' birth, and we look briefly today at Luke 2:22-40 and its themes of waiting and promise fulfillment.

To investigate this most important of stories further, go here.