<p class="s26"><span class="s12"><span class="bumpedFont20">TITLE:  </span></span><span class="s12"><span class="bumpedFont20">PREPARING FOR JESUS’ COMING</span></span></p>
<p class="s13"><span class="s12"><span class="bumpedFont20">TEXT: </span></span><span class="s12"><span class="bumpedFont20">LUKE 3:1-14</span></span></p>
<p class="s10"><span class="s12"><span class="bumpedFont20">INTRODUCTION</span></span></p>

<div class="s29"><span class="s28">A. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">The Word of God came to John [the Baptist]</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">  </span></span>​</div>
<div class="s30"><span class="s28">1. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Tiberius</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20"> – </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Caesar</span></span></div>
<div class="s30"><span class="s28">2. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Pontius Pilate</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20"> – </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">governor of Judea</span></span></div>
<div class="s30"><span class="s28">3. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Herod</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20"> – </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">tetrarch of Galilee</span></span></div>
<div class="s30"><span class="s28">4. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Philip</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20"> – </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">tetrarch of </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Iturea</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20"> and the region of </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Trachonitis</span></span></div>
<div class="s30"><span class="s28">5. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Lysanias</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20"> – </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">tetrarch of Abilene</span></span></div>
<div class="s31"><span class="s28">6. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Annas</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20"> and Caiaphas</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20"> – </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">high priests</span></span></div>
<div class="s32"><span class="s28">B. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">The Word of God came to John, son of Zacharias, in the wilderness</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">  </span></span>​</div>
<div class="s29"><span class="s28">C. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">John’s mission: Prepare the way for the coming King [Jesus]</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">  </span></span>​</div>
<div class="s30"><span class="s28">1. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Spiritual Preparation – Baptism of Repentance</span></span></div>
<div class="s33"><span class="s28">a. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Identified With and Immersed Into John’s message of repentance</span></span></div>
<div class="s34"><span class="s28">b. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">John’s Baptism was an outward washing of an inward change</span></span></div>
<div class="s30"><span class="s28">2. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Physical Preparation – </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Transforming of Attitudes and Actions</span></span></div>
<div class="s33"><span class="s28">a. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Paths straight – </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Removal of debris of distractions</span></span></div>
<div class="s33"><span class="s28">b. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Valleys filled – Valleys of ignorance filled with truth</span></span></div>
<div class="s33"><span class="s28">c. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Mountains/</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">hills made low – M</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">ountains/</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">hills of pride</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20"> lowered</span></span></div>
<div class="s33"><span class="s28">d. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Crooked places straight – Straighten crooked thinking</span></span></div>
<div class="s35"><span class="s28">e. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Rough ways smooth – Smooth out rough </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">attitudes and </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">actions</span></span></div>
<p class="s10"><span class="s12"><span class="bumpedFont20">IT IS TIME TO GET TOUGH</span></span></p>

<div class="s32"><span class="s36">A. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Brood of snakes</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">  </span></span>​</div>
<div class="s32"><span class="s36">B. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">  </span></span>​</div>
<div class="s32"><span class="s36">C. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Prove by the way you live that you have repented</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">  </span></span>​</div>
<div class="s29"><span class="s36">D. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Your connection with Abraham means nothing</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">  </span></span>​</div>
<div class="s30"><span class="s28">1. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones</span></span></div>
<div class="s30"><span class="s28">2. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Even now, the ax is laid at the root of the tree</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">  </span></span></div>
<div class="s30"><span class="s28">3. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">burned</span></span></div>
<div class="s37"><span class="s28">4. </span><span class="s12"><span class="bumpedFont20">Not about your roots – about your fruits</span></span></div>
<p class="s10"><span class="s12"><span class="bumpedFont20">WHAT SHALL WE DO?</span></span></p>

<div class="s32"><span class="s28">A. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">There must be </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Outward Evidence of Inward Transformation</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">  </span></span>​</div>
<div class="s32"><span class="s28">B. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Whoever has two tunics, give one to someone who does not have one</span></span> ​</div>
<div class="s32"><span class="s28">C. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">If you have food, give some to someone who is hungry</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">  </span></span>​</div>
<div class="s32"><span class="s28">D. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Tax Collectors - Collect no more than what is appointed for you</span></span> ​</div>
<div class="s29"><span class="s28">E. </span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Soldiers - </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Do</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20"> not intimidate or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages</span></span></div>