Luke, more than any of the gospel writers, seeks to root the accounts of Jesus’ life into historical events. He often references that it was such and such year when so and so was governor, or the like. For years I’ve felt that this was Luke’s way of “proving” that the story is real. I’m not so sure that was his main reason for doing this though. While certainly setting the events in a measurable and identifiable period of time, I am beginning to think that his purpose is to help us to see that our God acts on our behalf in real time and space. He is a God who is present among us and His chosen Savior is present for us to intervene in our lives.
So, “In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John . . . .” In real time, God acted and came to John who was in the wilderness and he began to preach and teach a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. He urged people to live as God called them to live, to make choices to do what is right, and to turn away from their sins – particularly the sin of greed, which is idolatry.
In the midst of this activity the Word of God (John 1:1) comes to John again – this time in bodily form. Jesus himself came to be baptized beginning His ministry. God uses this moment to reveal to John that Jesus is indeed the Christ he has been waiting for as the heavens open and the Holy Spirit descends on Him as a dove. And since every matter is to be established by two witnesses the Father Himself speaks for John to hear that Jesus is His beloved Son.
Something interesting happens at this point in the Gospel of Luke. On the surface it may not look very interesting, but following Jesus’ baptism Luke records Jesus’ genealogy. Now, let me say that I don’t normally find genealogies too terribly interesting. I’m usually more interested in the story of the people than the list of their names. However, Jesus’ genealogy in Luke begins with Joseph and, while it includes interesting people like King David, Boaz, Judah, Jacob, Isaac and Abraham, it goes back even further to Adam, and to God.
Why is that interesting?
Luke is showing us that Jesus is the savior for all people; for all people descend from Adam. As Jesus stands in the river he stands as all of humanity boiled down to one. He is God who is present with and for His people, so He stands with us in our act of penitence. He enters into our confession to bear our sins and give us forgiveness. He stands shoulder to shoulder with us, not looking over us or watching from a distance, but actually involving Himself in and with our lives. He is the God and Savior who loves us so much that He enters our story – our history and our present story. So we can rightly say, “in the fifteenth month of the presidency of Barak Obama, . . .” God is active to bring salvation to real people living in the real world.
Father, thank you for being active and present in our lives. Help us to always know that you act in our normal lives, and not in some spiritual mumbo-jumbo. Help us to show others the impact of your salvation on our lives so that they can begin to see the impact your salvation can have on them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
So, “In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John . . . .” In real time, God acted and came to John who was in the wilderness and he began to preach and teach a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. He urged people to live as God called them to live, to make choices to do what is right, and to turn away from their sins – particularly the sin of greed, which is idolatry.
In the midst of this activity the Word of God (John 1:1) comes to John again – this time in bodily form. Jesus himself came to be baptized beginning His ministry. God uses this moment to reveal to John that Jesus is indeed the Christ he has been waiting for as the heavens open and the Holy Spirit descends on Him as a dove. And since every matter is to be established by two witnesses the Father Himself speaks for John to hear that Jesus is His beloved Son.
Something interesting happens at this point in the Gospel of Luke. On the surface it may not look very interesting, but following Jesus’ baptism Luke records Jesus’ genealogy. Now, let me say that I don’t normally find genealogies too terribly interesting. I’m usually more interested in the story of the people than the list of their names. However, Jesus’ genealogy in Luke begins with Joseph and, while it includes interesting people like King David, Boaz, Judah, Jacob, Isaac and Abraham, it goes back even further to Adam, and to God.
Why is that interesting?
Luke is showing us that Jesus is the savior for all people; for all people descend from Adam. As Jesus stands in the river he stands as all of humanity boiled down to one. He is God who is present with and for His people, so He stands with us in our act of penitence. He enters into our confession to bear our sins and give us forgiveness. He stands shoulder to shoulder with us, not looking over us or watching from a distance, but actually involving Himself in and with our lives. He is the God and Savior who loves us so much that He enters our story – our history and our present story. So we can rightly say, “in the fifteenth month of the presidency of Barak Obama, . . .” God is active to bring salvation to real people living in the real world.
Father, thank you for being active and present in our lives. Help us to always know that you act in our normal lives, and not in some spiritual mumbo-jumbo. Help us to show others the impact of your salvation on our lives so that they can begin to see the impact your salvation can have on them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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