Luke 3:10-14
"And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise. Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages," Luke 3:10-14.
John the Baptist has been preaching messages that were not politically correct, nor were they correct in the eyes of the religious leaders. John was preaching what God gave him to preach. Though there was much opposition to him and what he preached, John did not deviate nor did he compromise the message. He stood upon God's word and proclaimed the truth, even to his death. John's life was not his own. He knew he was the forerunner of the Messiah. He knew what God gave him to preach was contrary to what was popular, but he preached it anyway. Why did John have such an impact on those who heard him preach? He lived what he preached, therefore his words carried weight. He preached the word of God, and lived it.
"And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?" These people had been living according to their own customs. Some of them had been abusing their authority up to and beyond what the law of the land allowed. But now they are different. Luke 3:10 gives us a general view of the people who came, and verses 12 and 14 gives us specific classes of people who came. In verse 10 we have the general population, the common people. These would be the law abiding citizens, for the most part. In verses 12 and 14 we have classes of people who were hated by the general population. These were the tax collectors, and soldiers, who would use their position to take from the people. All these actions would cause people to become extremely selfish. Selfishness is breeding selfishness. These people are wrapped up in life, then they hear about a man preaching and baptizing near the Jordan river. Some may have been drawn out of curiosity, some may have been forced to go with the rest of the family, some may have just been passing by, but when they heard the word being preached, God quickened them and they were convicted of their sinfulness. By God's grace they repented and believed in the One Who was to come. By God's saving power they have become a new creation in Christ Jesus, and the life they once lived they now hate. The question they asked is a common question, "What shall we do then?" Another way to ask this would be, how do we live from this point forward?
We are not saved by our works, nor do we maintain salvation by our works, but our works proclaim, they are evidences, if the Lord has truly saved us or not. Turn to I Corinthians 6:9-11, and 19-20. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new," II Corinthians 5:17. In Luke 3 the Lord has saved people who were in the depths of sin, and He has saved people who were living a normal life of sin. Both were in need of deliverance from the penalty of their sins which is the wrath of God. God saved them by His grace, God delivered them from His wrath through the sacrifice of His eternal Son Jesus Christ; what now?
John has been preaching, now he is instructing. John could have used his platform to profit himself, but instead he points people to godly living. We are not saved by good works, but to good works. John did not point them to religious ceremonies, but day to day living. Religious ceremonies can become a box that we check off on certain days of the week at certain times of those days, then we spend the rest of our time living for ourselves. This is not true Christianity. John is giving biblical instruction for the people to put into practice every day for the rest of their lives, not just an hour for one or two days a week.
John starts off by answering the general population (verse 11). Don't be stingy. If you see someone in need, and you can meet that need, do it. Turn to I John 3:11-19. We can examine ourselves by our actions. All that we do we should do for the honour and glory of God, not to gain recognition for ourselves. We are to give not expecting anything in return. "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him," Colossians 3:17. "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not unto men," Colossians 3:23. "But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased," Hebrews 13:16. When the Lord saves us He gives us a love for Him, and for others, especially the brethren. "But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more," I Thessalonians 4:9-10. As we grow in our love for the Lord, our love for each other will also grow. This means our desire to fellowship with each other grows, and we want to meet each other's needs. "Let the necessity of our brethren affect us powerfully, and let the bounty of God, which is in our hands, stimulate us to acts of kindness and generosity." John Calvin. When God gives us an abundance we shouldn't build bigger barns, but we should look to see how we can use what God has given us to be a blessing to others for God's honour and glory.
In Luke 3:12-14 the publicans and the soldiers were both known for abusing the power of their position. The position of authority can go to people's heads and cause them to think they are the exception to the rule or that everyone else is below them. They view others as a means to an end. How can I use this person to get what I want? This is the same as stealing from others. When the Lord saves someone, He changes this in people also. "Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth," Ephesians 4:28.
The Lord saved these peoples souls, gave them a heart to receive the truth, and to desire the truth. They sought counsel on how to live, and by the grace of God they received the godly counsel and put it into action. They were not saved by their works, but their works are some of the fruits produced from saving faith. Has the Lord saved your soul, and does the life you live line up with your profession of faith? If so, praise the Lord, if not, repent from your sins and trust Jesus Christ alone to save your soul.
Lord willing we will pick up in Luke 3:15 next time. Please send questions and comments to richardsonbaptistchurch@gmail.com. Soli Deo Gloria.
