Luke 3:1-20 KJV
1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,
2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;
6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
7 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
10 And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?
11 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.
12 Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?
13 And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.
14 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.
15 And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;
16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
17 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.
18 And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.
19 But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,
20 Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.

Luke's account of the baptism goes into more detail of what John is teaching. Most ministers preach pretty much the same lessons. It more of who can you and your family understand that is speaking God's word for the preaching ministry to be profitable to your soul. Yet same with writen lessons and so forth too. Most teach the same scripturally. Over ten years ago I did a Bible study on The Prophecy Revealed in Matthew, it went through some of the Old Testament prophesy related to scripture in Matthew to Old Testament. Tracing each prophesy that was declared. Some of pages are messed up, but it still readable. There is point when scripture is examined of who taught and time period depends on if it prophesy teaching or if it is a standard lesson for the time period. There are pulpit guides for ministers that help ministers stay on target help them with some traditions of faith and to give new insight and old insight as well. However some ministers do not use them or only use them as a personal study that is maybe extra help. John and prophets had no study guide beyond the scrolls and the teaching of the law. John taught on the river of Jordan to give away your extra coat. He told the publicans(tax collectors) to take no extra money from those they extracted taxes from. John taught the soldier to be content with his wages, and not to murder, not to start a fight or bully anyone. John was teaching no more then what Jesus would teach in his ministry and yet his flaw failed him as he spoke out against Herodias, Herod the Tetrarch(king) brother's wife. For this he would be cast into prison. Then following which I do not quote this morning Luke continues into the account of Christ's baptism, meaning what is in this one chapter in Luke is not true order of events, for John would be beheaded, and never would leave prison.

The main point is often we look at Christ teachings as being different, or being unusual but it reality they were not. What was taught then was taught Old Testament and New Testament. It might be said a different way for the time frame but the meaning being the same. Love your neighbor as yourself and Love God with all your inward being, hearts soul and mind. A simple lesson but one that never hurts repeating. The message of faith was to do unto others has you would have them do unto you. Yet people fail to understand do you want someone to hurt you, abuse you, or do you want them to love you. Do you want people to love you through the situation. Sometimes in reality we need that untone of anger to taste the reality of someone else feelings that exist. All love and no attitude does not go very far. That smile that when the back of the person is turn away, is then hidden in a scrowl serves only the person who witnesses it. Helps not the person that is goes away not moved by feeling of being right and they are wrong.

The point being the lesson may not change and you heard before but the lesson of love is one worth repeating. Compassion in anger is sometimes the most needed. It like knowing something needs to be changed and recognizing the person the complaint going to might not be able to make the necessary change to satisfy a customer, or business person. One complaint I have why can't they get rid of the computers on the phone and hire living people to be spoken too on the line. Why are some automatic machines not adequate for the need. I will never know. Yet in truth anger and speaking loudly to the machine seldom does any good. Can we remain calm and try to love in a situation we seem to be the one with the problem and not the opposite side of the fence. And perhaps the other side has a solution to help.

Love is not anger, no but seeing anger perhaps helps know one is not alone in one's emotions. Maybe the stark contrast of it be okay is really not the solution needed. Loving God unseen, starts with faith in him. Knowing his existence is real without a shadow of a doubt and his word is real. John taught, was filled with the Holy Spirit from birth and knew no difference of being without God's Spirit in his life and he sends his disciples to inquire if he really the Messiah or is there one to follow him. Yet he knew at the baptism of Jesus he was the Messiah. John message was clear it was old, but the new message of the Messiah being present was ever new to John to preach. Yet he preached the message of Messiah as in the Old Testament and not the present though Jesus was anointed by the Father in his presence at the baptism.

Can the minister preach in the present and the past, Can the preach the gospel as Christ coming and will come. Can they preach to love from Old to New Testament and see the love of God even in times of trial, that very real in the Old Testament and nothing but trials and tribulation starting at the end of the Gospel for the believer into the rstof the New Testament Letters and records. Can we say the journey of faith is sometimes like John's, with doubt, with unsurity of faith and yet the reality is still intact that God is with us, because Christ is in our hearts, we sealed by God's Spirit and the teaching to love has not changed.

Update on my husband continue to pray for him, he still meeting some challenges with his health, there is no blockage that preventing blood flow, but yet there is calcium deposits there. He still having walking issues and leg pain. Keep him in prayer. I usually do not write current health concerns on website, but if there is messing devotions during the month this may be why and so say a prayer during that time. Thank you.

Dear Heavenly Father give us a heart to love, for John taught as well as Christ. However you taught love from the very beginning even when giving of the law. Help us to love. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Deuteronomy 30:6 KJV
6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.