June 15-22 Week Three:  Out of the Wilderness

Before we get started: Some things to keep in mind:

If there had been a newspaper, when Jesus and John the Baptizer burst on the public scene some of the headlines may have been[i]:

• Caesar Tiberius Retires to Estate on Capri
• General Lucius Sejanus, Leader of Praetorian Guards, makes power play – Consolidates Control of the Government
• Economists Report Hyperinflation Rampant in All Areas of Empire – “…will be the undoing of the empire,” They Warn
• War with Iran in 34^th year – No end in sight
• Athletes and Solders Start Training Camp for Olympic Games
• Pontius Pilate, Appointed Governor of Judea, Arrives in Jerusalem
•  Another Broken Treaty!  Jerusalem In Uproar as Pilate Plants the Roman Flag Inside the City in Violation of Treaty
• Jerusalem Aqueduct Project begins – Pilate says to Lower Unemployment Rate
• Pilate Pays for Aqueduct Project by Confiscating Gold from Jewish Temple Treasure House.
• Disguised Roman Solders Mingle with Protestors Over Temple Gold – Kill Some and Seriously Injure Others in Riot.
• Sicarius Terrorist Network Threatens to Kill Pilate
• Crime is Up!  Mideast Land Trade Routes Become Unstable Due to Terrorist Attacks and Bandits
• King Herod Launches Another Harbor Building Project to Increase Sea Trade – More Taxes for Everyone!
• Palestinian People Starving and Dying From Disease While Tons of Wine and the Pomegranate, Grape, Olive, and Mellon Harvest is Shipped to Roman Markets

There may have been no mention of the two cousins launching their public ministry in these headlines but these two were going to change the shape of human history.  A closer look at the headlines that would have made the papers reveals that the New Testament world looks surprisingly like our time:

·       There were wars, terrorism, crime

·       There was injustice, poverty, greed

·       There was disease

·       There was political struggles for power

·       There were taxes

So if Jesus’ and John’s time looks so similar to ours, then this begs the question: “What difference has the life and ministry of Jesus made to society – to humanity?

Scriptural Encounter and Discussion – Week Three Luke 3-4:13 Out of the Wilderness

Let’s Get Started:  Read our selection of the Week Luke 3-4:13.

Observation Level

(First step in Bible study is to start by observing what is actually there before you start trying to interpret or apply)

Make a chart similar to the one below[ii].  As you read each section record what you notice and what is the key idea Luke is communicating?

John Out of the Wilderness	Jesus Out of the Wilderness
3:1-7	3:21-23
3: 8-14	3:23b-38  Why not stop with Abraham? What’s the point?
3: 15-20	4:1-13

1. Why did Luke list all the public officials? (v1-3)
2. What was John’s message and purpose? (4-6 & 15-18)
3. How would you describe John’s message and style?  Who does it indicate was listening and responding to John’s message?
4. Why might it be important of Jesus to be baptized with others?
5.  What happened at Jesus Baptism?
6. What did Satan temp Jesus with?  How did he overcome the temptation?

Imaginative Level

(Use your imagination and memory to dialogue with the text)

Re-Read Luke 3:7-19

Try to imagine you are an ordinary person living in these times, perhaps bemoaning the headlines above to a friend and the friend tells you to come and hear a prophet who has a solution to all these problems.  What solutions does the teaching of John the Baptist offer to the mess the world is in?

Re-Read Luke 4:1-13

If the devil had three shots at you, what three temptations would he use to try to trap you?

Interpretive Level

What kind of repentance is John calling for?  Even the Roman soldiers responded to John’s preaching and asked what they could do to show true repentance; what would John say that you, personally could do specifically based on your everyday work to show true repentance?

Re-Read Luke 4:1-13

In each temptation, what was its appeal?  Its Price?  Were they real temptations for Jesus?  What kind of rationalization may have happened before the wisdom of scripture came to Jesus to guide him?

Make a list of all the things that tempt you; then what scriptures would help you at the time of the temptation.

Maieutic Level

(Maieutic means making meaning or connections with reality.  It’s about discerning wisdom)

Refer back to the Roman headlines once more; there may be little we can do about the global mess or national mess we find ourselves.  You may feel despair or overwhelmed and hopeless when you consider all that is wrong in the world, your country, your town, your life.  But both John’s preaching and Jesus’ handling of the temptations give us insight where real change must start.  Electing neither Democrats nor Republicans will change our world.  We cannot legislate or change congressional leaders to fix the real problems we face is one of the implications of John’s and Jesus’ teaching.  Real change must start where according to John? 

Sometime we need to wander around in the wilderness before God can put us on a new path.  The wilderness may look like a barren place and a difficult time, but important formation of the heart can be taking place that prepares us for the “new” God has planned for us. 

Share Your Life:  What does “New Life” meant to you?  Have you experienced some wilderness wanderings before God set you on a new path?  At what time(s) in your life have you felt God beginning something new in you?  What happened?

Week Three Summary of possible questions for discussion or reply:

1. What solutions does the teaching of John the Baptist offer to the mess the world is in?
2. If the devil had three shots at you, what three temptations would he use to try to trap you?
3. What is the kind of repentance is John calling for?  Even the Roman soldiers responded to John’s preaching and asked what they could do to show true repentance; what would John say that you, personally could do specifically based on your everyday work to show true repentance?
4. In each temptation, what was its appeal?  It’s Price?  Where they real temptations for Jesus?  What kind of rationalization may have happened before the wisdom of scripture came to Jesus to guide him?
5. Share Your Life:  What does “New Life” meant to you?  Have you experienced some wilderness wanderings before God set you on a new path?  At what time(s) in your life have you felt God beginning something new in you?  What happened?

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[i] R. Redfield, Peasant Society and Culture, (Chicago: Chicago Univ. Press, 1956); Peter Richardson, Herod: King of Jews and Friend of the Romans, (Columbia: USC Press, 1996) p. 178; M Rostovtzeff, Fraser, ed., The Social and Economic History of the Roman Empire, (Oxford:  Clarendon Press, 1957)

[ii] Irving Jenson, Luke, (Chicago:  Moody Press, 1970) Chart G.