Thursday, December 26th | Luke 3:7-20

About this Episode

Passage:
7 He then said to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance. And don’t start saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones. 9 The ax is already at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

10 “What then should we do? ” the crowds were asking him.

11 He replied to them, “The one who has two shirts must share with someone who has none, and the one who has food must do the same.”

12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do? ”

13 He told them, “Don’t collect any more than what you have been authorized.”

14 Some soldiers also questioned him, “What should we do? ”

He said to them, “Don’t take money from anyone by force or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”

15 Now the people were waiting expectantly, and all of them were questioning in their hearts whether John might be the Messiah. 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water, but one who is more powerful than I am is coming. I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing shovel is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with fire that never goes out.” 18 Then, along with many other exhortations, he proclaimed good news to the people. 19 But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the evil things he had done, 20 Herod added this to everything else ​— ​he locked up John in prison.

-- Luke 3:7-20 (CSB)

Song:
The First Noel by traditional, sung by Lauren Daigle

Lyrics:
The first Noel the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep
On a cold winter's night that was so deep

Noel Noel Noel Noel
Born is the King of Israel

They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the east beyond them far
And to the earth it gave great light
And so it continued both day and night

And by the light of that same star
Three wise men came from country far
To seek for a king was their intent
And to follow the star wherever it went

This star drew nigh to the northwest
O'er Bethlehem it took its rest
And there it did both stop and stay
Right over the place where Jesus lay

Then entered in those wise men three
Full rev'rently upon the knee
And offered there in His presence
Their gold and myrrh and frankincense

Prayer:
You, Lord, have become my hope, my comfort, my strength, my all! In you does my soul rejoice. The darkness vanished from before my eyes, and I beheld you, the sun of righteousness. When I loved darkness, I knew you not, but wandered on from night to night. But you led me out of that blindness; you took me by the hand and called me to yourself, and now I can thank you, and your mighty voice which has penetrated to my inmost heart. Amen.
-Augustine