Luke 3:1-20 discussion questions

Opener: what was your take-away from Sunday’s sermon?
1. How does the passage help us be ready for Jesus’ return? Why is this an urgent matter?
2. As you look more closely at the first two verses, what do they contribute to the passage? Why do you think Luke includes this kind of information?
3. John the Baptist preached ‘a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins’ (v.3) and this was ‘good news’ (v.18). He emphasised repentance and bearing the fruits of repentance. As you read through Luke 3:1-20, what actions did John identify as fruits of repentance? How do these actions evidence a repentant heart?
4. If you had been in the crowd that day, what might your reaction be to verses 7-9?  What does John say to those who don’t bear fruits of repentance? Does this raise tensions for you?
5. As you look at the dialogue in verses 10-14, what do you find out about these people? What are they like in everyday life? What is John emphasising about genuine repentance? What would practical repentance look like for us today?
6. According to verse 15, what is the atmosphere of the crowd and the situation? From verses 15-17, what do you learn about John?
7. What does John make clear about Christ in verses 15-17? What is surprising about this picture of the Messiah? How do you respond to this? How would the baptism by Jesus be different from the baptism by John?
In Closing:
John the Baptist talked about making the crooked straight and rough places smooth. What might be some “crooked” or “rough” places in your life? What would repentance mean to you in light of this study? What would it mean for you to repent in this way?