Luke 3

I've already done Luke 1 and 2 around last Christmas because they are the Christmas story. So we pick up with Chapter 3: http://www.esvbible.org/Luke+3/

God called John the Baptist to begin telling people the Messiah was coming and to teach about repentance. Repentance is simply the act of changing your actions or thoughts. God wanted wicked people to abandon their wicked ways and do what pleases God. John traveled the desert, and many people thought he was crazy. Others thought that he could be the Messiah, but he guaranteed them that the Messiah was far more powerful. John baptized with water as a symbol of cleansing the wicked ways away. Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit. He literally lays the Holy Spirit upon you. John says he is unfit to untie the Messiah's sandal. As we see later, we are all unworthy of what the Messiah does for us. While spreading the Good News of what would come to the people, John also warned that the Messiah was preparing for judgement. He would separate those who accepted salvation from those who didn't and keep those who did in His Kingdom while throwing those who didn't into the eternal fire. All sorts of people came to John. Tax collectors, who were considered the most sinful, came to John and asked him what they should do. He told them to only take the money they were required to take. Soldiers asked the same question to John the Baptist, and John answered that they should take their pay and not blackmail others for money. John begins preaching the message of love that Jesus will expand upon. John the Baptist criticized Herod, the ruler of the region because Herod married his own sister-in-law. Herod also did many other evil things, and according to Luke, added one more evil deed to his list when he locked John the Baptist in jail.

Jesus went to John the Baptist to be baptized just like the people. As He prayed, the Holy Spirit came down upon Him, and a voice said, "This is my Son. I am pleased with you." At this point, God openly calls Jesus His Son, and Jesus begins His ministry. He was thirty years old. If your opportunity to serve God in big ways hasn't come yet, do not be discouraged. We are missing almost all the information from Jesus' life from the time He was born until He's thirty, and He's the most important person ever to serve God.

Luke traces the lineage of Jesus back through David, back through Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham, all the way back to Adam. That's pretty cool!