God’s Day, God’s Summons Q&A/Discussion

When prophesying about John the Baptizer, Zechariah, John’s father, declared that John in preparing the way for the Lord, John would “give His [the Lord’s] people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins” (Lk. 1:77, HCSB). What was the message that John proclaimed, and how did he and his audience understand that message? How did John understand “salvation,” and what was it that informed his understanding? Of what sins did the people of Israel need forgiveness, and how did baptism and repentance relate to this? How does “giving the knowledge of salvation” relate to “preparing the way” for “the Most High” (Lk. 1:76-77, NIV)? How does it relate to the kinds of things that John preaches—such as “You brood of vipers!” or “Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?” (Lk. 3:7, NIV)—when he actually makes his public appearance? In this session, we will outline the core tenants of John the Baptist’s message, thereby setting the stage for an in-depth exploration of the gospel in coming ERGs.