Scripture
Then John went from place to place on both sides of the Jordan River preaching that people should be baptised to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven,

Observation
During the reign of Tiberius, John the Baptist started preaching from place to place. His message was simple- people needed to turn away from their sins and follow God's way. He baptised them as a sign of this repentance.

Luke points to Isaiah's prophecy of a voice shouting in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord. According to this prophecy, all people will see the salvation sent from God.

Application
Luke lists the powerful rulers at the beginning of the passage to make the point that this really happened in a particular place in time and in a specific location. This is not a “Once upon a time” but a real event.

There really was a man named John who called people to repent. There really was a man called Jesus, who was also the Son of God, who brought salvation into the world.

If you have never seen this in the past, now is the time to do what John exhorted his hearers. Turn away from your sin and follow God's way. Ask Jesus to give you His salvation and make you a part of His kingdom.

Prayer
Thank you Lord for this wonderful message of salvation and repentance. I turn away from my own selfish life to follow you today. Amen.