The Good News and the Bad News - Luke 3:15-20

The good news preached by John the Baptist was always tempered with what some might consider "bad news." While John preached the good news that God was sending a Savior, the Messiah, to redeem His people, he also told people to stop their bad behavior (Luke 3:7-14) and he reproved Herod, the ruler over Galilee, for all the evil things he had done (vs. 19). Basically, to receive the good news and be baptized by John required a change in behavior. To those reluctant to change their ways or who liked their evil lifestyle, as did Herod, John's message was a good news/bad news scenario. The "good news" was that you have a Savior, Jesus Christ, who can redeem you from sin and for eternal life, but the "bad news" was that when He does it will change your behavior because "He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire" (Luke 3:16).