When he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be
baptized, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee
from the wrath to come? Produce fruit worthy of repentance! Don’t think to
yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I tell you that God is able
to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Even now the ax lies at the
root of the trees. Therefore every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut
down, and cast into the fire.”
The multitudes asked him, “What then must we do?”
He answered them, “He who has two coats, let him give to him
who has none. He who has food, let him do likewise.”
Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to
him, “Teacher, what must we do?”
He said to them, “Collect no more than what is appointed to
you.”
Soldiers also asked him, saying, “What about us? What must
we do?”
He said to them, “Extort from no one by violence, neither
accuse anyone wrongfully. Be content with your wages.”
As everyone was excited, and wondered whether John was the
Messiah, he answered them, “I indeed baptize you with water, but one comes who
is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to loosen. He
will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire. His fan is in his hand, and he
will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into his
barn; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
Then with many other exhortations he preached good news to
the people,
Reflections
Repentance is not about feeling sorry,
but about changing direction. John didn’t tell people to get ready for what God
was about to do by becoming more religious; his message was extremely
practical: live with honor and integrity; act with compassion and generosity.
Many today think our country is headed in the wrong direction. Do you think a message like John's could get us back on track? Is your life on the right path?
Prayer:
Turn me around, Lord, when the direction I’m headed isn’t good for me or anyone
else.
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