Matthew 3
John the Baptist
Prepares the Way
About thirty years have passed and we now meet a relative of Jesus,
John the Baptist, he's an interesting fellow.
You can imagine how awkward it was at first, say you're about to
retire for your evening meal one night in Jerusalem when you just
start hearing this noise, like a man screaming—the thing is it
keeps happening, day after day. You ask your neighbor if he hears
the same thing and he agrees—at least you aren't crazy. But why is
this guy yelling? Tired of the mystery, you and some of your friends
in town visit this raving preacher living in the desert.
He looks sorta like a caveman, but his ideas are cutting edge: your
vague associations with “God” won't cut it and you can't just
live off family faith, you need your own. All of your rituals, you
know, the annoying ones you thought would win God's approval, haven't
brought you closer to God, they've just irritated Him.
“Repent,
for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” 400 years of silence from
God was been broken by a man, who if it weren't for folks being drawn
by the Holy Spirit and his voice, would only have had rocks to
preach to. Now the word “repent” is not a popular one but it is
not a term to fear. In Greek it is metanoéō,
(from
metá,
"changed
after
being with"
and noiéō,
"think") (concordances.org). Its a change of direction.
Its like the picture of someone driving to an appointment they're
already late for, and they haven't seen anything close to
civilization for 30 minutes...its time to turn around before the gas
runs out. Repentance is how people come to faith in Jesus, they tire
of having the same dumb issues with the same dumb people, doing the
same dumb things and finally admit that they don't even know where
they're going.
“Bear fruit in keeping with repentance,” or “don't just talk
the talk,” the goal is not to look sorry but to actually be sorry
and repent. Aren't we aware of when people only apologize to be
polite? God sees the heart (true intentions) of all people. Why would
anyone try to fake out God?
Questions:
- How have you tried to fake out God?
- John the Baptist was willing to follow God even when it meant living like an outcast. Followers of Christ don't “belong” on earth. How can we live more like outcasts?
- Think of all the stuff in your life you've chased after for better or for worse. What is the difference between chasing after those things and chasing after God? Which honestly satisfies you, and how?
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