December 18 - Fruits Worthy of Repentance
Contributed by Malcolm Sedaca, a senior psychology and Bible and religion double major from Buenos Aires, Argentina
on Thursday December 18
Scripture
Luke 3:7-18
John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."
"What should we do then?" the crowd asked. John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same."
Tax collectors also came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?"
"Don't collect any more than you are required to," he told them. Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?"
He replied, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely--be content with your pay."
The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their
hearts if John might possibly be the Christ. John answered them
all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will
come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will
baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork
is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat
into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached
the good news to them.
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Devotion
We are told in Luke 3:7:18 that a man called John preaches the good news to a crowd in Palestine. He calls people to bear fruits worthy of repentance. The good news is that people are being invited to turn from their evil ways and start living lives that honor the Creator. The Messiah is about to start his ministry. John the Baptist had the task of proclaiming his coming. Now people respond to that message through the rite of baptism. They are washing themselves from their sins so that they may be ready for the coming of the Messiah.
Are we getting the facts
right? We do not wait for the coming of the Christ so that he then straightens
up our lives. Rather, being aware of our need for God's salvation, we
prepare ourselves for God's redeeming work within us and around us. This
is what being in peace with God means. But there is more.
As John announces the imminent judgment, people think there might be something for them to do, in order to escape the fire that consumes. So John gives them some tips about ways in which they may show tangible changes of the heart -- share what you have with those who have not, be honest, do not abuse your power, do not lie -- very simple things. But these are the fruits that God praises and will allow us to walk in the path of salvation. That is our share in the story of redemption.
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