March 18
Luke 3:1-22
If you are driving on a family vacation to a major city, you are most likely watching the signs that tell you how many miles are left until your destination. John the Baptist’s role in salvation history is like the destination signs on the side of the road. He pointed beyond himself to the coming of Jesus. The way he did this was calling for repentance. To repent is to acknowledge the wrongness of one’s actions and commit to living in a different way. The crowds that came to John included tax collectors, soldiers, and many others, all of whom were called to a new way of life. The proof of their repentance was in radically new relationships. They were called to share clothing with those in need and to not take advantage of the less fortunate.
Faith in God would reveal itself in just, righteous, and earthly relationships. Sadly, many, like Herod, rejected the offer of repentance and reaped judgment. John described the response of Jesus to the unrepentant as, “His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear the threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” We can repent now and experience life, or we can reject Christ and receive judgment that will never end. Let us walk in repentance, and learn to be representatives of Christ here and now.
Father God, I acknowledge my sin and ask for your Spirit to empower me to live for you in every aspect of my life. Amen.
Are there areas in your life where you need a new commitment to repentance?
If you are driving on a family vacation to a major city, you are most likely watching the signs that tell you how many miles are left until your destination. John the Baptist’s role in salvation history is like the destination signs on the side of the road. He pointed beyond himself to the coming of Jesus. The way he did this was calling for repentance. To repent is to acknowledge the wrongness of one’s actions and commit to living in a different way. The crowds that came to John included tax collectors, soldiers, and many others, all of whom were called to a new way of life. The proof of their repentance was in radically new relationships. They were called to share clothing with those in need and to not take advantage of the less fortunate.
Faith in God would reveal itself in just, righteous, and earthly relationships. Sadly, many, like Herod, rejected the offer of repentance and reaped judgment. John described the response of Jesus to the unrepentant as, “His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear the threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” We can repent now and experience life, or we can reject Christ and receive judgment that will never end. Let us walk in repentance, and learn to be representatives of Christ here and now.
Father God, I acknowledge my sin and ask for your Spirit to empower me to live for you in every aspect of my life. Amen.
Are there areas in your life where you need a new commitment to repentance?
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