Christmas devotions: Jan.3, 2018

Wednesday January 3

Luke 3:1-18 John the Baptist Preaches

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,
‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
   make his paths straight.
Every valley shall be filled,
   and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
   and the rough ways made smooth;
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” ’

 John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.’

 And the crowds asked him, ‘What then should we do?’ In reply he said to them, ‘Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.’ Even tax-collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, ‘Teacher, what should we do?’ He said to them, ‘Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.’ Soldiers also asked him, ‘And we, what should we do?’ He said to them, ‘Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.’

 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’

 So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

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Brood of vipers?  Wrath to come?  Unquenchable fire? This is how John the Baptist proclaims “good news”? Sometimes we want our life as a follower of Christ to be all fluffy clouds and heavenly choirs. But this world is a tough place. We need to be strong. We need the power of the Holy Spirit and the fervent fire of our love of God to hold our own against the threats that the world presents. But John the Baptist also reminds us that some of the things we need to do to lead good lives seem very straightforward and simple – share what we have with those who do not have, don’t cheat others.

The people who gathered to hear John question him as to whether he is the Messiah but John makes it clear that he know that his role is to point us to Jesus as the path to salvation. His words and his actions are all designed, not to promote himself, but to bring awareness to Jesus.

How do our lives reveal God to others? Do we know our strengths (and weaknesses) in how to carry out God’s mission in our own part of the world? Are our words and actions in how we treat others consistent with the message of God’s love that we are called on to share?

Prayer: Father in heaven, help us be good witnesses to your grace and love so that others see our actions as reflections of those gifts. Help us always to lead lives that are not turned inward on ourselves but that reach out and point to you as the one who can fill all needs. Amen

Mary Beth Commisso