Luke 3:7-18
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 ax 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.
John the Baptist is perhaps not a figure one would associate right away with "good news". He is a rather interesting figure in the Biblical story; last of the old prophets, and ushering in the new; often seen as a serious and harsh character, but was the first to "leap for joy" in his mother's womb upon hearing the greeting of Mary; begins by calling people a "brood of vipers", and yet what he has to say is called "good news to the people."
John the Baptist begins with warnings and rebukes: brood of vipers! The coming of the Kingdom is a day of wrath. Here is much in spirit with the last of the minor prophets. Sometimes we forget that encountering God can be, err, uncomfortable. God's holiness is like light that hurts our darkened eyes. So how shall we prepare to meet the "wrath to come"? By turning our hearts and our actions to God-ward. That is what John the Baptist tells us repentance is all about. It is not about "feeling badly" that we have done something wrong. Nor is it merely believing something about God; it is about bearing fruit - it is about turning our whole selves in the direction of God.
John shatters one of most dearly held religious convictions: that our religious heritage is "good enough". Don't begin to say to yourselves "We have Abraham as our ancestor". While others can do many things for us in the communal life of faith, there are a few things that even Abraham cannot do for us. Others may implore mercy on our behalf, but no one can love God for us.
The list of people coming to John the Baptist is significant, for it is really here that we can begin to see for ourselves the good news. There is no one beyond the scope of God's mercy and forgiveness. Even for those whom we might not forgive, there can still be forgiveness from God. John speaks to the tax collectors and the soldiers - two of the most hated groups at the time. This is itself is a sign that the Kingdom is coming. Those whom the rest of us might have "written off" as un-redeemable, are coming to God, seeking forgiveness, and beginning to turn their lives in a new direction. This is the "beginning of the beginning" of the good news to which John points. It's fulfillment will come when the one who baptizes inwardly, withe fire and the Spirit, arrives on the scene.
Lunch time...later
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