John's Sobering Confrontation with Pretenders
October 3, 2012

“When crowds of people came out for baptism because it was the popular thing to do, John
exploded:

"Brood of snakes! What do you think you're doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a  little water on your snakeskins is going to deflect God's judgment? ⁸ It's your life that must change, not your skin. And don't think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as 'father.' Being a child of Abraham is neither here nor there—children of Abraham are a dime a dozen. God can make children from stones if he wants. ⁹ What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it's deadwood, it goes on the fire."

The crowd asked him, "Then what are we supposed to do?" ¹¹ "If you have two coats, give one away," he said. "Do the same with your food." ¹² Tax men also came to be baptized and said, "Teacher, what should we do?" ¹³ He told them, "No more extortion—collect only what is required by law." ¹⁴ Soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?" He told them, "No shakedowns, no blackmail—and be content with your rations." Luke 3:7-14 (MSG)

Unfortunately it is possible to make yourself look better than you really are. It’s especially possible to look and act religious, even spiritual while at the same to just go through the motions.

This Sunday Communion will be served. In Chapter 11 of 1 Corinthians Paul pulls a “John the Baptist” and tells the Corinthians that if they are taking the things of God lightly, that they are taking God for granted and simply ignoring the holy life for which Christ died and to which they are called. Paul “calls them out”, implies they are pretenders and tells them if they don’t change that taking communion with that kind of dismissive attitude toward God can even kill them.

Before John baptizes Jesus he gives some examples of what repentance looks like. . . take what you don’t need and give it someone who does. Don’t cheat or manipulate your world to get what you want. Stop living for yourself.

It strikes me that these words apply to every single one of us. We are the richest of the rich in the world. It’s not my religious ritual the counts, rather it is the life of the Spirit within me that motivates my faith practices out of which a life that honors God emerges.

“Lord, It’s awful and sickening feeling to wonder if I could be counted among Johns “brood of  snakes”. Yet, at least I am aware enough of You and your word that I’m wondering. Thank you for John’s wake up call. Thank you for your generous and extravagant love. I ask you to give me the  same heart for others that you have for me. Amen”