Abraham, Our Ancestor

FAITH IN ACTION:
LIVING AS FAITHFUL PEOPLE
God's Covenant
A Blessing for All Nations

Matthew 3:1-10

The Message

Thunder in the Desert!

 ^1-2 While Jesus was living in the Galilean hills, John, called "the Baptizer," was preaching in the desert country of Judea. His message was simple and austere, like his desert surroundings: "Change your life. God's kingdom is here."  ³John and his message were authorized by Isaiah's prophecy:

   Thunder in the desert!
   Prepare for God's arrival!
   Make the road smooth and straight!
 ^4-6John dressed in a camel-hair habit tied at the waist by a leather strap. He lived on a diet of locusts and wild field honey. People poured out of Jerusalem, Judea, and the Jordanian countryside to hear and see him in action. There at the Jordan River those who came to confess their sins were baptized into a changed life.
 ^7-10When John realized that a lot of Pharisees and Sadducees were showing up for a baptismal experience because it was becoming the popular thing to do, he 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 make any difference? 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 descendant of Abraham is neither here nor there. Descendants of Abraham are a dime a dozen. What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it's deadwood, it goes on the fire.

For Reflection
How well do you follow the rules?  Do you have rules that you have made that you follow without variation? How often do you bend the rule to follow its intent?  That is the point John was making.  Pharisees and  Sadducees followed the rules but ignored the intent.  They adorned them selves in the robes of God but did not allow Him to guide their lives.  Following the rules can be important, but being obedient to God's will is not rule bound.  Faith gives you the confidence to step into righeousness.

Pray
for the wisdom to follow the intent that is God's will.  Pray that you act in love.  Pray that others will recognize God in you by observing your faith in action.