Can They See the Change?

by Scott Vance on September 07, 2020

Luke 3:10–20 (ESV)
10 And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” 11 And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” 12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.” 15 As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, 16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” 18 So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. 19 But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.
 
In the early 2000’s there was quite the push to put calorie counts on food labels.  In November of 2014 the Food and Drug Administration released its final rule regarding calorie counts which was pretty strict.  The rule required all restaurants to include calorie counts on their menus, and the rule was expanded to include movie theaters, pizza chains, and grocery stores as well.

Most Americans liked the idea and were supportive of the rule which was designed with the intended outcome that once informed, people would choose meals with lower calorie counts. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case. Thirty-one studies over a seven year period concluded that calorie labels haven’t affected the desired change; people still choose the 800 calorie bacon burger over the chicken.
 
In our passage, people have been coming to John for baptism and they are now asking John what they must do in response. Back in verse eight, John said that they should bear fruit in keeping with repentance. In other words, their lives, their behaviors and attitudes, should reflect the change which has taken place in their hearts. And John keeps it simple and straight forward as he answers their questions regarding how they should live their lives. No diving into complicated debates regarding ethical choices, just the simple exhortation to act justly and care for others.
 
John also keeps it simple and straight forward when the people begin question if John might be the Messiah. John doesn’t hold back in his reply and points to Jesus directly.
 
But John’s description of the Messiah is a bit different than the image which we usually have in mind when we think about Jesus. We usually think of Jesus as loving and kind, generous and gracious, merciful and forgiving, which Jesus absolutely is.
But we shouldn’t miss or ignore the work of Jesus to bring justice to the world and judgement regarding wickedness and evil. That’s the point of John’s image when he speaks of a winnowing fork.
John speaks of him [the Messiah] in terms of the fork and the fire: the farmer’s fork, to separate the wheat from the chaff, and the fire that burns up the chaff once it’s been separated (N.T. Wright).

This picture of Jesus is one which is difficult for us to reconcile as we are uncomfortable with talk of judgement and the outcomes which follow.That is until we remember Jesus on the cross where God’s love and justice is displayed for all of us, as Jesus takes on the judgement which we all rightly should have received.
 
What change does that truth bring about in your heart?
 
God bless you and know that you are prayed for constantly!
Scott

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