Luke 3:7-18 (NRSV)
Read Luke 3:7-18 on biblegateway.com
Verse 7John 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? Verse 8Bear 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. Verse 9Even 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." Verse 10And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?" Verse 11In reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise." Verse 12Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?" Verse 13He said to them, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you." Verse 14Soldiers 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."
Verse 15As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, Verse 16John 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. Verse 17His 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." Verse 18So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.
Devotion
We usually associate grace with feeling good. Nevertheless, grace is actually the presence of the Holy Spirit. Moreover, the Spirit is like fire, which gives off heat, but also burns up anything that cannot withstand it.
If water symbolizes God's presence in creation, then fire symbolizes God's presence as Spirit. Thus, John's baptism is associated with water and Jesus' baptism is associated with the "Holy Spirit and fire." As the Messiah, Jesus ushers in the anticipated age of the Spirit — an age when "all flesh" will see and experience God's presence without being destroyed.
Baptized into Jesus' death and life, we have received the Holy Spirit. Like the fire in Moses' burning bush, the Spirit now burns within us without consuming us. Yet this Spirit also burns with unquenchable fire everything in our lives that cannot withstand God's presence. Can we receive this as "good news"?
Prayer
Dear Jesus, we thank you for giving us the same Holy Spirit who empowered your life. Help us to receive as "good news" the ways the Spirit burns up everything in our lives that cannot withstand God's reign of justice and mercy. Amen.