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
John uses exhortations to proclaim good news. We may have a hard time equating the good news with exhortations, especially when they begin: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?” John probes the intent of the crowds coming to be baptized. Repentance is not on a to-do list of religious credentialing. And, claiming to be Abraham’s descendants or members of a grace-based church does not skirt the exhortation to repent. To repent is to bear good fruit; not to bear good fruit is to refuse to repent.
Christians have often attempted to exempt themselves from John’s blunt call by labeling him as the last of the Old Testament prophets who preach law in contrast to the gracious words of Jesus. Luke 3 does not permit that easy out. The one coming after him—Jesus—will bring a winnowing fork (17), matching the ax at the base of the unfruitful tree (9). Repentance occurs when Christ arrives.
Prayer
In mercy, gather us into your granary. Burn away our chaff. Lead us to repent and bear good fruit. Amen.
Interested in digging deeper into today’s text?
Read more here.