Friday
Read Luke 3:7-18
7 Crowds of people came out to John
to be baptized by him. “You snakes!” he said to them. “Who told you that you
could escape from the punishment God is about to send? 8Do those
things that will show that you have turned from your sins. And don’t start
saying among yourselves that Abraham is your ancestor. I tell you that God can
take these stones and make descendants for Abraham! 9The axe is
ready to cut down the trees at the roots; every tree that does not bear good
fruit will be cut down and thrown in the fire.”
10 The people asked him, “What are
we to do, then?”
11 He answered, “Whoever has two
shirts must give one to the man who has none, and whoever has food must share
it.”
12 Some tax collectors came to be
baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what are we to do?”
13 “Don’t collect more than is
legal,” he told them.
14 Some soldiers also asked him,
“What about us? What are we to do?”
He said to them, “Don’t take money from
anyone by force or accuse anyone falsely. Be content with your pay.”
15 People’s hopes began to rise, and
they began to wonder whether John perhaps might be the Messiah. 16So
John said to all of them, “I baptize you with water, but someone is coming who
is much greater than I am. I am not good enough even to untie his sandals. He
will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17He has his
winnowing shovel with him, to thresh out all the grain and gather the wheat
into his barn; but he will burn the chaff in a fire that never goes out.”
18 In many different ways John
preached the Good News to the people and urged them to change their ways.
Think
John listed practical things for people to do in response to his message -
but he said Jesus would come - and change hearts - they wouldn't need practical
advice anymore; they would know just what to do.
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