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When John the Baptist, or 'John the plunger' walked onto the scene his preaching was not only challenging but radical. There had never been anything approaching this for many years.

This passage may shock and may cause questions to arise. Good questions can be good and healthy and for most good questions there are sound solid answers, so never be afraid to ask. In Luke Chapter 3 and at verse 7, John addresses repenting needy sinners as a generation of vipers. Have you just come to escape the horrors of judgment? Have you just come to escape the coming judgment of God? What a way for a man to treat a congregation of people who had made all that effort and had travelled from all over Israel! We would almost want to pray, "Lord God, why did You not edit this out of the written word?" This is how God's Word was burning in his bones. He was more concerned about delivering the message, than keeping the crowds. John is a man of God with a work of God to do and fulfill. Verse 8. We have the reaction of some. We are Jews. We belong to Abraham. We are members of the synagogue. We regularly worship in the Temple, John. And the word that comes through this mighty servant of God is this - that is irrelevant. That does not matter. Do not rest on your religious pedigree. God is able to raise up new children from nowhere. God has no grandsons! When I heard David DuPlessis preach and teach that away back in the 1970's it helped me greatly. Race does not matter. Ritual does not matter. Righteousness does! Fearlessly John preaches and teaches and says, "It is axing time!" Every fruitless tree will be cut down. That makes me want to produce fruit. A tree is judged by its fruit, and not by its roots. Is there fruit? I am not interested if you are linked to Abraham! What matters in the sight of Almighty God is righteousness, and not race, or ritual. And, it is not just a lopping off of a few branches. It is much more serious and radical. This is not an easy message. This is a searing word, but it brought people under conviction. Verse 10. What should we do then? People always want to do something. People react and they respond. They either repent or explode! We have things to do. We have to act and produce fruit. It is more than just believe. We believe and act and go on believing! On the day of Pentecost, when Peter explained what had happened, when the risen and ascended Lord Jesus Christ poured out the Holy Spirit, those who truly heard wanted to do something. Peter told the people to repent and be baptised so that your sins may be forgiven, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. John told those people around him what to do, and not just what to believe. John speaks about being responsible in society, and sharing with those in need. Is there such a thing as an easy message? I do not think so. The Word of God goes forth to do that work which only the Word of God can do, and over these many years it has been 'comforting' to know that I am only the message boy.

"'Winging It" from Stan Smith

Moralism

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