Wednesday, January 4
Not what you’d expect
Scripture: Matthew 3
Matthew 3:5–8 Then people from Jerusalem, as well as all Judea and all the region around the Jordan, were going out to him, 6 and he was baptizing them in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.
7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Therefore produce fruit that proves your repentance…
Observation
Who did John the Baptist call “offspring of vipers?” You snakes! It was the most religious, pious and observant Jews in the land: the Pharisees and Sadducees. The religious establishment.
Not what you’d expect. We expect “hellfire and brimstone” preachers to rail on the sinners, on those who were violating God’s laws, whether moral or civil or religious.
But John was calling on the religious to repent, and to produce fruit that proves your repentance—to really change. We know from Matthew 21:23-27 that the religious leaders did not believe John was from God—they rejected him and the spiritual renewal he led.
Application
If John showed up today and called for repentance and change, what would my response be? Would I resist? Or repent? The evidence shows that people like me are more prone to resist than repent. To believe we’re righteous and don’t need to change. To protect the status quo and reject change.
That makes me pause. Both John and Jesus clashed with the religious establishment. I am that now.
Where is Jesus calling me to repent? To turn, to change? I’m going to take some time to reflect on that, and make sure my heart is soft, not hard, that I have nothing to protect but my relationship with Him.
Prayer: Jesus, I love You. Save me from religion, self-righteousness, and being stiff-necked. Help me have a soft and pliable heart, responsive to Your call. Help me follow wherever You lead. Repent; yes. Resist; no.