The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (LUKE 3:7–20)
In this current era of rapidly declining church attendance, I cannot even comprehend John’s church growth strategy. I mean, his revival is working! All kinds of crowds are rushing toward him, including devout Jews and sketchy tax collectors and hardened soldiers. They have all left busy lives to travel long distances for the “John-the-Baptist experience,” taking notes on his sermons and submitting to his baptism.
And instead of handing these guests a cup of coffee and a new member packet, John appears furious that they came at all.
He not only preaches that the ax is at the root of spiritually fruitless trees (v. 9), he practically delights in swinging a rhetorical ax himself. He is completely unimpressed by what is typically impressive — specifically, that these sons and daughters of the revolution can trace their lineage back to Abraham.
Instead, he demands repentance, generosity, simplicity, and gentleness from the very constituencies that seek him out.
Sometimes, we can mistake the fire-breathers for the Fire, but John won’t let us. He lays down God’s uncompromising Law so that all who hear will cry out for the only One who can truly baptize us “with the Holy Spirit and fire” (v. 16).
Jesus, help us distinguish you from John, and purify us with your incendiary presence
This was excerpted from Mockingbird’s newest book, The Living Color of Luke’s Gospel: A Devotional by Larry Parsley. Now available in the Mockingbird store!
