Love in Action
Bob Wickizer
Zephaniah 3:14-20
Imagine that you have a baptism with several members of large, wealthy, politically connected families. The church is packed. Instead of the regular preacher vested in a white alb, John the Baptist shows up dressed in camel skin with the fur turned against his skin. He has a bag full of locusts that he takes out and eats every now and then. We don't know if that is for the intimidating effect it has or whether John is really hungry.
At the point where the usually polite phrase about ''The candidates for Holy Baptism will now be presented,'' John steps forward and there is electricity in the air. The front rows are filled with families wearing $1,000 outfits. John stands at the chancel steps pointing at them with an angry face, ''You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, 'The archbishop is our uncle and the governor is our cousin'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up followers of the one who is to come after me. Even 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.''
John is rude, impetuous and speaks in coarse terms. He has just called the archbishop's and the governor's families a bunch of poisonous snakes. Imagine putting John at the door as a greeter. On top of that, John could care less whether you have important religious figures, politicians or business leaders in your family.
Of course this is the prelude to John's announcement of the in-breaking Kingdom of God. John tells them to bear good fruit but the baptismal families are shocked and can only ask for specifics. ''What shall we do? How are you suggesting we live?''
And John answers them with very specific, down to earth, directions - be honest, be kind and work hard. With the dramatic, hard-driving condemnation at first, the specifics on ho ...
Bob Wickizer
Zephaniah 3:14-20
Imagine that you have a baptism with several members of large, wealthy, politically connected families. The church is packed. Instead of the regular preacher vested in a white alb, John the Baptist shows up dressed in camel skin with the fur turned against his skin. He has a bag full of locusts that he takes out and eats every now and then. We don't know if that is for the intimidating effect it has or whether John is really hungry.
At the point where the usually polite phrase about ''The candidates for Holy Baptism will now be presented,'' John steps forward and there is electricity in the air. The front rows are filled with families wearing $1,000 outfits. John stands at the chancel steps pointing at them with an angry face, ''You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, 'The archbishop is our uncle and the governor is our cousin'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up followers of the one who is to come after me. Even 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.''
John is rude, impetuous and speaks in coarse terms. He has just called the archbishop's and the governor's families a bunch of poisonous snakes. Imagine putting John at the door as a greeter. On top of that, John could care less whether you have important religious figures, politicians or business leaders in your family.
Of course this is the prelude to John's announcement of the in-breaking Kingdom of God. John tells them to bear good fruit but the baptismal families are shocked and can only ask for specifics. ''What shall we do? How are you suggesting we live?''
And John answers them with very specific, down to earth, directions - be honest, be kind and work hard. With the dramatic, hard-driving condemnation at first, the specifics on ho ...
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