The Voice

Lk. 3:4

The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.

 

 

While John was in the wilderness, the Word of God came to him. His response was immediate! Around the region of the Jordan, he began preaching a baptism of repentance and forgiveness of sins. He was the voice! Fully aware that he was prepare the way for Christ, he as well as the people who listened to him, were waiting to see the salvation of the Lord.

 

He was bold beyond belief as he spoke, You brood of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Instead, bear fruits in keeping with repentance. He urged them to forget their heritage of Abraham and consider the here and now. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown in the fire. So powerful and to the point!

 

The crowds did not throw rocks or even tomatoes, but instead responded with, What then shall we do? How should we live? As the people waited in expectation, they were trying to figure out who John was. Some thought he was the Christ, the coming Messiah. But John put that idea straight when he said, I baptize you with water, but He who is mightier than I is coming, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand, to clear His threshing floor and to gather the wheat into His barn, but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire. John totally understood his relationship to Christ. Never did he let his preaching and the crowds deter him from what he was to do. He was a humble proclaimer of the good news. The Christ was coming even as he was speaking!

 

What was the result of these harsh words and strong preaching? As might be expected he was put in prison by Herod who had been personally reproved by John. John was not concerned with tact or watering down the message. He was not even concerned with baby steps. When he was preaching, he went for the heavy message. Such boldness! I wish I had even a tiny bit of his boldness. Perhaps I have been deterred in my proclaiming because I am too entrenched in the world. John had nothing and lived only to tell the message.

 

Father,

Through Your Spirit, give me the boldness to be a proclaimer of the gospel, I know you have not given me a spirit of fear. Teach me how to make this a reality.

In Jesus name,

Amen