S-Luke 3 NASB
7So he began saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8“Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. 9“Indeed the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; so every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
O -This passage from Luke is describing John the Baptist ministry, and which he was baptizing people in preparation for the coming of the Christ. As the crowds began coming to see John in the Jordan River John noticed some of them where Pharisees and tax collectors and teachers of the law, and his statement calling them these brood of vipers was likely led by the Holy Spirit in him. His question to them is who told them to come, because it was interesting since these are the leader in that have been leading the people astray from God, who is it now that has influence them to come and follow one of God’s prophets. I suggest John was assessing if it was God and brought them, great, however; real reason they came was possibly for self-preservation and not inspiration. You see the Pharisees and teachers of the day were engulfed in the culture of the day rather than the principles in Scripture. They were willing to follow the crowd to see for themselves, and while their faith may not have led them to repentance, they possibly saw the benefits of keeping all their bases covered. This is what John was really against, those outwardly appear righteous, yet inwardly we are corrupt and leading gods people away from God rather than towards him.
A - The application for me is to recognize the Pharisee in me. I am at times allowing myself to be led by my flesh, rather than by the Holy Spirit. Rather than do things for the right reason I do things for self preservation. Examples are when I do daily devotions so that I can earn God’s favor and trust rather than seeking a relationship with God through his word and be guided and prompted by the Holy Spirit on what my perspective needs to be. When it comes to leading people I might choose to lead and communicate with people in a manner that doesn’t honor God, but does make me feel better about myself. Examples include butting heads with key leaders who work for me, who work around me, or for whom I work. I believe God wants me to understand his principles of how much he loves everyone, to spend less time judging and or issue in my own form of justice, and wartime loving others like Christ loves them, and allowing God to be the judge.
P - Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for today’s lesson, may it be sealed to my heart. I pray Lord that you would be a part of my daily guide and tutoring me how much you love people, and how you want me to treat them. I confess I have fallen well short on many occasions on responding to people, and ask that you help me to be a better representative of Christ to all the people you are placing in and around my life.
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