"What Should We Do Then?"

This morning, I am reading from Luke's Gospel, but rather than focusing on Jesus birth, which we celebrate tomorrow, I am reading about the preparative ministry of John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Jesus.  I find it very interesting and that the time between Jesus' birth and the beginning of His ministry is about 30 years.  I have spent much time thinking about the quiet years of Jesus' life, when He lived in Nazareth, but those are not my focus today either, instead I want to look at John's basic message.  Here are the verses that I am reflecting upon today - Luke 3:1-8 NIV:

[1] "In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar---when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene--- [2] during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. [3] He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 

[4] As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. [5] Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. [6] And all people will see God's salvation.' ” 

[7] John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? [8] Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham."

One of the reasons we know that Jesus started His ministry in about the 30th year of his life, is this passage from Luke that sets John's ministry beginning in the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar.  His rule as emperor began in 14CE, following the death of Augustus, and if we believe Jesus' birth was in 0CE, then we have John starting to preach in the 29th year of Jesus life.  We could spend quite  bit of time looking at the situation in the greater world, within the Roman Empire during these times, but God's plan first and foremost was to interact with the Jews, and to step into their world, literally.

While Jesus' birth is absolutely critical to our salvation, it is His ministry that provides us a true understanding of the Gospel, and His Gospel was preceded by John's preaching in the wilderness. John was clearly a prophet fulfilling the verses from Isaiah, as one crying in the wilderness, "prepare the way for the Lord!"  He was to prepare the hearts of the people, and his message was repentance, turning away from sin.  Specifically, he said, "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance."   In other words, actually repent, and let your lives show this repentance, for repentance is much more than feeling sorry for one's sins, but instead it means to think in a new way, and to act in accordance with that new way of thinking.  

The Greek word that we translate repentance is metanoia, which is the conjunction of two Greek words 'meta' and 'noeo',  and they would be translated "after" and "reflection or thinking about something".  This really has very little to do with our feeling guilty,  but is rather a message that is supposed to inspire change in one's behavior, after reflection.  We actually see this played out in the verses that follow this short account of John's initial message - as follows in Luke 3:10-14 NIV:

[10] “What should we do then?” the crowd asked. 

[11] John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.” 

[12] Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?” 

[13] “Don't collect any more than you are required to,” he told them. 

[14] Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” He replied, “Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely---be content with your pay.”

The Jews responded as they should, or at least asked the right question, "what should we do then?"   This really should be the primary question we ask ourselves daily, in our relationship with the Lord!  Our relationship with Him should inspire us to repentance, changing the way we live after thinking about what we have heard and learned.   The Lord is about change, in the best way possible, for each of us!  His desire is that we learnt to live as His sons and daughters, and learning or education is effectively about transforming our lives by learning to think differently and then acting differently.  

I love how many of the main-line denominations prepare for the major church holidays of Christmas and Easter with a season of reflection and preparation, and what should be a season of repentance, changing the way we behave after thinking and reflection.  We are celebrating Christ's birth tomorrow, and as such, our lives and whole world WAS changed!  His coming to earth, becoming like us in all ways (see Phil 2:6-8), was to make a way for us to be in relationship with Him.  We have the opportunity to reflect on His words, and on His actions, and ask ourselves, "What should we do then?"

This morning I am encouraged to ask myself this same question, "What should I do, in light of Jesus coming to earth, in light of my relationship to Him, in light of His words to me and actions towards me?"  What needs to change in the way I think, and in the way I act?   This Christmas, as we celebrate the Light of Christ coming to the world, let us allow His light and truth to shine into our lives and cause us to think and act accordingly!

Amen!