And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?
Luke 3:10
Dear Church and Friends,
John the Baptist came preaching a message that was different. He was different. He was the forerunner for Christ. To make level the mountains and raise up the valleys the Holy Spirit empowered him. The people responded to his harsh message by turning from sin and back to God’s way.
The tenderizing effect of John’s work readied the people for the coming ministry of Jesus. John made it plain that no grey areas existed when it came to living according to the Lord’s way. He mentions the ax laid to the root of the trees. “And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire” Luke 3:9. Jeremiah mentions the same thing.
- Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms; Jeremiah 51:20.
The “Thou” of Jeremiah is none other than the coming messiah, “the portion of Jacob.” Not only is he the ax but he comes with his fan to separate the wheat from the chaff, just what Jeremiah said the battle ax would do. (Read Jeremiah 51:19-23.)
Did the fan stop separating wheat from chaff after Jesus was resurrected? Was the ax removed from the root of the trees? Did it stop its dividing work? Oh no. It still continues to this day and the divisions between believers and unbelievers grows even wider in our day.
What should we do then? We should examine ourselves just as the people during John’s revival did. Let us actively seek to bear good fruit and self-prune the dead wood. Oh Father, help us to see where we are. Thank you for giving us the remedy that can only be found in Jesus your Christ. Call us now to yourself.
Music: Get Up John by Marty Stuart.
Consider supporting Creek Road Baptist Church through the Amazon Smile program. Use this link to select Creek Road Baptist Church as your designated charity. Once you have made this selection simply begin using Smile.Amazon.com (instead of using Amazon.com). No credits are available using just Amazon.com. Please contact the church office or Pastor Dave if you need help or have any questions.
Prayer Request: Please pray for our NAMB Missionary, Jay Haynes in Maui, Hawaii.
- Jay Haynes planted Waiehu Community Church in Maui, Hawaii. “Please pray for our small church, Waiehu Community Church, during the coronavirus pandemic. The lock-down has made it very apparent how beneficial having our own property would be, as our meeting space was shut down by the department of education, leaving us with no place to meet or conduct church functions. We have saved very aggressively, but property is so expensive in Hawaii that we are still unable to invest in a property. Pray that the Lord would provide us a place to buy soon. Please pray for my co-pastor and me. We are both bivocational. I work full time as an operations manager, and my co-pastor works part time in sales. Pray that the Lord would sustain us and give us perseverance in ministry. Pray that our church would be able to fully support my co-pastor soon and that within a few years I would even be able to come onto payroll with the church. Thank you for your prayers!”
Question 118: What power do we mean here?
Answer: The power which disposes all things.
Question 119: What should the knowledge of this work in us?
Answer: Humility, confidence, and boldness.
Question 120: Why do we begin with His fatherly love and power?
Answer: Because they are the chief grounds of our faith.
All my best.
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.
Luke 3:17
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