I found a story in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 3, that I think we all can relate to on some level. Check this out.
This story is about Jewish people who at that time had their temples for worship and rules to obey to be okay with God. Apparently, they were still feeling guilty and empty, because they came to see a new evangelist. He was different! At least in appearance. He was dressed rather shabbily, not in the fancy priestly garments of the Pharisees (the religious leaders of the time). He spoke differently, too! Plain speech, not the eloquent, confusing words of the other religious leaders.
Maybe he could offer them some bit of wisdom that they could grab ahold of. Maybe he relate to them on their level so they could understand the things of God. Surely, this man who was more like them could understand their afflictions and bring words that would ease their conscious.
So they head down to the Jordan River and line up to get baptized. Is this the the key to feeling clean? Bathing? Seems logical. Well, at least it was worth a try. After all, a little water wouldn’t hurt.
Luke 3: 7-9 MSG When crowds of people came out for baptism because it was the popular thing to do, John exploded: "Brood of snakes! What do you think you're doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to deflect God's judgment? It's your life that must change, not your skin. And don't think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as 'father.' Being a child of Abraham is neither here nor there—children of Abraham are a dime a dozen. God can make children from stones if he wants. What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it's deadwood, it goes on the fire."
“Wait! What is he saying? Getting wet won’t deflect God’s judgement? Why is he doing this then?”
“A life change? What is he talking about?”
“It’s not about Abraham being our father? I sure hope he explains this?”
The question of their desperate hearts was: “What must we do to feel clean and pleasing to God?”
10The crowd asked him, "Then what are we supposed to do?"
11"If you have two coats, give one away," he said. "Do the same with your food."
12Tax men also came to be baptized and said, "Teacher, what should we do?"
13He told them, "No more extortion—collect only what is required by law."
14Soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?"
He told them, "No shakedowns, no blackmail—and be content with your rations."
So this unusual looking preacher at the river tells them to share, be fair, be nice and be content with what you have.....
....from the time the law was given to Moses and the Levitical Priesthood established, the Jews always had a “to do” list. The items on that list must be upheld perfectly and sacrifices given to cover mans mistakes. This job fell on the High Priest to know and uphold the law and to offer the sacrifices. God actually judged the nation of Israel on the performance of the High Priest. A good High Priest meant blessings. A bad High Priest meant famine, slavery or other curses on the nation.
By the time John comes along, the nation of Israel is so messed up that there are two High Priests. The religious leaders are prideful and unapproachable by the people they represent. No wonder the people are looking elsewhere to find a sense of righteousness. So John tells them to share and be nice????
John’s reply would logically invoke two responses:
1- “More rules. Nothing new here.”
or
2- “Wow! A preacher who I can relate to. Finally, someone is presenting the rules of God in a way I can understand!”
I imagine the first group walked away defeated or sat watching the second group get a bit carried away and start declaring John as the Messiah.
John, hearing this commotion speaks up and shows them that he really is no ordinary preacher. He tells the crowd that he has just come to prepare their hearts for the real Messiah. All John can offer them is the law, although packaged in a relatable way for the “common” man...still, just more behavior modification.
Then, John drops the bomb! Shines hope on their lives as he announces that help is on the way.
15The interest of the people by now was building. They were all beginning to wonder, "Could this John be the Messiah?"
16-17But John intervened: "I'm baptizing you here in the river. The main character in this drama, to whom I'm a mere stagehand, will ignite the kingdom life, a fire, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He's going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He'll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he'll put out with the trash to be burned."
Wow! Not sure what kingdom life is, but knowing they need a change on the inside, the crowd is intrigued and returns day after day to hear more of what John has to say. No ordinary preacher, indeed.
What happens next is unexpected. Lucky are those that witnessed it. Jesus enters the crowd! He stands in line to be baptized by John. John immediately recognizes Jesus as the “main character” and recoils a bit.
“Me, baptize you? You should be baptizing me! You are holy. I am not even righteous enough to tie your shoe.”
I can see Jesus smile at John and say, “It is the right thing to do.” John looks at Jesus and understands that Jesus, a Jew, is still under the law. He must do what is right perfectly to fulfill the law.
As Jesus rises from the water, the crowd gasps as a dove descends and the voice of God declares, “This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.”
21-22After all the people were baptized, Jesus was baptized. As he was praying, the sky opened up and the Holy Spirit, like a dove descending, came down on him. And along with the Spirit, a voice: "You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life." * some versions say “This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.”
Why is this passage of scripture important to us? Does John's ministry at the Jordan impact us today? Can we really relate to the people in this story that took place over 2000 years ago? Yes! I think we can.
Like the crowd who came to hear John preach, we are looking to feel clean and close to God. * Credit the phrase “clean and close” to Andrew Farley. I could not explain it any clearer.
Like the people in this story, we have done our “to do” list with sincere hearts. Obeying scripture to the best of our ability, listening to our religious leaders, serving in church, helping the needy and so on. Still, we feel guilty and empty.
Like the seekers who came to check out the new guy, we, too, strive to find a preacher we can related to.
So, we wander down to the newest “Jordan River” in search of an answer to our question: “What must we do to please God?” And, what is being preached? More religion that bases God’s blessing and acceptance on our performance?
John knew this was the wrong question. It is still the wrong question today. The question we must ask is the same one the perplexed crowd was forced to ask John: “How do I get this life changing transformation?”
John unveils the mystery. His name is Jesus.
When Jesus was on earth as God, He was born with out sin. (Sin here is a noun, not an action. A place in this case. We were in a prison of sin. Nothing we could do, no matter how righteous the act, could get us out. Jesus was not in this prison.)
Jesus, as man, fulfilled the righteous requirements of God’s holy Law ( His behavior was perfect. He did not commit sinful acts (sin being a verb here).
On the cross, God, the judge, exhausted all his wrath against sin on the body of Jesus. God’s justice was met and we, by divine exchange, have been declared innocent of our sinful acts (all of them for eternity) and were transformed from darkness to light. We have been released from the prison of sin and imprisoned in righteousness. (Just as no righteous act could free us from the prison of sin, no sinful act can free us from the prison of righteousness. Jesus dealt with sin once and for all).
Hebrews 10:12 (ASV)
12 but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
When Jesus rose again, He sat at the right hand of the Father as our High Priest forever. Remember how Israel was judged by how good their High Priest was? God did not change and we are now judged by Jesus perfect performance. Our High Priest is perfectly acceptable to God, so blessings will always be over our lives. Furthermore, we have a High Priest that we can relate to. Jesus came to the earth and lived and was tempted like all of us, so He could be our spotless representative in Heaven.
Hebrews 4: 14- 16 14-16Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let's not let it slip through our fingers. We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He's been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let's walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.
When we accept Jesus Christ as our Saviour (saving us from sin and judgement, being the perfect sacrifice), the Holy Spirit lives in us. He relates to us personally! As we behold Jesus and His loveliness, this same Spirit transforms us into the image of Christ. This is how we are changed from the inside out.
2 Corinthians 3:18 (NLT)
18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.
No longer worried about what we must do to please God, we are free to be who we are: God’s children in “whom He is well pleased”.
Living free and guilt free is a truly fulfilling life!
