It's Your Life That Counts

Scripture: Luke 3:7-9

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."

Observation:

The people in this scripture were doing what everyone else was doing...getting baptized. Not because of a change in their heart or because the Holy Spirit touched them, but because it was the "in" thing to do. John blasted them by saying do you think a little water is going to help you? It's you life that must change, not you skin.

Application:

The comes a time in our lives that we realize that something is missing...that something is just not quite right. We realize that we are sinners, a broken people who live in a broken world and we can't change it. We don't have what it takes to be whole on our own. When we realize this and ask for the forgiveness of Christ, we receieve a grace that is justifing. We're not worthy on our own but through the death and resurrection of Jesus, we are made worthy. At this time, our goal becomes to strive for Christian perfection. To be more like Jesus. To live a life like Jesus. To love others as we love ourselves and to love God with all our heart, mind and soul. That takes life change. It doesn't come over night and each day we work toward that goal. Often times changing ever so slightly but yet still changing

While the grace of Christ is free, unmerieted and undeserved...the grace flowing upon us changes us and allows us to be more like Christ. It does not allow us to sit back and watch tv. This grace allows us to be disciples and to love others in the ways that Christ loved them. It causes us to get out of our comfort zones and do things that we would not have normally done and go places we would not have normally gone. Christianity is not a spectator sport where we watch the game on the field in the comfort of the stands, but where we get into the mud and muck of peoples lives to share with them our story of how God has changed our life.

Prayer:

Most precious God, you have loved me in such grand style. Even before I knew of your love for me, it was poured out abundently upon my head. As I grew and became away of your Son Jesus and what he did for me, I asked for forgiveness and once again, grace was poured out abundently. Now, Lord, I am walking toward Christ. Each day trying to be more like Him. Some days, I stumble and fall way short, but I keep trying. Lord, grant me strenght and a passion to be more like Christ each and every day.