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Ask ‘What shall I do?’ and God will provide the answers

(Because Farm World will not publish on Dec. 24, we are printing Rev. Althouse’s column penned for next week, in this issue, along with this week’s column on page 7B.)
Dec. 28. 2008

Background Scripture: Luke 3:1-20

Devotional Reading: Psalms 51:10-19

Some might be tempted to skip over or rush through the first two verses of Luke 3. In case you haven’t noticed, Luke is very careful to set his narrative in an exact timeframe. In other words, he wants us to know that this is not just a once-upon-a-time tale taking place in never-never time.

It is in the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar’s reign over the Roman Empire, during Pontius Pilate’s rule of Judea as Roman procurator and Herod the Great the puppet-king and his two sons, Herod Antipas and Philip the Tetrarch. During this same period, the Jerusalem temple and its priests were controlled by Annas, the High Priest, and his son-in-law, Caiaphas.

About Lysanias, the tetrarch of Abilene, nothing is known today, although as a sub-ruler under Herod the Great he probably was not obscure in his own day.

Now the irony is that with the possible exception of Tiberius Caesar, none of these “important” names are known today to the average reader. In John’s day, the Baptist was virtually unknown to the recorders of human events. Today, the tables are turned and it is he who is recognized as “important.”

Fitting in

This is just one more example of how God upsets the human scheme of things, a none-too-gentle reminder that when the gospel was let loose in the world, it didn’t fit in nicely with the way things were.

It was stone in the Roman sandal, an irritant in Jewish society and a scandal to the Hebrew religion. Those of who think that our society and faith are quite compatible do not understand either. The conflict between physical and spiritual power is not simply reconciled.

So we must realize that the message of John the Baptist was not that of a “Prosperity with Jesus” evangelist. No one who ever heard John preach or prophesy came away saying, “That was a nice message.” John’s message was not meant to soothe, but to ruffle and disturb – and it did: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Lk. 3:7).

Keep in mind he was talking to the average Jew, (like the average person who today identifies him or herself as “a Christian”), not the known and labeled sinners.

I say that because Luke tells us these are the kind of people who thought of themselves as God’s devoted children: “… and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’; for I tell you, God is able to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (3:8,9).
Getting right with God does not mean belonging to the right race, nation or group; it is a matter of bearing “fruits that befit repentance.”

Good people, repent!

John is calling for repentance from the “good” religious people of his day – and ours – but what does “repentance” mean for “good” people?

And “the multitudes asked him, ‘What then shall we do?’” When one lives by all or most of the rules, why do we need to repent? From what do we need repentance?

So, John gives them a plain answer: “He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” To the tax collectors he said, “Collect no more than is appointed to you” (3:10-13).

There are some things in the Gospels hard to understand, but John’s answers are almost too understandable. Take a lined tablet and number the lines “1” through “10.” At the top, write, “What Shall I Do?” God will suggest some answers.

Do any of us really have to ask that question?

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Rev. Althouse may write to him in care of this publication.

12/17/2008