People will see salvation

“And all people will see God’s salvation.” (Luke 3:6)

 

John the Baptist’s mission was to introduce Jesus who started for the public life to the people. In wide meaning, all Christians have the same duties as John the Baptist had. In particular, the ministers of Christ’s evangelical work need to model after the appearances of the mission shown by John the Baptist. His greatness of role and career is never behind even a little to the other apostles’. From birth to being killed by Herod the king, he had devoted himself for assistant role of Christ’s mission. Thus what he had shouted was for people to repent and to receive God’s salvation. John shows us the integrity and strength of the soul that did not yield to injustice.

 

John the Baptist was born six months before Jesus’ birth. John’s parents were righteous who did everything in the Lord’s commandments and regulations, but they only had the son when they got older after a long time of wishing. When his father Zachariah, who had been praying to get his son, was performing his duties as a priest in order, he heard the words of promise his son will be born from an angel. The angel not only gave the name of son John, but also he will be the man of preparation for the Lord, said to Zachariah. John was a servant of God, specially prepared for Christ’s appearance. People generally think only that God’s oracle or nomination is for a particular person. It could be so, but in true, that’s possible thing to be applied for anybody in faith of Christ.

We cannot know about John’s process of growth for there is no data written in the Bible. John, who had lived in the wilderness eating locusts and wild honey, appeared at the beginning of Christ’s public life, and cried out for repentance and salvation to the multitude. Christians or pastors do not necessarily have to follow John’s life and actions. However, his appearance and life is a good model in order to make our lives correct. He didn’t eat greedly, had the food of nature, and lived frugally, and introduced Jesus. Father Balaguer in Alphonse Daudet’s short story ‘The midnight mass of three times - Christmas Story’ ruined the Christmas Mass, in full of thinking to eat turkey, carp, trout, pheasant meat and wine, and after eating greedily, he had a terrible seizure and died overnight without the chance of repentance. This story shows a part of the depravity of the priests of medieval time. Likewise, there are many people who indulge in gluttony and live for that pleasure in these days too. Eating and drinking may be the fun of life, but Christians will have to live trying to gain spiritual happiness and reward rather than excessive physical pleasure.

The message John the Baptist shouted was, “Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.” In his message, ‘you’ are all the people in front of John. And ‘the way for the Lord’ means ‘prevision for advent of Jesus Christ.’ Also, ‘make straight’ for Him to come means to take Christ’s coming as ‘positively’ and ‘with pleasure’. Then, anyone in the world should hear the gospel. It’s not the ‘Jesus’ Gospel’ that some people hear and others don’t need to hear. All the people of the world are spiritually ill, so it needs the gospel and salvation of Christ for sure to them. Jesus Christ keeps knocking on the door of man’s heart. He wishes to come into person's soul and stay with. If man's spirit accepts Christ, the person gets the joy, peace, and strength from doing repentance and confession. The change by the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not just a matter of theory, but the actual living that interacts praying with God in the soul.

Those who came to John heard of severe talking, “You brood of vipers!” And John told them to produce ‘fruit in keeping with repentance’. They were criticized with severe wording even to be heard by others. Keep in mind that a man who does not repent before Jesus can have to hear God’s reproach greatly. Everybody must repent to the Lord and live with the fruit of repentance. If no repentance, no fruit, that must be a life of a dead soul.

 

Life is like a tree that God planted in the world. Just as trees must bear fruit, our life must create its own value by using the talent God gave. Otherwise, it would be like a tree without fruit that is axed and thrown into the fire. Let’s not devote all our time and energy only to the fleshly life for oneself or own children. Think of your neighbors and promote the public interest, but don’t commit extortion and falsehood. Oh, the saved in Christ, try hard to devote oneself for the righteousness of the Lord, not to follow the unjust world.

 

(Written by Koonoh, Pastor of JDO Presbyterian Church in Korea, on August 21st 2022)