THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 3:1-9
“Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” (Luke 3:8)
Did John say this to them before they were baptized, or after?
I always assumed it was before, but what if it was after?
In my experience, we say this to people before they’re baptized.
But baptism symbolizes God’s grace BEFORE we produce the fruit.
In fact, apart from our union with Christ, we cannot produce fruit.
It seems to me that baptism ought to be an easy step to take.
Like babies, we are helpless on our own, we cannot produce fruit by ourselves.
Baptism is the beginning of a life journey of changing with Jesus.
We did not need to prove ourselves to God in order to be baptized.
But now that we are, we have no excuses for not changing with Him.
In Christ, we have everything we need for life and godliness (see 2 Peter 1).
And if we are not increasing in such fruit, we have forgotten God’s free grace.
Baptism reminds us we are God’s children, not the serpent’s brood.
With Jesus’ help, I can change… will I?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, I belong to You, not Satan. Your Spirit is in me, and is greater than the spirit of darkness. Help me to tap Your root in me, to produce Your fruit in me!