Repent and Share

In my daily Quiet Time yesterday, I read John 3:1-14. It was the first record of John the Baptist’s adult ministry messages. I saw 5 key components to the message that Luke recorded for us. 

1. Repent for forgiveness from God (vs. 3)

2. Birth families and religion can’t save you (vs. 7-8)

3. Act out your faith by giving to those in need (vs. 11)

4. Be honest when dealing with fellow man (vs. 12-13)

5. Don’t extort or take just because you have the power to do so (vs. 14)

I think verses 3 and 11 kind of sums it up for me:

Then John went from place to place on both sides of the Jordan River, preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven . . . John replied, “If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.

Repent and share (care about other people’s needs) summed it up for me. The message of the Gospel needs to involve repentance in all areas of our lives. Repentance of sins means ALL sins. John just gives a few pertinent areas (as Luke tells it). However John preached for 1/2-1 year before Jesus started His ministry . . . John probably confronted many other people regarding their specific sins as well. All sin must be laid aside. We won’t be perfect or live like repentant children of God all the time, but we can always repent (turn around, change behaviors, determine to continue to move away from sin). It takes practice.

The other part of John’s message in the passage was all about sharing what we have with those who don’t have and treating our fellowman with honesty and respect. I have a ways to go as we all do, but I can work on it. And in so doing, I can be a witness as to what God’s love is all about. That’s John’s basic message and so it should also be mine.