A Voice of One Calling in the Wilderness (Luke 3:1-20)

“John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?’” (Luke 3:7)

Why did John the Baptist speak so harsh and even uncomfortable and unpopular words to the people of Israel in the first century? “You brood of vipers!” His ministry was headquartered in the wilderness near the Jordan River. He lived in the deserts until he made a public appearance in Israel (Luke 1:80). When the time was ripe, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He was told to prepare the way of King and Lord by delivering the message of life through repentance to bring the forgiveness of sins and true life.

Why was John’s ministry in the wilderness, not in Jerusalem Temple? It’s because the Israel’s spiritual condition was exactly the same as the wilderness. They were barren, lonely, dry, gloomy, hopeless, empty, meaningless, unsatisfied and lost. Is it not really contemporary? The holy people of God and the chosen ones were subjected to the heavy hand of Romans. The leaders who were supposed to be the shepherds of the lost people were established as the iron instrument of religious machinery whom Jesus called the sons of the devil. Nevertheless, in due time God moved in time and space and raised John as the messenger of God to the nation Israel.

What an encouragement and comfort to the descendant of Abraham! Our God is consistent and faithful in keeping the promises given to the ancestors. Although His chosen people became like the dry and barren trees, He never forgot the promise that the descendants of Abraham would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. Our God started just where they were in the wilderness. As a matter of fact, the Immortal God made Himself in the likeness of man, leaving the glory, honor, and throne behind. He Himself came to the wilderness just like He made a visit to Adam who was hidden from the face of the Lord God.

God spoke through Moses and the prophets to His people that if they obeyed all the commandments of the law they would be abundantly blessed down through generations and generations. Listen to this heartbreaking voice of God spoken through Prophet Isaiah, saying “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 1:18-20)

Finally after the long patience and endurance, God spoke through Prophet John whose message was blunt and direct, saying “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near!” The Scripture confirms that there is no sin which cannot be forgiven on the face of the earth except a sin that blasphemes the Holy Spirit. What is that blaspheming of the Spirit of God? It doesn’t mean to fail and sin at times as we all do including the mighty apostle Paul. It means the stubborn and consistent resistance of repenting as opposed to the truth that tells and appeals patiently and faithfully. 

In Israel, the John’s baptism became a popular fad and craze in those days like going to church these days. All kinds of people thronged to come receive the baptism in Jordan by this awkward looking man who wore the clothes made of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. So, the prophet harshly rebuked the people who just thought they could flee from the wrath of God by being baptized in water. “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”

It is not the ritual but the life change that God seeks. It is not the shadow or copy but the reality God is after. It is useless to go to church thousand times and offer hundred times if not accepted by God. What God is after is not outward appearance, burnt offerings and sacrifices but our hearts. Do not follow the fads but the reality that God tells and appeals constantly and patiently in our very midst. No matter how look attractive and gorgeous in the eyes of men, no matter how pious religiously, if not accept by God all is rubbish. As our Lord Jesus says, all things are being destroy by moths and vermin and thieves but there are treasures in heaven which are not destroyed at all (Matthew 6:20).

Listen to what Apostle Paul says. “Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.” (Romans 8:5-9)

Which side are you, fads or reality? Which side am I? The Lord Jesus knows our hearts for His eyes are like blazing fire. The Scripture warns, saying “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:31) But there is the hands of the Savior on the cross that is broken and wounded with blood and yet able to keep us from falling and to make us stand in the sight of the Holy God of all. 

Old Man vs. Selfless New Man (Genesis 3:7)

“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.” (Genesis 3:7)

The first mark manifested by the fallen man was the self-realization of nakedness. They had been naked all throughout the time and never realized that they were naked until they crossed over the boundary of the commandment of God. Before the fall, they never related anything to themselves but everything to God, so though they were naked it wasn’t conscientiously a problem at all. The clothes we wear is not for God but for ourselves because He sees our hearts inside. “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:13)

What is it to make us realize our nakedness? It is our self which was there even before the fall. This old self was gone seriously wrong at the moment of eating the forbidden tree. The shining one, the devil told the woman, saying “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:5) When she listened to the devil and ate it, she immediately began to exercise rationalizing power to know good and evil by relating to herself. The self which was there all along but never bothered at all suddenly got the control of self, making man miserably inadequate and unfitting in every turn and circumstance.  

What’s the remedy? Christ in you, the hope of glory. That’s it. The mystery of God has been revealed for man to be adequate no matter what. That is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within us. In order for the Spirit to come into our hearts, Christ died and buried first in our place. On the third day, He rose from the dead, conquering the power of death in order to share His resurrection life with the captives, the believers. In a mysterious way by means of faith exercised, the new man has been created within. We were made alive in Christ Jesus the Lord. The shadow of clothing with Christ Jesus was manifested by God, killing the animals. “The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” (Genesis 3:21)

Authentic Christians are no longer functioning in the old way controlled by the old self, flesh but in the whole new way controlled by the inner man, spirit. Therefore, for those who are in Christ Jesus there is no more condemnation whatsoever. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1-2) Down the road, we will fail but still no condemnation because once for all Christ paid the full price for redemption. The secret of being adequate and fitting all time is Jesus Christ within. We have nothing in us but everything in Christ.

The Savior, the Christ, the Lord (Luke 2:1-21)

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” (Luke 2:11)

In order to be the Savior and the Lord, the Christ emptied Himself, obeyed the will of the Father even death on a cross. The fallen race has been stuck in the unsolvable gridlock and bondage of darkness until the coming of Christ Jesus the Lord. Paul the Apostle reveals it plainly, saying “We were dead in transgressions and sins.” (Ephesians 2:1) Though bodily alive, we were dead in spirit, not functioning and responding in the level of spirit. So, no matter what we couldn’t reach to the fullness of life. Materialistic possessions promise to give something but deliver nothing. Psychological level of activities also promise to bring something but deliver nothing. Humanity in nature is in dead despair and desolation with no way out. Without being revived and restored in spirit, no thousands of thousands remedies avail at all.

To be the true Savior of lost humanity from such a serious condition, He must touch the level of human spirit. That’s what Christ Jesus exactly did on the cross. By breaking His body and shedding the blood He entered the holy of holies in the heavenly tabernacle once for all. The Jewish sacrifice system is the shadow and copy of the real substance, Jesus Christ. Even the copy and shadow require the blood of animals. Once a year a high priest entered the holy of holies for the atonement of the sins of the people, which had to be repeated over and over again. Jesus Christ became the High Priest not in the order of Levites but in the order of Melchizedek. He became the priest and the victim of atoning sacrifice and entered the holy of holies once for all. He could enter into the throne of God without going through the terrible ordeal of death, but He did die not for Himself but in our place. His death is the death of the believers beyond time and space.

For the first time, a believer experienced access into the holy of holies, the throne of grace through the faith in the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. He was allowed to access the forbidden area of human spirit through relying on the work of another. The iron bondage of darkness and futility has been broken by the power of God. He was delivered and liberated to have peace with God. He was set free from the subjection of the law. He is no longer under the condemning law but under grace. Sin shall reign him any longer. Instead, he shall reign in life for he died to sin. Once for all, he the believer has been bought at the price of Christ Jesus. He is not his own any longer but a salve to righteousness. He has been owned and possessed by the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed are the believers who confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord. Christ Jesus not only saves but runs every individual whom He purchased back with blood.

“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)