Luke 3:15-17

“John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.’” va. 16

The gospels tell us that excitement was building in the area of the Jordan River where the prophet John was preaching and baptizing. People were coming to John from the whole region and many believed that he was the promised messiah. But according to Luke, that’s not what John believed. He knew people needed to repent and change their lives, but he also knew that their good intentions were not enough. They would need more than a dip in the Jordan, they needed a dose of the Divine, they would need the purifying presence of God’s Holy Spirit. And that’s what they got in Jesus! Jesus did not come baptizing, but in him people did experience the healing and restorative power of God. It’s hard to know exactly what that spirit baptism involves. Currently there are a multitude of religious groups that emphasize the gifts of the Spirit, and each of them have their advocates. But even if we are reluctant to embrace some of the more radical approaches to Spirit-infused living, we must acknowledge that there’s more to the new life in Christ than habitually following the old ways just because that’s what we’ve always done. Change is always a part of a healthy spirit-filled life!

Thought for the Day: What changes in church have been hard to accept?