John 3:7-12 Amplified
7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee and escape from the wrath and indignation [of God against disobedience] that is coming?
8Bring forth fruit that is consistent with repentance [let your lives prove your change of heart];
9And do not presume to say to yourselves, We have Abraham for our forefather; for I tell you, God is able to raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones!
10And already the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
11I indeed baptize you [a]in (with) water [b]because of repentance [that is, because of your [c]changing your minds for the better, heartily amending your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins]. But He Who is coming after me is mightier than I, Whose sandals I am not worthy or fit to take off or carry; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
12His winnowing fan (shovel, fork) is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear out and clean His threshing floor and gather and store His wheat in His barn, but the chaff He will burn up with fire that cannot be put out.
Observation
John the Baptist is painting a picture of Jesus to the Pharisees and Sadducees(the snakes). His words are NOT, "Jesus is such a nice guy you are really going to like him", "Jesus wants everyone to just get along, so tell him how you guys have done it and I'm sure Jesus will be OK with that". John has told me and the Pharisees that Jesus is coming/has come, to take action/to start a revolution; Jesus is packing an AX and if you are not producing, the AX is going to chop you down and then throw the dead, non-producing tree into a consuming fire(that's new to the Pharisees), if I am not producing fruit-Jesus will create fruit producers out the rocks laying around me, and Jesus is taking his winnowing fork and is going to get after it. Jesus is serious. Can you see the picture of a huge pile of wheat, and Jesus is not overwhelmed by the enormity of the wheat pile, but excited about getting in there and thrashing the wheat with his fork, so he can separate the good wheat from the worthless chaff. Jesus is actively throwing wheat in the air, there's dust/chaff blowing in the wind, separating itself from the good and valuable wheat kernel. And so there is no contamination of the wheat Jesus has worked to separate, he turns to the chaff and burns it with unquenchable fire so that it is completely eliminated.
Application
And I serious about the Gospel of Jesus? Am I carrying an AX, a winnowing fork, am I bold enough to go into a church where church is a hobby/a social event and call it as it is, would I call my acquaintances a brood of vipers because they are living in sin and practicing evil worldly deeds-but say they are Christians? Or do I have an attitude that I don't want to judge anyone, that is God's work..."I'll pray for them". Jesus is the head of the revolution, and I need to follow what my leader is doing. I am not judging people when I tell them what the Bible says about something. The Bible is the final word about all things. Applying this portion of scripture means that I need to know what the Bible says about things. I need knowledge to seriously talk to others about what Jesus said. No one cares what I believe, or will be convicted from my beliefs, but as I tell people about what the Bible says is truth, the Holy Spirit will work through the spoken word. The AX, winnowing fork, boldness....I do have and it is the Bible. I need to continue to be serious about study, so I am capable of seperating truth from lies(winnowing) because the Bible is clear about all things. Study and know.
Prayer
Father, You sent Jesus to start a revolution in the world, to seperate religion and personal beliefs and start relationship with us. You made it clear from the beginning of Jesus ministry that he came to do a mighty work, a work that would divide the proud and arrigant from the humble and seeking, a work that produces fruit and destroys the dross. Thank you for including me in this revolution. This is nothing that I can do, but because you have given me an instruction manual on how I can participate, help me to follow each instruction as it is written. I ask for clarity. And then because I know the manual, I pray that you would put me in front in this revolution. A revolution needs doers. Make me a doer. Thank you that you are a God of action, and I submit myself to you, to use me as you would to call and say things as they are, according to your word. Amen.
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