Did you ever have a...
Illustration
Did you ever have a minister call you and fellow audience members "venomous snakes"?
If that were to happen, would you listen long or would you be out of there? Would you
hire an attorney to help defend your honor against the speaker's character
assassination?
For some reason, John the Baptist's listeners tolerated his calling them a "brood of vipers." John wasn't finished with his verbal hit. He also warned them against religious and racial pride and cautioned them about having to face God's judgment. His hearers absorbed those assaults, too.
He told them what life qualities showed that God controlled their lives. What behavior is evidence of it? We can read what John said and conclude that it's too demanding, or we can practice it and gain a relationship with God.
What did John tell us?
* Share
* Be fair in business
* Don't falsely accuse people
* Be content with our pay
When we practice these things, they show God's work in our lives. When we don't, we probably are a brood of vipers in danger of God's judgment.
For some reason, John the Baptist's listeners tolerated his calling them a "brood of vipers." John wasn't finished with his verbal hit. He also warned them against religious and racial pride and cautioned them about having to face God's judgment. His hearers absorbed those assaults, too.
He told them what life qualities showed that God controlled their lives. What behavior is evidence of it? We can read what John said and conclude that it's too demanding, or we can practice it and gain a relationship with God.
What did John tell us?
* Share
* Be fair in business
* Don't falsely accuse people
* Be content with our pay
When we practice these things, they show God's work in our lives. When we don't, we probably are a brood of vipers in danger of God's judgment.
