How To Examine Your Life
INTRODUCTION
How many of you have ever gone the wrong way on a one-way street? I remember a few years ago we had just returned from living and working South Africa. There we drove on the opposite side of the car and the road than in the USA. Having lived there for more than a decade, I was somewhat unaccustomed to American driving. It’s usually not that bad to make the switch. Something that really helps though is having oncoming traffic. If there is other traffic on the road you pretty much are forced to drive on the correct side 😊.
One day, soon after returning, I found myself making a turn onto an empty stretch of road. I merrily made my way to where I was going until suddenly other cars started appearing. They were beeping their horns, flashing their lights, and giving me the “one finger salute.” It was then I realized that I was driving on the wrong side of the road. I quickly moved over and nervously went on with my journey.
Now I know that is not necessarily a story about the wrong way on a one-way, but I think it illustrates my point. I assume the people urging me to get over were screaming, wrong way! (Probably a few other words, but I’ll keep it PG).
That is exactly the message of a man known as John the Baptizer. John, if you remember, is the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth. He is the son God miraculously gave them in their “golden-years.” Now, John is a 30-year-old man involved in the preaching and prphetic ministry.
Luke picks up the story of John in chapter three:
THE CALLING
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene—during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness (Luke 3:1-6).
John already knew God had created him for a special ministry. But ow he is getting a word from the Lord saying it’s time to make that ministry public. As a matter of fact, Luke tells us the very year John received this word from the Lord: “[the] fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius—when […]” The best I can tell from various scholars and commentators is that Tiberius’s fifteenth year was 28 A.D. The other leaders mentioned also confirm this timeframe. John’s call to preach includes the mission of being that “voice crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord” (Is 40:3 paraphrased).
THE MSSION
Not only did John receive his “word” calling him to begin ministry but that word included instructions as to what to preach. Look at Luke 3:3-6
He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all people will see God’s salvation’” (Luke 3:3-6).
The mission of John was simple: preach repentance. Words like “prepare the way of the Lord,” and “crooked roads straight” prophetically tell John’s audience: you’re going the wrong way!
The NIV Life Application Bible states:
“The images of these words reflect a powerful construction force grinding up everything in its path. God’s highway will roll over every obstacle of unbelief or idolatry. As people prepare for the King, they will “straighten out” their lives through repentance from sin.”[1]
John was sent with one message, “REPENT” (turn from sin). He had one action, “BAPTIZE” in water those who turned from sin.
Now let’s get a glimpse into one of John’s sermons
THE MESSAGE
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? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire” (Luke 3:7-9).
Let me set the context for this passage. Israel had not had a prophet in 400 years. Because of their rebellion against Him, God ceased speaking in the usual ways. And when God ceases to speak: a true prophet has nothing to say. For more than 400 years God is silent. But now He is speaking through John the Baptizer.
Matthew also tells us the message John is preaching to this “brood of vipers” is aimed at the religious leaders of the day: the Pharisees and Sadducee’s. They led God’s people into dead tradition and powerless ritual. They trusted in their heritage more than their relationship with God.
John tells them that unless they repent of their sin and do what is right (produce fruit) then God will take an ax to their heritage and throw it in the fire.
We live in a day where everyone is a Christian. But unfortunately much of Christianity today is “Cultural Christianity.” In other words, people are Christian in “name only.” They believe themselves to be Christian because mom was or grandma was, but they have not repented of sin and placed their trust in Christ as Lord. Neither are they living in God honoring ways. They are trusting in the heritage of their family, not in the person of Jesus Christ. We are not guaranteed God’s blessings because of our heritage. We are blessed by a relationship with Jesus and obedience to God’s commands.
When true repentance happens a corresponding and equal change will occur in lifestyle and actions. Let me put it like this: repentance is always tied to action, or it isn’t true repentance.[2]
Turning from sin means turning from the things and character of sin. It means walking away from certain activities. It means severing certain relationships until one is spiritually mature enough to enter them with a missional lens. It means coming into obedience to the Word of God. It does not mean simply adopting religious traditions handed down by well-meaning people.
Now do not misunderstand what I am saying. I am not against tradition, especially faith traditions. I hope I’ve done well at passing my faith down to my children. My intent here is to awaken us to those traditions that either: 1) lead us away from the truths of Christ by promoting false saviors or, 2) blatantly places human action and will above the salvific work of Jesus Christ.
John is telling those who were listening that hand-me-down religion isn’t sufficient to provide lasting victory over our sinful nature. Repentance and faith in Christ restore us to right standing with the Father. Through faith, the Holy Spirit takes up residence in us granting us the power to overcome the pressures and temptations of this present world (see Titus 2:12).
When people began hearing the prophetic word of John after 400 years of God-silence, they were shaken to the core. The sudden and dramatic realization that their trust was placed in the wrong things and the wrong people. Listen to the response to John’s prophetic proclamations: “What should we do then?” the crowd asked (Luke 3:10).
THE FRUIT
Carefully read John response to their honest question:
John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?” “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them. Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay” (Luke 3:11-14).
John looks at these rough military men and tax collectors standing around and says, “Repent! Change your ways!” He didn’t tell them about the latest self-help book or “5 Ways to be a Kinder Person.” NO! He told them to repent, to turn from their sin, and turn to God!
John is like the football coach whose player is running toward the wrong end-zone. He’s jumping up and down, screaming to the top of his lungs, “You are going the wrong way! Turn around! The goal you think you’re running toward is the wrong goal.”
AN EXAMINED LIFE
Let’s honestly consider this question, “Are you trusting your salvation to someone or something other than Jesus?” I realize the majority of those who read this blog consider themselves Christ followers. Wonderful! Yet, it is beneficial for all believers to “examine themselves” (1 Cor 11:28). While the quote is attributed to a variety of people, it is still true that unexamined life is not worth living.
It’s easy to recoil at the question of trusting something other than Jesus. It’s easy to be offended at the question. But it still needs to be answered! It’s uber easy to get sidetracked after having trusted Christ as Savior and Lord. We can let life’s worries, riches and pleasures choke out our faith (Lk 8:14). When this happens the tendency of most Christians is to look for “rescuers” other than Christ.
Take some time this week to ask the following questions:
Are you trusting in the length of time you have served God to be your salvation?
Are you trusting in an “experience” rather than a daily relationship with God?
Are you trusting in your “church membership” or denominational heritage to be your savior?
Are you trusting in your good works, giving, and “morals” to be your saving hope?
Are you trusting in your “reputation” to get you into Heaven?
No matter how long we have walked with Christ we must daily trust Him as Savior. Our trust in Him empowers us to do the right things. Not the other way around. And, when I do the wrong things, I repent and turn away from them. How? Through trust in the One Who has conquered sin and put death to death. Repentance leads me into reconciliation with the Father. It frees me to be whole in Him. Repentance gives the Holy Spirit opportunity to demonstrate His power through me. Finally, it fills my whole person with the assurance that God is with me, not against me (Rom 8:31).
[1] Barton, B., Taylor, L., & Veerman, D. (1997). Life application Bible commentary: Luke. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale. (p. 66).
[2] Ibid, p. 67
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