Radical faith can be dangerous. Radical faith can be uncomfortable. Radical faith will call you far from your comfort zone. Radical faith is what John the Baptist had.
John’s faith was radical because it called for a change of lifestyle for the believer. Of course, it only makes sense that encountering God would create a major difference in our lives. John’s faith was radical because it made him no longer fit in. This change in the life of a believer will not leave you able to simply go along with the worldly ways of modern society. Radical faith calls you to a new life, to new thinking, and to a new walk.
Do you have the kind of faith that actually affects your life? John did. If your faith doesn’t leave you changed, you may want to reexamine it.
-Pastor Conley
Luke 3:1–20 (MEV)
1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Caesar Tiberius, Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip was tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Traconitis, and Lysanias was the tetrarch of Abilene.
2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.
3 He came into the region surrounding the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight and the rough ways shall be made smooth;
6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”
7 Then he said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You children of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Therefore bear fruit worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.
9 Even now the axe is put to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10 The people asked him, “What then must we do?”
11 John answered, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none. And he who has food, let him do likewise.”
12 Then tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what must we do?”
13 He said to them, “Collect no more than what is appointed you.”
14 Then the soldiers likewise demanded of him, “And what must we do?” He said to them, “Do no violence to anyone nor accuse any falsely, and be content with your wages.”
15 As the people were in expectation, and everyone reflected in their hearts upon John, whether he might be the Christ or not,
16 John answered them all, “I indeed baptize you with water. But One mightier than I is coming, the strings of whose shoes I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
17 His fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly cleanse His threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into His granary. But He will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
18 Then he preached many other things in his exhortation to the people.
19 But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,
20 added also this above them all: He locked John up in prison.