Matthew 3:7-12

⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for the baptism ritual, he said to them, “You children of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

⁸ Produce fruit to prove your repentance.

⁹ And do not think, saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.

¹⁰ Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

¹¹ “I baptize you with water to show repentance, but he who is coming after me is stronger than I am, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

¹² His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unstoppable fire.” _________________________________________

Water or Fire?

John’s message was simple: repent for real and be part of a Holy Spirit revival, or face destruction by unstoppable fire. God is winnowing his field and he is looking for real fruit, not just pretense. That chaff (the outer layer which has no product) is going to be destroyed. Baptism in water was a sign that a person had repented from his unfruitful behavior, and pledged to produce real fruit for the kingdom. Of course, it was possible for the hypocrites to be baptized as well. John would have none of that. He stopped the Pharisees and Sadducees from just joining the show. He was interested in real change, not just adding to his membership list. Real repentance is not about getting wet. It is about turning from wrong to right, snakes to saints.

LORD, forgive us for just wanting to be part of the show. Make us genuine. Produce your fruit in our lives.