What Should We Do? Series

ONE OF THE MOST STRESSFUL SITUATIONS THAT GIVES WAY TO FEAR AND CONFUSION IS WHEN WE DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO OR HOW TO PROPERLY RESPOND.

WHETHER IT IS FROM BAD COMMUNICATION, LACK OF CREDIBLE INFORMATION, OR CONFLICTING REPORTS, WE CAN EXPERIENCE A WIDE ARRAY OF EMOTIONS WHEN WE ARE NOT SURE WHAT OR WHO TO BELIEVE AND AREN’T SURE HOW TO RESPOND.

THE PEOPLE IN TODAY’S SCRIPTURE NEED ANSWERS AND HAVE BEEN ANXIOUSLY AWAITING THE ARRIVAL OF THEIR MESSIAH. VERSE 15, WE ARE TOLD THEY ARE “FILLED WITH EXPECTATION” THAT JOHN THE BAPTIST MIGHT BE THE ONE.

THREE TIMES WE HEAR THE SAME QUESTION: “WHAT SHOULD WE DO?” JOHN GIVES THE ANSWER THEY NEEDED TO HEAR. JOHN GIVES US THE ANSWER WE STILL NEED TO HEAR TODAY FOR IT IS A CLEAR MESSAGE FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD AND FOR EVERY GENERATION.

IT IS THE INFORMATION WE NEED TO CAST OUT ALL FEAR AND CONFUSION SO THAT WE WILL KNOW WHAT TO DO, HOW TO PROPERLY RESPOND IN REPENTANCE TO LIVE A SANCTIFIED LIFE OF HOLINESS AND OBEDIENCE THAT GLORIFIES GOD AND BRINGS OTHERS TO SALVATION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. THAT IS VERY GOOD NEWS!

THAT WAS THE PURPOSE FOR JOHN THE BAPTIST! JOHN WAS TO "PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE LORD" BY PREACHING REPENTANCE AND BEING THE FORERUNNER TO JESUS CHRIST TO NOT ONLY ANNOUNCE THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH, BUT TO CALL PEOPLE TO TURN AWAY FROM THEIR SINS IN ANTICIPATION OF HIS ARRIVAL.

JOHN ANSWERS OUR QUESTIONS ON WHAT WE SHOULD DO! THE ANSWER IS: REPENT. IN OUR PURSUIT OF HOLINESS, IT MEANS WE MAKE A HASTY RETREAT FROM SINFULNESS. WE LIVE A LIFE OF CONFESSION AND RECONCILIATION.

THE UNDERSTANDING OF REPENTANCE MEANS “CHANGE OF MIND” THAT IMPLIES A COMPLETE CHANGE OF ONE’S WAY OF LIFE AND THOUGHT PROCESSES. THIS CHANGE OF HEART AND MIND ALSO IMPLIES SOMEONE WHO HAS RECOGNIZED THAT AN EARLIER WAY OF THINKING AND LIVING WAS WRONG. 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17, “ANYONE WHO BELONGS TO CHRIST HAS BECOME A NEW PERSON. THE OLD LIFE IS GONE; A NEW LIFE HAS BEGUN!”

NOTICE THE WORD “BEGUN!” THIS MEANS THAT OUR SALVATION THAT WE RECEIVED THROUGH JESUS CHRIST IS NOT THE END OF THE JOURNEY AS IF EVERYTHING WE NEEDED TO DO FOR ETERNAL LIFE HAS BEEN COMPLETED. INSTEAD, SALVATION IS JUST THE STARTING POINT WHERE OUR LIFE OF FAITH BEGINS.

WE NEED TO SEEK OUT WAYS TO GROW AND MATURE IN OUR FAITH. WE MUST LEARN AND KNOW THE TRUTH OF SCRIPTURE AND THEN APPLY IT TO OUR LIVES.

WE WANT TO AVOID FALLING BACK INTO OUR OLD LIFESTYLE PATTERNS AND BEHAVIORS. WE WANT TO GUARD AGAINST LIVING IN WAYS THAT MAKES IT SEEM AS IF WE ARE NOT EVEN BORN AGAIN.

LIVING A LIFE OF REPENTANCE IS A WILFUL CHOICE TO ALLOW, BY FAITH, GOD’S REDEMPTIVE WORK THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN US, TO CONFORM US INTO THE IMAGE OF JESUS CHRIST.

IT BECOMES OUR PASSION TO LOVE GOD WITH ALL OUR HEART, SOUL, MIND, AND STRENGTH, AND TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS AS OURSELVES. WE SURRENDER TO GOD IN FAITH, DIE TO SELF, WHILE FORSAKING THE WORLD, AND FOLLOWING JESUS.

1 JOHN 2:15-16, “DO NOT LOVE THIS WORLD NOR THE THINGS IT OFFERS YOU, FOR WHEN YOU LOVE THE WORLD, YOU DO NOT HAVE THE LOVE OF THE FATHER IN YOU. FOR THE WORLD OFFERS ONLY A CRAVING FOR PHYSICAL PLEASURE, A CRAVING FOR EVERYTHING WE SEE, AND PRIDE IN OUR ACHIEVEMENTS AND POSSESSIONS. THESE ARE NOT FROM THE FATHER, BUT ARE FROM THIS WORLD.”

IT IS A GROWING PROCESS. IT IS A FAILING, LEARNING, AND “TRYING AGAIN” LIFE OF FAITH. WE EXAMINE OURSELVES, CONFESS, ASK FORGIVENSS, AND EXPERIENCE THE JOY OF GOD’S PARDON. WE ADOPT THIS LIFE, NOT OUT OF FEAR OF GOD’S WRATH, BUT BECAUSE OF HIS INVITATION TO US TO DRAW NEAR IN A LOVING RELATIONSHIP.

REPENTANCE BECOMES A GROWING DESIRE TO LIVE OUT ROMANS 12:1-2, WHERE OUR LIVES BECOME A LIVING AND HOLY SACRIFICE TO GOD WHERE WE NO LONGER CONFORM TO THE WAYS OF THE WORLD BECAUSE WE ARE YIELDING TO THE HOLY SPIRIT TO TRANSFORM OUR MINDS TO HOLY WAYS OF THINKING.

WE CANNOT ACHIEVE THIS ON OUR OWN. WE NEED THE TRANSFORMING WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, MENTORSHIP, PRAYER, FASTING, AND OTHER SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES. UPON OUR OWN STRENGTH, WE WILL BECOME WEAK, TIRE, AND SUCCUMB TO FAILURE.

WE PUT OUR EARTHLY COMMITMENTS INTO THEIR PROPER ORDER, YET STILL BRING JESUS WITH US INTO ALL OF THESE THINGS WE DO. WE SHINE THE LIGHT OF JESUS UPON EVERYTHING, EVERYONE, AND IN EVERY PLACE. WE WANT TO BEAR FRUIT NO MATTER WHAT!

GALATIANS 5:22-23, “BUT THE HOLY SPIRIT PRODUCES THIS KIND OF FRUIT IN OUR LIVES: LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL…” LIVING A LIFE OF REPENTANCE THAT IS RADICALLY, SACRIFICIALLY, AND AGGRESSIVELY STRIVING TO FORSAKE THE WORLD TO FOLLOW JESUS.