Repentance and the kingdom

(Matthew 3.8)

The 'kingdom' is in the 'fruit.' There's a huge difference between fruit of arrogance and fruit of repentance. What kind of fruit is present-day Christianity producing?

John 'the Baptist' probably wouldn't prove any more popular today among Christian 'evangelicals' than he was 2,000 years ago among the Jewish religious elite.

I hope you will take time to read this brief chapter in Matthew telling of John's ministry down by the river side. Lots of people were coming to see this very unorthodox son of a very orthodox Jewish priest. I suspect there were those who were wondering where his parents had gone wrong.

John seemingly had no sense of propriety when it came to lining up with the religious trends of the 'Godly' people of his day. There was a huge sense of national pride accompanied by an equally large affinity toward the showy 'temple' that was bigger, better, and more expensive than anything previously on that old hilltop.

That definitely showed that God was their God and on their side. They were God's people! Their arrogance was unbounded and possibly unprecedented. Their attitude was quite simply that success defines God's approval. This was the pinnacle of post-exilic accomplishment and they knew the formula for its maintenance and expansion.

John just didn't fit. If you don't fit - you must be wrong...and what about this nonsense that religious leaders are to be producing fruit in keeping with repentance?! Repentance and humility? Who would follow a leader who was repentant and humble?

The religious world likes to present as their favorite sons men who are forceful, well-spoken, nicely coiffed and dressed - 'successful' men who undoubtedly are hearing from God because they do it bigger, better, and at more expense than anyone else. They have books and seminars telling you how successful they are.

We seem to want political leaders with that same self-assurance, sense of absolutism and destiny.

The 'kingdom' isn't that of temples and cathedrals but that of repentance, humility and compassion. It isn't the priest at the head of the procession that becomes central in my thoughts of the temple at Jerusalem, but rather Jesus sitting on a neighboring hillside weeping over the coming fate of the people who worshipped at that grandiose symbol of success and 'Godliness.'