Lk3,10- The crowd asks, what they should do then, so they will not be thrown into the fire. John says, the man with 2 tunics shares with the man who has none. > Very simple. Share, give to those who have nothing. This is what John tells me.
Tax collectors ask the same, John tells them, they should not collect more then they are required to. > Very simple. [Not, turn down the job and come and be a revolutionary agains Rom].
The soldiers ask the same questions. John tells them: Do not extort money. Do not accuse people falsely. Be content with your pay. > Do not use your power and strength to become rich. [Not, do quit the army?!]
The Pharisees have no question to change. They do not think, that they need to change.

It is a clear sign, that i become a Pharisees, when i start thinking about me: No more need to change. I am fine. It is so sad, that these guys would stand there and hear all the question of change and repentance of the crowd and Johns simple answers but they would just be there but not ask. How would they look in front of the people asking the same question? They were the religious Leaders. They should do what John is doing. Yet they are not close to God in the same way. They have nothing to tell the crowd. The people felt it. They asked John. John told them, otherwise they would go to hell!

The people grew in their respect of John so much, that they started wondering if he is the Christ. John says 'No, i am not!' And then he starts to talk about Christ.

I can see 4 groups of people coming to John: 1. Normal people like me / 2. People who have advantage in their position and job they have towards the authority / 3. People who have a lot of power / 4. People who do not think they need a change.

Some time i am a normal person. I should give and share, so that my neighbor hast as much as i have. 2.Cor:8,13 Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14 At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality,

> Am i giving? Do i know, what my neighbor needs?

Some time i have advantage because of position ore relationship towards powerful people. I need to be truthful. I can not hide information because it would help me. I need to be fair! I need to do my service. I need to stay a servant.

> Am i abusing my position to have it easier, to look better in front of other. To put other actively down? Do i not say certain things because this would weaken my position? Do i use other people resources, because i make them thinking, that they have to give it to me, even it is not true but convenient to me? - The position is not the problem. I can use it for me ore i could use it as a servant for people who are not in such a lucky position. I can use it, that it will be equal in the end.

Some time i am in the position where i simply have more power then others.

>I need to serve the people. I need to use the power for the people and not for me.

Some time i think i do not have to change. This is very dangerous. This people were the driving force to kill Jesus later. If i think i have nothing to change, to who should i go and ask?

But what is challenging to me:

That i am in the position of a Pharisee. I do not think, that i have nothing to change. But maybe there were Pharisees, they asked John. - But the point is, that this Pharisees were the religious leaders. But they had no message. They red the Bible. They knew it by hard! But they did not baptize - even it was the plan from God, that this should happen.

I can read like crazy. I can be in a great position. I can be known as what ever - spiritual.

But do i, like John, bring the message of God to the heart of the people around me?

John brings repentance - Methanoia - renewing of the spirit and mind and heart of the people.

John brings forgiveness of Sin in the baptism.[It was always clear, that baptism is for the forgiveness, not just a sign ore a tradition ore a option]

John brings justice to repressed people.

John brings hope - the Christ is here - Christ became visible in John - SO much, that they thaught, they would see Christ?

John is talking to slaves, people, soldiers, Kings, Jews, Non-Jews. He reaches every one!

John was not burdening people with impossible things to do. He just challenged hard, if people wold be superficial, not realizing there need for deep metanoia and change from God.

Do i have a message from God? [Hope, Metanoia, Forgiveness, ...] Of corse i know, this is the message from the bible. But is that my heart and soul and do i see in people what they need to do in order to find the hope, to experience metanoia and get forgiveness? To be free in Christ!

Am i burning with it? Am i living free in Christ - so that they can see Christ in me!

Am i close to God, that his fire is jumping over in to my heart?

John came from God. The Pharisees came from the synagog.

From were am i coming today?

I need to pray!

I can pray :-)

the fire will come from God on me