Loving God Holy

Friday, February 17, 2006

Mt. 3:1-12 John the Baptist Prepares the Way

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."
John 3:16

John is one of my favorite people, although there are many. Bible.org has an introduction to the whole Chapter of Matthew. If you scroll down about one quarter of the way, you will come upon John the Baptist. Have a blessing filled day.

John the Baptist Prepares the Way
Mt 3:1-12--Mk 1:3-8; Lk 3:2-17

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the Desert of Judea 2and saying, "Repent, for thekingdom of heaven is near." 3This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

"A voice of one calling in the desert,
'Prepare the way for the Lord,
Make straight paths for Him.' "

4John's clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

11"I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12His winnowing fork is in his hand and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire."