Matthew Chapter 3. Repent. Turn from sin. Produce good fruit for the Lord.
Right off the beginning of this chapter we see a prophecy fulfilled yet again. Isaiah 40:3 says that there will be a person who will prepare the way for the Lord and this was fulfilled through John the Baptist. This is interesting, because John looked a little weird. He was a hardcore country folk. You could tell by his dress attire and the food he ate. In most people's eyes he was probably seen as a weird person. But he attracted a lot of people with his message of the coming Messiah. Let us be careful lest we judge a person by its cover, outward appearance.
God can use anybody and one's appearance, intelligence level, popularity, age, etc. has nothing to do with it. John the Baptist preached repentance and the importance of showing the evidence of one's repentance by producing good fruit for the Lord.
The Pharisees and Sadducees felt that because Abraham was there father that they were just automatically one of God's people. It's like us saying that we're Christians because we go to church. Or we are Christians because we were raised in a Christian home. But John set it straight for all of us, telling us that it has nothing to do with who we know, how often we go to church, nor does it have anything to do with how often our parents go to church, but rather it's all about repenting of sin and walking in the Spirit which means producing good fruit for the Lord (Galatians 5:18-23).
I wonder what other people would say is the evidence of my faith in Jesus? Just exactly what fruit am I producing that would be a testimony of my faith? May I be ever so careful of the temptations that are before me that I stay faithful to the Lord!
Blessings to each of you!