We live in an age that seems intent on narrowing the gospel to even singular issues. What I find in these discussions is not that the person who argues for a singular issue (as central or the most important element) is wrong but imbalanced. To reduce the gospel to a singular issue runs the serious risk of missing the expansiveness of the gospel as it is presented in the Bible. Not only do we have to examine texts like those in the Psalms or Isaiah, but also those in Jesus (and the Evangelists) and Paul and Peter and James and Hebrews \u2014 and not let any of these take total control. Which leads us today to Luke 3:18. 3 He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, We live in an age that seems intent on narrowing the gospel to even singular issues. What I find in these discussions is not that the person who argues for a singular issue (as central or the most important element) is wrong but imbalanced. To reduce the gospel to a singular issue runs the serious […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":197,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[806],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4774","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-gospel"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nJohn the Baptist was also a gospel preacher: \u201c3:18 So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news<\/strong> to the people. 19 But Herod the ruler, who had been rebuked by him because of Herodias, his brother\u2019s wife, and because of all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added to them all by shutting up John in prison.\u201d
\nNot only do we know that Jesus was a gospeler and that he got himself imprisoned for gospeling, but we can jump back and see what he preached to see what the gospel was for John the Baptist. I have the text below, but I give the big picture first:
\n1. His message was shaped by Isaiah\u2019s prophecy of the return to Jerusalem by the Babylonian exiles: his gospel announced some kind of \u201creturn.\u201d
\n2. His message was shot through and through with a sense of God rectifying wrongs, and this rectification was salvation.
\n3. His message involved the call to repentance and the turn to good works.
\n4. His message involved the threat of judgment on Israelites who did not repent.
\n5. His message saw repentance as economic justice.
\n6. His gospel message pointed to Jesus as the Messiah, who would baptize with more than water. He would baptize with \u201cthe Holy Spirit and fire.\u201d (I take this to be a purging empowerment for repentance and moral revolution.)<\/p>\n
\n\u201cThe voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
\n\u2018Prepare the way of the Lord,
\nmake his paths straight.
\n5 \tEvery valley shall be filled,
\nand every mountain and hill shall be made low,
\nand the crooked shall be made straight,
\nand the rough ways made smooth;
\n6 \tand all flesh shall see the salvation of God.\u2019\u201d
\nLuke 3:7 John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, \u201cYou brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, \u2018We have Abraham as our ancestor\u2019; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 9 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.\u201d
\nLuke 3:10 And the crowds asked him, \u201cWhat then should we do?\u201d 11 In reply he said to them, \u201cWhoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.\u201d 12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, \u201cTeacher, what should we do?\u201d 13 He said to them, \u201cCollect no more than the amount prescribed for you.\u201d 14 Soldiers also asked him, \u201cAnd we, what should we do?\u201d He said to them, \u201cDo not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.\u201d
\nLuke 3:15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16 John answered all of them by saying, \u201cI baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.\u201d <\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"