“Listen To The Rebuke Of God’s Messengers…!”

“Listen To The Rebuke Of God’s Messengers…!” (Lk.3:15-20).
Just like Jesus predicted, there are so many impersonators and usurpers of Christ. We can recall how a few years back a man was hailed as Christ in Kenya until the Kenyan government identified him as an impostor and deported him to his country. There are some who have transformed their role of being messengers of the gospel and have elevated themselves to the level of Christ.
All these because there is a deep yearning for the return of Christ. It is just as in the days of old when “The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ.”
John deserves our praise and is worthy of emulation. He could have taken advantage of the people’s ignorance and impersonate Christ as some do today. But he did not. He owned up in all honesty that he did not measure up to the one who was coming after him.
Christ was to baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire, unlike he John who baptized with mere water.
This passage very well reflects the second coming of Christ. He is coming to a church infiltrated by those who do not belong to the kingdom of heaven. During his earthly ministry Jesus told the parable of the man who planted wheat and in the night an enemy came and planted weed. When they grew up the servants asked the master to permit them go weed out the weeds so that the wheat could grow well. The master told them, “No, because while you are pulling the weeds you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until harvest time. At that time I will tell the harvesters: ‘First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn,'”(Mt.13:24-30).
Luke says while we await the coming of the Christ we should note that he is coming with a “winnowing fork in his hand to clear his threshing floor and gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
But since nothing is impossible with God, he can transform the weeds into wheat. This is made possible through baptism and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour; with submission and obedience to God’s holy commandments.
When we are rebuked with the word of God for all the evil things we have done, we should repent. We should not add to them like Herod the tetrarch did.
Prayer of the week: Lord Jesus Christ as we prepare for your coming again, help me to listen to the rebuke of your word and not add to my evil. Amen!
Welcome back to a new working week and have a blessed day and week! Peace be with you!
Rev. Babila Fochang.