Picture the Bible Reflection for May 17, 2021
This week we’re looking at John the Baptist. You can read up on this in Matthew 3 as found here: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew3&version=NIV
Let’s remember who John the Baptist was. He was a child of Zechariah (a priest) and Elizabeth. You may remember that Elizabeth was a little older when John was born and that when Mary, mother of Jesus, visited Elizabeth, John leapt in her womb – like he already knew Jesus was near.
It is said that John grew up in the Judaean desert, likely experiencing life in monastic communities. He was never given the title of priest, but instead he was named a prophet. The clothes he wore represented the strict purity laws of the time or how a Nazirite was to conduct ones’ self.
John’s message was quite simple: God’s judgment is coming and so everyone should repent their sins and be baptized. Baptism was not a requirement to be a disciple of John but was a requirement for repentance.
Those who followed John led very spiritual lives that included fasting and prayers.
John would be imprisoned after denouncing Herod’s illegal marriage and would have him killed.
How would you define repentance? How would you explain it to a child? A teen? An adult?
Repentance is an action where we show sincere regret or remorse. Is there anything in your life that you needed to repent on that was huge? What about smaller things?
As Christians, it is really hard to live in this world and to discern what is right and what is wrong as justice and equity also are factors we need to consider. When I talk to folks, often they repent of things they have done in their lives, but they are unable to let them go. They still linger. We are hardest on ourselves whereas Jesus can help us live in a new and better way. So, is there a way we can repent in our times where we can actually let these things go that still hang over us? What might you do?
A fitting song for us today is titled “Song of Repentance”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE4YYHr2SF8
Our prayer:
Holy God, help us to look into our lives and into our souls to search out the ways we sin against you – the things that separate our heart from yours. Help us to also search out the things we do to ourselves and to each other that also do the same. But most of all, O God, help us to learn, grow and move onto bigger and better things once we share the things we wish to repent from. Help us to use these harder things with you so that you can open our hearts and minds to use our life experiences to help others. God, be with us today and all our days, as perfectly imperfect beings that we are. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
This week we’re looking at John the Baptist. You can read up on this in Matthew 3 as found here: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew3&version=NIV
Let’s remember who John the Baptist was. He was a child of Zechariah (a priest) and Elizabeth. You may remember that Elizabeth was a little older when John was born and that when Mary, mother of Jesus, visited Elizabeth, John leapt in her womb – like he already knew Jesus was near.
It is said that John grew up in the Judaean desert, likely experiencing life in monastic communities. He was never given the title of priest, but instead he was named a prophet. The clothes he wore represented the strict purity laws of the time or how a Nazirite was to conduct ones’ self.
John’s message was quite simple: God’s judgment is coming and so everyone should repent their sins and be baptized. Baptism was not a requirement to be a disciple of John but was a requirement for repentance.
Those who followed John led very spiritual lives that included fasting and prayers.
John would be imprisoned after denouncing Herod’s illegal marriage and would have him killed.
How would you define repentance? How would you explain it to a child? A teen? An adult?
Repentance is an action where we show sincere regret or remorse. Is there anything in your life that you needed to repent on that was huge? What about smaller things?
As Christians, it is really hard to live in this world and to discern what is right and what is wrong as justice and equity also are factors we need to consider. When I talk to folks, often they repent of things they have done in their lives, but they are unable to let them go. They still linger. We are hardest on ourselves whereas Jesus can help us live in a new and better way. So, is there a way we can repent in our times where we can actually let these things go that still hang over us? What might you do?
A fitting song for us today is titled “Song of Repentance”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE4YYHr2SF8
Our prayer:
Holy God, help us to look into our lives and into our souls to search out the ways we sin against you – the things that separate our heart from yours. Help us to also search out the things we do to ourselves and to each other that also do the same. But most of all, O God, help us to learn, grow and move onto bigger and better things once we share the things we wish to repent from. Help us to use these harder things with you so that you can open our hearts and minds to use our life experiences to help others. God, be with us today and all our days, as perfectly imperfect beings that we are. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
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