THE TAKEAWAY:
I Shall Not Want 3: John the Baptist has a simple rule for being generous
MESSAGE:
In the movie 8-Bit Christmas, Jake Doyle recounts how he would do anything to get an NES for Christmas back in 1985. The richest kid in his school, Timothy Keane, would invite a select few classmates to watch him play the coveted console as they lusted over the hardware. Timothy was rich enough to get his parents to buy more than one, but he was never going to let anyone else experience it.
John the Baptist spoke very plainly about the lifestyle of a righteous person. In one speech, he called out the tax collectors, priests, and guards in his hometown for being unrighteous snakes. When the crowd asked how they could change their ways, his message was simple: “If you have two of something, give one away to someone who has nothing.”
John’s message was very practical, leaving Jesus to get to the core issue of greed. The heart of generosity lies in the power to take care of your community with your abundance. If we all thought this way, using John’s logic, the world would have fewer needs and more examples of Jesus.
FIGURE IT OUT:
10The crowds asked him, “What then should we do?”
11John replied, “Whoever has two tunics should share with him who has none, and whoever has food should do the same.”
12Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”
13“Collect no more than you are authorized,” he answered.
14Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”
“Do not take money by force or false accusation,” he said. “Be content with your wages.”
Luke 3:10-14
- Circle some keywords or phrases that are significant to you. What makes them important?
- How does John’s message to share possessions connect with Jesus’ ministry and message?
- How difficult are John’s instructions to his listeners? Would you be able to follow this rule daily?