Good Morning!

Therefore produce fruit that is worthy of [and consistent with your] repentance [that is, live changed lives, turn from sin and seek God and His righteousness]. And do not even begin to say to yourselves [as a defense], ‘We have Abraham for our father [and so our heritage assures us of salvation]’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children (descendants) for Abraham [for God can replace the unrepentant, regardless of their heritage, with those who are obedient].  -Luke 3:8

The first part of this verse tells us that when we do have a relationship with God we should produce the fruit that is consistent with the massive weight lifted from us when we accepted God’s gift of grace for our sins. When we have experienced that grace we can help influence others to follow Jesus and have that personal relationship with them but we can’t do it for them, it is still each individual’s choice. It also tells us that we are responsible for our own actions and our own salvation. It is our choice to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, not our parents, grandparents, or pastor. We cannot ride on someone else’s coat tails to our salvation, it is between us and God. Our heritage might have pointed us in the right direction and help us stay on track but that in itself is not going to save us which is what John the Baptist was saying in this passage. Another encouraging thing I get out of this passage is that no matter what your past is you can experience what everyone else can, if God is able to make stones into descendants of Abraham, He is willing to give you the same grace as He would to anyone else. 

“Salvation is all about believing in the finished work of the cross, not in your righteousness.”

“When one begins to live by habit and by quotation, one has begun to stop living.”  -James Baldwin

Dad Joke of the Day:

Apparently this dude at the mall was just tying his shoe and did NOT want to play leap frog. 

My bad, dude. My bad.

Have a great Wednesday!