How is your "Boston Tea Party" going? Have you become a part of this revolution yet? Have you begun to see how you can be a leader in this revolution? John the Baptist had a choice to make and he chose to become a revolutionary. You have a choice to make as well. You must choose to LIVE and DO rather than just merely exist and survive. If you're not sure what I'm talking about, you may want to read my previous blog first.
Take a minute and read John 3:22-30. I have provided it here for you in the Message transliteration, but if you click on the link you can read it the NIV.
22) After this conversation, Jesus went on with his disciples into the Judean countryside and relaxed with them there. He was also baptizing. 23) At the same time, John was baptizing over at Aenon near Salim, where water was abundant. 24) This was before John was thrown into jail. 25) John's disciples got into an argument with the establishment Jews over the nature of baptism. 26) They came to John and said, "Rabbi, you know the one who was with you on the other side of the
27) John answered, "It's not possible for a person to succeed--I'm talking about eternal success--without heaven's help. 28) You yourselves were there when I made it public that I was not the Messiah but simply the one sent ahead of him to get things ready. 29) The one who gets the bride is, by definition, the bridegroom. And the bridegroom's friend, his "best man'--that's me--in place at his side where he can hear every word, is genuinely happy. How could he be jealous when he knows that the wedding is finished and the marriage is off to a good start?
That is why my cupis running over. 30) This is the assigned moment for him to move into the center, while I slip off to the sidelines.
Here are a few points to challenge you in becoming a revolutionary. Don't just read over them - study them and see how you can apply these prinicples to your own life. If you have questions, email me at xamples@yahoo.com or leave a comment.
1. Go Public with the Revolution (v28)
A. Verbal profession of your faith - testimony
"For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matthew 12:34).
When is the last time you got excited talking about you favorite ball team, or your significant other, or your great job, car, or whatever? That's your testimony, your story about your feelings and passions concerning that thing.
As a revolutionary, we must be more passionate about Jesus than anything else. We need to talk about Jesus just like we would talk about sports, girls, or any other current affair. Our story (testimony) is that Jesus suffered and died for our sins so that we could have access to God's mercy and love - so that we could have a fulfilling life here on earth and an everlasting life in heaven when this lifeis over. That's a great story! A revolutionary doesn't stop until everyone has heard their story.
B. Physical profession of your faith - water baptism
Jesus himself was baptized showing it's neccessity (Mark 1:4-5).
See also Colossians 2:12.
Water Baptism is an outward confession of an inward change - an inward faith. You don't have to be water baptized to get into heaven. However, Jesus was baptized (Marck 1:4-5), he baptized others(John 3:22), and he instructed us to do it as well Matthew 28:19). Being baptized allows us the opportunity to tell others that we have fully committed ourselves to Christ. It's also a way for the unbeliever to see the sybolism of God's purpose in Christ's death and resurrection - salvation.
If you have yet to be baptized in water don't feel condemned. Simply receive this word and talk to your Pastor about the next opportunity to publically and physically profress your faith through water baptism. A revolutionary wants the world to see inward faith put on display in water baptism.
C. Spiritual profession of your faith - lifestyle
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven" (Matthew 5:14-16).
See also 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:1
"Your profession of faith in Christ must be supported by a lifestyle that provides irrefutable evidence of your complete devotion to God" (Revolution, George Barna, p25).
Your lifestyle will speak much louder than your words. The Christian who lives in compromise and participates in questionable "grey areas" does more damage to the cause of Christ than an atheist preaching on the street corner. The revolutionary lives a life worthy of the calling they have received and the world can see by their actions - their holy lifestyle.
The second way to become a revolutionary...coming next.
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