Luke 3:7-18 Then John said to the crowds who came to be baptized by him, “You children of snakes! Who warned you to escape from the angry judgment that is coming soon? Produce fruit that shows you have changed your hearts and lives. And don’t even think about saying to yourselves, Abraham is our father. I tell you that God is able to raise up Abraham’s children from these stones. The ax is already at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be chopped down and tossed into the fire.”
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nThe crowds asked him, “What then should we do?”
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nHe answered, “Whoever has two shirts must share with the one who has none, and whoever has food must do the same.”
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nEven tax collectors came to be baptized. They said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?”
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nHe replied, “Collect no more than you are authorized to collect.”
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nSoldiers asked, “What about us? What should we do?”
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nHe answered, “Don’t cheat or harass anyone, and be satisfied with your pay.”
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nThe people were filled with expectation, and everyone wondered whether John might be the Christ. John replied to them all, “I baptize you with water, but the one who is more powerful than me is coming. I’m not worthy to loosen the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. The shovel he uses to sift the wheat from the husks is in his hands. He will clean out his threshing area and bring the wheat into his barn. But he will burn the husks with a fire that can’t be put out.” With many other words John appealed to them, proclaiming good news to the people.
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n1. Take a few moments in silence to center yourself. Consider what you desire from this encounter with God.
n2. Read the scripture passage twice, slowly, so the details become familiar.
n3. Close your eyes and imagine what is going on. What do you see? Hear? Smell? Taste? Touch?*
n4. What emotions rise up for you? Does anything in particular cause a reaction for you?*
n5. Where do you see yourself in the scripture?*
n6. What questions or thoughts bubble up?
n7. Close this time by talking honestly to God about your experience.
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n*If you are practicing this with children, offering them crayons and paper to draw the scripture is a good way for them engage with the scripture.
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