During my personal worship time with God today I was in Matthew 3 and something hit me like a ton of bricks when I was reading about John the Baptist. Read Matthew 3:4-6:
"And John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins."
When I read this, immediately my mind painted a picture of what was happening. A hairy beastly looking man eating bugs and honey was in the desert preaching about God. He was not a well-groomed professional. His looks were not attractive and he probably smelled a little foul. He was not in the center of a community where people lived and worked. But he was in the desert preaching a message of repentance. And the crazy thing is, it says those that lived in Jerusalem, Judea, and the whole region were going out to hear him. People were flocking to this man like kids running to the ice cream truck.
Does that make sense? Yes, but only in the light of Jesus Christ. People want to see authenticity lived out. People will go to great extremes to hear or see someone that lives a truly authentic life. Billy Graham is a wonderful present day example of an authentic life. People will go and hear him whether they care about God at all just because of what they have heard about him. Authenticity is like a rare gem, people want to be close to it.
Verse 7 says even the Pharisees couldn't stay away. They wanted to find out why people were no longer coming to their temples but instead were heading out to the wilderness.
Authentic Christianity is a life lived fully dependent upon the grace of God. It is one that boldly stands against the current of this world and proclaims the message of God. It is a life deeply rooted in the Word of God. It is a life of faith that produces great fruit, meaning works pour out of it like water flows out of a fountain. It's a life where Husbands love their wives and serve them. It is a life where wives submit to the husbands and help them be men of God. It a life that not does compromise at work, at home, or with friends. It is a life of integrity. This is the Authentic Christian life.
2 comments:
Amen! My community should read this! The hairy man eating locusts and honey that people wanted to hear - good example of ingetrity - I deal with that daily - a "don't judge the book by its cover" thing as well. It is what is inside - integrity, morals, etc. Good blog.
Yes ! Its not all about having the shiniest shoes, or the best car or the biggest church! Its about the Lord Jesus Christ. I have a pastor like that and I thank God for him. Its about truth no matter who's toe's you step on.
Thanks little brother!
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