Savage Johnny B

I'm reading the book of Luke with my kids currently. When John the baptist first started his ministry after going into the "wild", Luke records that he was preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Luke records the first thing John said to the crowds that came to see and hear him in the wilderness....

 Which do you think he spoke to his new visitors? 

A. If you're a new visitor here out in the wild, we have a gift for you before you go home, please visit our welcome station before you leave 

B. I'm so glad ya'll are here, welcome to the sermon, grab some coffee and a muffin and make yourselves comfortable . 

C. God loves you just the way you are, we have a new membership class starting soon where we'll fill you in about who we are to see if you'd like to join.. 

 D. You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 

 Yea, its D... he continues... "Bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and don't even start saying to yourselves "we have Abraham as our father", I'm telling you, God can make children of Abraham out of these stones right here. Even now, the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree that doesn't bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire". 

 John the Baptist really cuts right to the meat of the matter. What do you think the people in the crowd did?

 "Oh, this guys a radical, we need to find a different preacher" or....."I just think he came on too strong, he's going to scare people away from following God".....or "he's just so unloving with his style of preaching... his manner is so unGodly". 

 No, they didn't say any of that, they started asking John what they could do. Then, they listened to his very reasonable and Godly answers. Then he preached the good news to the people. Then he went on to terrorize Herodias about all the evil things he had done. That last bit landed him in jail and he eventually had his head chopped off. That was basically the end of John the Baptist. He was Gods man for that time. He came and fulfilled his mission. Well done John the Baptistwe need more like you. "Make his paths straight!"