Luke 3:7-18 (NRSV)
Read Luke 3:7-18 on biblegateway.com
Verse 7John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Verse 8Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Verse 9Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." Verse 10And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?" Verse 11In reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise." Verse 12Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?" Verse 13He said to them, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you." Verse 14Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what should we do?" He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages."
Verse 15As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, Verse 16John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Verse 17His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." Verse 18So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.
Devotion
I was asked to speak at the Estwing Company Christmas Dinner. I said yes before I realized that I knew nothing about how their premium hammers and tools were constructed. I had worked seven summers on construction crews. I figured that a hammer had a striker and a handle and except for a few frills, all hammers were alike.
Was I ever wrong! I took a tour of the plant and was constantly amazed by how this elite hammer was made. I watched as a crane unloaded steel rods with the thickness of a Coke can. The inspector made sure that these rods were indeed 1055 carbon, fine tool steel. The rods were cut into bars and heated to 2400 degrees. The bars were then drop forged by a series of 3,000 pound blows into the shape of a one-piece hammer. The rough edges were roto-blasted smooth.
The next step was to the oil vats. The hammers were heated to a cherry-red color and then dipped into a vat of oil. The hammers were heated again and this time dipped into a vat of ice water. The last step was placing the hammers in ovens to pull out all possible stresses, especially where the handle and striker met.
Finally the distinctive, blue, lifetime grip was molded to the handle, polished and then stamped with the esteemed name, “Estwing.” I still treasure my Estwing hammer and hatchet.
John the Baptist said that a similar process is used to mold and polish women and men for service in the kingdom of God. When Jesus comes to establish a community of faith that will endure forever, he will stamp upon their chests the esteemed name, “Redeemed.”
Prayer
Mold and shape and temper our mettle, that we might be recreated as part of the ranks of the redeemed. Amen.