PODCAST
Not Our Relatives or Nationality
January 18th, 2016
Matthew 3:1-17
One of the ministry realities we face is what I call “spiritual osmosis.” On a train from Athens to Thessaloniki, I befriended a young man. He asked why I lived in eastern Europe. I replied that I simply had a call from God to be here. I asked him if he was an Orthodox Christian. He replied, “Of course, I’m orthodox. I’m Greek!” As we discussed the church and faith, he later told me he didn’t believe in God.
There are many like this young man, yet there are even more who consider themselves Christian, believe in God, but aren’t really actively following Jesus.
In Matthew 3, we find a similar situation, but with a different twist. John the Baptist is confronted with a group of people who were going through the motions of religion. In verse 9, he says, “And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.” Neither our parents, nor our nationality makes us a part of God’s family, but only a personal faith in Jesus.
Author: Doug Mann
