April 10, 2019

BIBLE READING: MATTHEW 3

1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

I saw yesterday that they have invented a robot that can play ping pong with an individual on a regular ping-pong table. It can literally sense the movement of the person, his paddle, and the movement of the ball, and react by hitting the ball back. It amazes me what they always come up with next in the world of technology. Whatever you purchase today is out of date tomorrow. It is a constantly progressing world. Things are continuously changing. Golfers hit the ball further than past generations have, basketball players jump higher than previous generations, and baseball players are hitting the ball further. People are running faster, technology is advancing quicker, and culture and trends change daily.

In the middle of all that is something that has never changed. John the Baptist was the first person to daily preach of the coming, arrival, and power of Jesus Christ. He was known as the “forerunner“ of Jesus Christ. The message that the first real evangelist preached was very simple. John said “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”. In a world of ever-changing things, this message has always stayed the same. Repent, because Jesus is coming. While religion has advanced, church facilities have modernized, and Christian organizations have profited, the true message is still simple. People are confused today because we have confused the message. We have watered down, misinterpreted, and avoided this simple clear message. No one wants to be told that they must repent. No one wants to be told that Jesus is the only way. Everyone needs to be told that Jesus is coming again. So, in a complicated culture, let’s keep things simple. “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”.