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(Luke 3: 10-17)
John says three different things to three separate groups of people. Each of these can be easily categorised. The crowds are told to show compassion; the tax collectors are told to be honest and the soldiers are told to be satisfied with what they have got.
- The crowds asked him, "What then should we do?"…"The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same" (3:11).
The first requirement is for compassion and mercy on those less fortunate than us:
"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8)
- Even tax collectors(1) came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?”… He said to them, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you." (3:12)
Honesty and fairness are required of disciples. The guideline Jesus gave us is the "golden rule": "Do to others as you would have them do to you" (Luke 6:31), or to "Love your neighbour as yourself" (Luke 10:27b). Treat others the way you'd like to be treated if you were in their shoes. This is basic discipleship, the basic commandment that underlies all of God's commandments.
- Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what should we do?"…Be content with your pay (3:14).
Greek arkeo means, "be satisfied or content with something."
"But godliness with contentment (Greek autarkeia) is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it (1 Timothy 6:6-10)
"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content (Greek autarkes) whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:11-13)
What is distinctive about John’s message is that he tells people to repent and believe not to feel guilty and do their best. There are significant differences between guilt and repentance
- Guilt focuses on self; it is a state of mind – a way that you feel about yourself. Repentance focuses on action – something that you have done
- Guilt comes when you feel that there is no one for you to apologise to and so you have to forgive yourself.
- Guilt comes when you do not feel able to let something go – can’t admit that you have done all you can in a situation.
What can make it hard for me to build relationships with people is that I am so often met with ‘guilt’ rather than ‘repentance’. I meet people in the street and want to say ‘hello’. Instead I am met with this guilty warbling as they assure me that they will be in church the following Sunday. If I talk with you about the Alpha Course the best I can hope is guilt and maybe the beginnings of a little bit of exasperation – ‘oh he is at it again.’ Guilt is a useless emotion and the reason that it is so common is that we are not consciously seeking to live under the same shared kingdom values – guilt is an expression of individual morality where as repentance is an expression of collective morality.
(1) Tax collectors were hated for two reasons. First, they worked for the oppressor, the enemy, the Romans. They were viewed as traitors, turncoats, who would sell out their honor for the love of money. Second, they had a reputation for cheating their fellow citizens wherever they could. Tax collectors worked on a "farm system." A chief tax collector would bid on a contract to collect taxes from an entire district. He was responsible for collecting a certain amount. Whatever he could collect over that amount he could keep for himself. In turn, he hired others to work for him on a similar basis. Tax collectors had a strong economic incentive to collect as much as they could get away with. He doesn't tell them to stop being tax collectors. It is possible to be an honest tax collector
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