Episode 1022: The Joy Behind Calling Them Out

[00:00:00] Scott Maderer: Thanks for joining me on episode 1022 of the inspired stewardship podcast.

[00:00:07] Julio Muhorro: I'm Julio muhorro and I challenge you to invest in yourself, invest in others, develop your influence and impact the road by using your time, your talent and your treasures to live out your calling. Having the ability to develop yourself is key.

[00:00:23] And one way to be inspired to do. Having the ability to develop yourself is key. And one way to be inspired to do that is to listen to this, the inspired stewdarship podcast with my very good friends, but mainly,

[00:00:39] Scott Maderer: and by the way, tax collectors were as hate as then, as they are now. He's actually saying, if you have a position of authority, take care of the people that you have authority over, don't abuse them live with a spirit of generosity. If you have extra, share it with others, live in community with [00:01:00] each other.

[00:01:01] Welcome and thank you for joining us on the inspired stewardship podcasts. If you truly desire to become the person who God wants you to be, then you must learn to use your time, your talent and your treasures for your true color in the inspired stewardship podcast school. Learn to invest in yourself, invest in others and develop your influence so that you can impact the world.

[00:01:27] and today's spiritual foundation episode about investing in others. I talk with you about Luke chapter three, verses seven through 18. I share how John's message is more joy than anger, even though it calls people out. I also share how this still applies to us today. Luke chapter three, verses seven through 18.

[00:01:51] Begins like the. John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him. You brood of Vipers who [00:02:00] warned you to flee from the wrath to come bear 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.

[00:02:16] Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees and every tree, therefore that does not bear good. Fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. And the crowds asked him what then should we do? And reply? He said to them, whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none and whoever has food must do.

[00:02:36] Likewise. Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they asked him teacher, what should we do? And he said to them collect no more than the amount prescribed for you. Soldiers 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.

[00:02:59] [00:03:00] As the people were filled with expectation and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah. John 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.

[00:03:24] His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his grainery. But the chaff, he will burn with unquenchable. So with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people. Now this is being recorded during the advent season, the season of waiting in anticipation of Christmas of the coming.

[00:03:52] And the truth is this season is always hard on me because there's gray skies. There's rain, there's [00:04:00] cold. There's the busy-ness of the holiday. I have some personal reasons why Christmas is always a difficult holiday for me, in terms of some family loss and history of different, stressful things that always come up around this time of the year.

[00:04:17] And the truth is it's dreary. Underneath it, there is still joy. Now I will be honest. That's something that I struggled to find for many years, but now I'm able to see that underneath it. There's still joy. There's this persistent transforming Joel. And Christmas isn't really about that temporary joy of the season or the joy you get.

[00:04:44] Whenever you get a really cool gift or the joy that we have around other things, but rather it's a reminder, at least the intent is that it's a reminder that this joy is [00:05:00] always ours, that we have, but to look for. But sometimes we need a little calling out a little kick in the pants, a little pointer to remind us of that.

[00:05:15] Or that's what this message from John is. I know when I read this passage, I hear what sounds like anger, not what sounds like joy. I hear like this idea of calling people out. It begins with you brood of Vipers, which. A pretty strong statement. And yet it's also a message of joy. It ends with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

[00:05:46] And I always think it's funny whenever the Bible says things like that because it immediately makes me think, wait, whoa, wait, what are you leaving out? What else did he say? What else did he call out? What else did he [00:06:00] point out as something that people weren't doing? The truth is this is good news, but it's also good news because what John is doing is pointing out the comparison, that the fact that there's bad news, because the truth is without.

[00:06:19] Badness. We wouldn't see the goodness either. We have to know that things are rough sometimes to be able to recognize when things get better. In fact, he calling people out for thinking they're special. They're children of Abraham, but they're really not special. And it, I don't know about you, but when people call me out, my first instinct is to push back and say, wait, that's not true.

[00:06:52] But in this case, they say, what then should we do, what should our response be? They [00:07:00] don't say that's not true. They don't say this is horrible. They say, what should we do? And John actually gives them hope. He doesn't look at them and say you're out of luck. You screwed up so badly that.

[00:07:13] This is just going to be the end for you. Instead, he points out to different people, what they should do and what he sums it up as is bare fruit. As in live it out, live out the good dues. If you're a soldier, look for justice. If you're a tax collector, look for fairness, don't abuse, your power.

[00:07:35] Don't threaten others. And by the way, tax collectors were as hate as then, as they are. Now. He's actually saying, if you have a position of authority, take care of the people that you have a thorn it over, don't abuse them live with a spirit of generosity. If you have extra, share it with others, live in community with each other.

[00:07:58] Not to [00:08:00] earn repentance. Yes. It says bear fruit worthy of repentance, but not really tough to earn it, but do it because you understand it because you've decided this and now you're living it out because you have repented, you will bear fruit worthy of repentance. The repentance causes the fruit, not the other way around.

[00:08:23] The truth is it's letting us know that there is a moment of joy, even in this moment of quote, calling people out. This, isn't a statement that it's our job to go around and call people out. That's not what I'm saying. And in fact, usually when we do that, what we discover is often the very thing that we're seeing and irritated by and calling out in others in some way is present in our life as well.

[00:08:57] Instead, this is a call [00:09:00] for you to recognize. Where you should be called out, where are you needing the good news in your life? Where are you needing to give something up? So that next year, so that the next week, so that tomorrow, so that in the next few minutes, you're life. Is better and living more in community, more in generosity, more in an authority that is fair, as opposed to Tyron nickel, where are you meant to live out the message of advent and the message of joy.

[00:09:38] Thanks for listening.

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