May 30

    John met them with the scathing inquiry, "O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance; and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham."

          Desire of Ages, page 106 from the chapter, 'The voice in the wilderness'

     I hope I am seeing something very positive here. The time-serving rabbis and the attention seeking scribes came to be baptised in order to get the attention of the ordinary people. Shame on them! John rebukes these individuals.

     That said, the rebuke hides a hint of hope. Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance; and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham."

     The English grammar here suggests that there is something for the rabbis to embark on, a future where they might change their minds about who their Father was.

     Consider this, is it possible that the Scribes and Pharisees were so intent on attracting attention to themselves because they had a poor understanding of God?

     We may have seen two things in the reading. God still offers hope even to Scribes and Pharisees, and that a correct understanding of who God is, is really important for us to truly understand salvation and how to live our lives.

     The song for today opens with a mandolin solo, which means that we are back with country gospel and that I have a smile on my face. Bryn has chosen ‘Cast the first stone’ which is sung by the Isaacs. Click on the picture to listen