This painting, "Repaint Ye Thinner!" was done on a program called Fresh Paint and it is based on Matthew 3:1-12.
Matthew spent two chapters on the background of Jesus and now chapter three finally introduces the forerunner, John the Baptist. From the wilderness of Judea he preached this message: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come." His message was the message of repentance to turn hearts to the Lord. The Prophet Isaiah spoke of the forerunner saying: "A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ’Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’" This was his life and message, "a voice of one calling in the wilderness." He gave himself to Christ and his message continued to live. He didn't wear fancy clothes or eat fancy food. He lived a simple life depending on the word of God.
It seems like one man preaching a message of repentance in the wilderness would not make much of a difference, but all the people went out to him from the whole country. They confessed their sins and were baptized by him in the Jordan River. John was preparing them to receive Christ and the kingdom of God. He welcomed all who came to him with a repentant heart. He baptized them as a sign that they had repented and decided to live as children of God.
The Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing were different from the people who had repented. John said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?" They came to avoid the coming wrath, but they did not repent. John warned them: "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance." Not only should they repent outwardly but their life should bear the fruit of repentance. There should be some change when they repent. If we come to God sincerely and repent we bear the fruit of humbleness and patience and grace and love and peace and understanding and compassion. Just to know that our father welcomes us when we repent and we can be called the children of God is the beginning of bearing much fruit. The Pharisees and Sadducees missed this blessing.
Many were proud saying to themselves, "We have Abraham as our father." They didn't think they needed to repent because theirs was the inheritance. The problem was that they held on to the physical inheritance but missed the spiritual blessing. Abraham was an old man. He had nothing to him except that when God called, he followed. If they were the children of Abraham they should do the same. Our life is limited in time and space and energy. As we get older we find it is not so easy to bear fruit, but our life must bear fruit. We must be always be growing like a child and be strong in Jesus' living water then we can produce good fruit. A tree that does not produce good fruit is only good for dried up fire wood. Our life should be more than that. When it comes down to it, our life is not the accomplishments or achievements we made. Life is simply a pilgrimage accepting what has been given us and who we are with thanksgiving and in every way acknowledge and praise to our creator until he comes again.
John the Baptist baptized with water. Those who repented were cleansed in water and came out with a decision of faith to live for God's kingdom. But there is no power in water itself to change the inner heart. Spiritual fire is necessary. Jesus has that Spirit and fire. Jesus baptizes with Spirit and fire. When we look at our life and see not much going on, we sometimes forget that we are the ones who are baptized with Spirit and fire by Jesus. But we are the ones God uses. How many years did John spend in the dessert listening to the word of God before he even spoke one word? How much criticism and questioning from the religious leaders did he endure each day during his public ministry? John didn't even bother to think about himself. He instead used every opportunity to point to Jesus. John said: "His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire." The wheat was to be harvested. John saw that the harvest of souls belonged to the Lamb of God. For some who repented and sought good and immortality they bore good fruit and received eternal life. For those who did evil and spent their life criticizing and complaining, they were burned up with the wheat.
Our life is not a burn out life. Maybe we are not as rich as Abraham or as cool Jacob in Genesis, but we have something they could only see from a distance. We have the knowledge of salvation through Jesus Christ. To have been saved and redeemed is the greatest grace. I'm thankful for the voices like John the Baptist although he was only a voice that voice was heard. We are the voice in the wilderness. We cannot see so many people face to face today, but when we do we are the voice to shine the light and hope brightly.
