Dear Christian friends:

During the past few Wednesdays we have considered several reasons why we often fail to help the hungry. One reason was that we often do not really trust our heavenly Father. Another reason is that we fail to see Jesus in the faces of the poor. In our text tonight we find another reason why we may often fail to feed the hungry. And that is because we do not truly repent. So let us attend to our text and consider the theme


In our text we see that the Jewish people were not really sorry about their sins, and they didn't truly love God in their hearts. They were all Jews and circumcised as God's law demanded of every male Jew. They went regularly to church for worship and carefully obeyed the worship rules, but in their hearts they were not truly sorry about their sins and refused to give-up their bad habits and ways.

John the Baptizer preached to them and warned them: "You brood of snakes! You are trying to escape hell without truly turning to God! That is why you want to be baptized! First go and prove by the way you live that you really have repented. And don't think you are safe because you are descendants of Abraham. That isn't enough. God can produce children of Abraham from these desert stones. The axe of His judgment is poised over you, ready to sever your roots and cut you down. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire." (verses 7-9)

If John were preaching to us tonight he will perhaps say something like this to us: "You hypocrites! You are trying to escape hell without truly changing to God and forsaking your sins! That's why you want baptism and come to church sometimes. Prove by the way you live that you have really changed to God. And don't think that you are saved because you are baptized and confirmed and joined the Lutheran Church. Anyone can join the Lutheran Church. That's not hard! That's not enough! Wake up! And be truly sorry about your sins and change your ways. Believe in Jesus, your Savior and really love Him. Or else God will punish you like a man chops down a tree that fails to produce good fruit."

When John the Baptizer preached to the Jews like that many of them woke-up and were really sorry. They asked John, "What do you want us to do?" John replied, "If you have two coats, give one to the poor. If you have extra food, give it away to those who are hungry." (verses 10-11)

I hope you will wake-up and be truly sorry like the Jews in our text. God forgives our sins because of Jesus Christ who died on the cross for us, as we hear again during the Lenten readings each Wednesday. The Holy Spirit renews you and gives you love and power to do what John told the Jews. You, too, will share your clothes and food with the poor and the hungry. When you share your money and things with the poor and the hungry you prove that you are a true believer in Jesus Christ. There are other ways you can prove that you have true faith in Jesus Christ, but during this Lenten Season we are asking you to prove it by fasting, and by bringing your offerings for world hunger.

Ms. Robin Rae Bofferding, executive director of the Fargo-Morrhead Indian Center in North Dakota writes about the severe drought in the Red River Valley area and how that caused starvation among the Indians there: "The unemployment rate for Indians rose to 72%. In 18 cases people collapsed in our Center. In the hospital they found that these Indians were weak from malnutrition approaching starvation. Some had not eaten for five days." LCMS World Relief granted $7,920. to the Indian Center in 1976 for temporary meal assistance. The funds provided immediate food to the hungry families while arrangements were being made for government assistance.

Celebrate life by true repentance! Jesus, help us to really repent and prove it by our love and service to the poor and hungry.

Amen.