1
While Jesus was living in the Galilean hills, John, called "the Baptizer," was preaching in the desert country of Judea.
2
His message was simple and austere, like his desert surroundings: "Change your life. God's kingdom is here."
3
John and his message were authorized by Isaiah's prophecy: Thunder in the desert! Prepare for God's arrival! Make the road smooth and straight!
4
John dressed in a camel-hair habit tied at the waist by a leather strap. He lived on a diet of locusts and wild field honey.
5
People poured out of Jerusalem, Judea, and the Jordanian countryside to hear and see him in action.
6
There at the Jordan River those who came to confess their sins were baptized into a changed life.
7
When John realized that a lot of Pharisees and Sadducees were showing up for a baptismal experience because it was becoming the popular thing to do, he exploded: "Brood of snakes! What do you think you're doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to make any difference?
8
It's your life that must change, not your skin!
9
And don't think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as father. Being a descendant of Abraham is neither here nor there. Descendants of Abraham are a dime a dozen.