When the people were shown a way of living up to those ethics that didn’t demand Pharisaic hypocrisy or Herodian compromise with the world (those two kinds of spiritual leaven Jesus warned against), they were often ready indeed to receive it. I suspect they often were much better prepared to respond to John the Baptist and Jesus (despite the disdain of their leaders for “this people who do not know the law [and] are cursed”) than many who come into contact with the Church of God today are prepared to respond to the Church.

I do think there is a possibility of “on location” shots in the future for the program. We’ll have to see!

Actually on a more serious note, has it ever been brought up about doing camera shoots off location? Like, I can imagine some episode about showing the world tommorrow within a farmstead. The crop bearing fields, the shelter of a barn, animals being sheparded and children running around the backyard. Walking and talking through those backgrounds would stir the mind, perhaps plant it back in the God given ground.

Anyhow that is probably going off subject somewhat. I find the practically of the tank excellent, a demonstration of the ingenuity created within the human mind given to us men. And in a pinch, not to mention the empty 200 gal fish tank I used to own.

As for John the Baptist, I think the power, clarity, nature, and scriptural truth of his message helped his hearers to recognize his status as a prophet, as may have some surviving tales concerning his conception and birth. His clothing probably helped, as it would have called to mind the dress of some prophets of the Old Testament.

And, yes, those in the first century seemed to understand that when you find the Lord of All Things, you commit to Him. God had certainly fertilized the soil, as it were, for the planting and establishing of His church. But that said, I can fault no one for taking Christ’s advice to count the cost seriously. I simply think that back then many had a more accurate picture of the true costs involved.

Thanks for writing.

I was baptised in a portable dunk tank. It was a solemn occasion to mark my identification with Christ, having been born again to a lively hope in Jesus. Afterward, people were dunked for fun. As far as I can tell from the scriptures, any convenient puddle that was large enough was perfectly suitable.

I do find it remarkable that John was able to baptize so many by having them come to him. In Mark’s account, we read that, “there went out to him all the land of Judaea, and Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him…”

Christ’s remarks about him, when he asked, “What went ye out to see?” imply that the people thought John a prophet. What do you think it was that convinced so many people of this? Jesus did miracles and people were skeptical of him, but John did no miracles. We don’t read that he healed anyone, or fed anyone, and though some wondered, he denied being the Christ.

John’s ministry was certainly unique, and perhaps the church’s baptisms described in Acts and the epistles is more perfectly an example we can follow. I’ve witnessed a few baptisms besides my own, but I find it remarkable how the accounts in the scriptures appear to describe people that were ready to jump in the water as soon as they had heard the gospel, not after taking Christianity for a few months or years test drive to see if they like it first.