Advent Week 2 - Peace

Turn to the Kingdom 2

Good morning GracePointe. Do you have a go to holiday Christmas album? Are you finding your favorite spotify playlist?

My family listens to a holiday ablum by JD Mcpherson called socks. Great music, humor, and the perfect soundtrack to all that goes into the holiday season. One of the songs on the album is called “All the gifts I need” and just recently, I started listening to that song in a different way. Listen to the lyrics of the first verse...

Happiness is automatic There's music in the air Grab the boxes from the attic And haul 'em down the stairs Freezing weather's round the corner And everybody knows Soon the tree will be all lit up Sparkling as it glows Today is anything but the same old thing I can almost hear those sleigh bells ring Singing all those happy songs While the little ones all dance along I take a real quick look around Suddenly I see It's not even Christmas yet I got all the gifts I need

I expect in your life and I know in my life....I can forget about what is most important. I can forget the warning in the words of the song....Today is anything but the same old thing. We can go through our day, our week, our month and begin to find the days all blend together. But today is anything but the same old thing.

SERMON SERIES THEME:

We’re beginning, here at the onset of December, to have a split vision looking back on Jesus putting on flesh and the glory of that first Christmas, but also looking ahead to the completion of His return. Advent is the season of looking toward the coming of Jesus the Messiah. We are waiting with anticipation on the day that hope, peace, joy, and love are not just passing things but our whole existence in eternity in the full presence of Christ. So we remember the promise....of the Savior Born and the Saviors Return. During Advent we remember the promise.

BIG IDEA

Today, In Matthew 3:1-12, we will see how John the baptist bursts onto the scene and gives us a stark, direct warning that the day is different and we must react. But we cannot avoid what John is bringing.

Every single Gospel writer mentions John. He is a critical figure. Jesus himself said that of those born of women, no one is greater than John. He introduced people to Jesus!

And yet, if I am honest, he scares me a little bit as this larger than life type A wild man who I imagine is always yelling.

He seems to bellow but as I have read and re-read the text, I find myself hearing it different. The day is different.

The day is different because the King is here...and our reaction to the king is repentance. Today we want to see in John’s Message that We are to prepare for the kingdom today and in preparation for the return of Christ by changing so deeply that our attitudes and actions reflect the King and His Kingdom.

We are going to be in Matthew 3:1-12 today.

Let’s start in verses 1 and 2. Matthew 3:1-2

Matthew 3:1–2 NIV

1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

John the Baptist-

In Matthew, we get to see this jump using the words “In those Days” which jumps us approx 25-30 years later from chapter 2. Like a netflix subtitle…30 years later.... We see John’s backstory in Luke and follow his parents, Elizabeth and Zachariah and the miraculous proclamation of his arrival.

But here in Matthew, it is dropped quite suddenly.

Ministry of Repentance

Mission

We see John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea. Not hillcountry. Not a forest. Every commentary I could find described it as a desolate wasteland. It also sounded like where I grew up!

There is a connection between Israel and the wilderness. Through out God’s word, we see God’s people would turn away from Him, He would exile them to wander. Adam and Eve and being thrown out of the garde, Israel wandering in the desert, Kings of Judah and Israel being exiled due to idolatry.

Here, the point is being made that God’s people are in the promised land but spiritually, they are still int he wilderness.

Now, Right away we can identify some connections with John the Baptist.

Scripture Fulfilled

Matthew is connecting John with the figure described in Isaiah 40:3

Isaiah 40:3 NIV

3 A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

John the Baptist is the herald, the one who is telling the people the King who takes away the sins of the world, not just yours, but the worlds, is on his way.Malachi 4:5 says that a prophet, Elijah, will come before the Lord. Malachi 4:5

Jesus and the angel Gabriel say it plainly that John the Baptist is the promised Elijah in Matthew 11:14 and Luke 1:17.

Even his manner connects with this concept. We see in Matthew 3:4

Matthew 3:4 NIV

4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.

This is the image of a tough prophet living in harsh conditions, and eating food that I think I would describe as poor version of the food pyramid. Probably popular keto diet today. But there is the description of John…now Look at 2 Kings 1:8

In 2 Kings 1:8

2 Kings 1:8 NIV

8 They replied, “He had a garment of hair and had a leather belt around his waist.” The king said, “That was Elijah the Tishbite.”

John the Baptist did not live, dress, or talk like other religious leaders. Rather, his garment of camel’s hair and his leather belt about his waist were befitting someone in mourning. Even his clothes connect Him as the one foretold.

It is comforting and wondrous to see how God’s word is good and that it connects in so many places. We see that John’s Mission to prepare the way and his message all factor into that which was foretold.

So What was John’s Message?

Message - Repentance

John had one message. Imagine the complaint cards as he continues to preach the same message over and over. But its true he had one message. “Repent for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand”. Repent is the first thing and the central thing to His message. It was his one message.

Today, we should remember that repentance is vital to the life of anyone wanting to be in the Kingdom of God. One commentary pointed to the fact that.... (enduring word commentary)

“Repentance is considered the first word of the gospel as it is the thing John preaches. Later, Jesus preaches this same message. After Jesus is resurrected, the 12 disciples preach repentance, Jesus says we are to preach repentance and remission of sins. Jesus came not for the righteous....but he came for sinners to repentance.”

Repentance in the greek indicated the change of mind that is drastic, and resulting in action.

Not a feeling although it can have feelings connected to it.

Teacher and Author, Bruce Wilkinson says “Repentance means you change your mind so deeply…that it changes you”. It is a change of all aspects of you. Your change of mind that leads to a change of heart and down to the depths of your soul. This is the change that John the Baptist is preaching. To leave the old world, and embrace the new world God is offering. Have you changed in this way?

We are to change our minds on what? Small things like preferences, sports teams, and methods.

No . We are to change our minds on that which so easily entangles us. Sin.

Repentance is a fundamental turnaround involving grief, mind and action which results in ‘fruit in keeping with repentance.’ as DA Carson wrote.

Do we grieve our sin? When your eyes, your lips, your hands, your emotions, your thoughts lead you away from the Kingdom? Do we grieve?

Sin would have us believe the lies....“This is ok, makes me feel good, solves my problems....elevates me, I have earned this. I cannot change”

But repentance is “This is not ok. This is not pleasing to God which means its not for His glory. It is not for my good. It makes my problems worse and I need to change my direction to HIM.. And this change produces action, visible in our lives.

It is not grief or sorrow alone that is repentance. We see that in 2 Cor 7:10

2 Corinthians 7:10 NIV

10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

Worldly sorrow brings regret and descent into the depths. We all have experienced this regret.

Godly sorrow brings repentance. Brings about whole life change. Because it requires humility. Sorrow brings shame. Repentance brings hope.

John’s message, his only message; Change your mind to the degree that your whole self is changed.

But why?

The Kingdom of God is near

John is not saying repent only. John’s main message is repent....because FOR Kingdom of God is near. The call to repentance was the response to the news that the King and His kingdom were coming

As we have seen in sermon on the mount, the Kingdom of God has to do with where His rule is. The Rule and Reign of God in the hearts and minds of His People that results in making the invisible kingdom very visible as John Calvin said. We do that by living and witnessing the reality of God’s rule and reign in our friendships, marriages, parenting, jobs, schools, social media posts, how we treat our enemies, our checkbooks......on and on and on. We are subjects and citizens of heaven.

John is stepping in and saying....the King is on the way…are you prepared?

Prepare the way of the Lord

John was sent to prepare the way of the Lord.

The word picture used here is that of making the roads ready for royalty. But in this instance, spiritually, the road is the life one is leading. Is your life, that is your heart, mind, soul and strength, ready for the royalty of Jesus, the promised king. If it isn’t, the invitation is there to repent cause He is close. He is at hand. There are things in your life that are keeping you from the Lord. Prepare the way!

Fruit of the Message

We see how this message is received in v 5-6. Matthew 3:5-6

Matthew 3:5–6 NIV

5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

Isn’t it interesting that the people went out to him....there was a wonderful response to John’s message. People are coming from all around the area to be baptized by John in the River Jordan, we read they are confessing sins. Many people who recognized their sinfulness, their need to get ready for the Messiah, and were willing to do something about it. The fruit of that message was great as many came to know Jesus because of John.

Baptized

They were baptised. They were dipped and submerged. Baptism is a picture of someone taking a white cloth and dipping it in colored paint. The sheet took on the character and color of whatever it was dipped in. People were being dipped and submerged in the life John was pointing them to. That is, preparing for the kingdom of God. It could and will have a sermon all on its own at some point.

It is important to note just how offensive a message of repentance and the action of baptism to Jews would have been. Commentary by William Barclay puts it this way...”“Baptism was for sinners, and no Jew ever conceived of himself as a sinner shut out from God.”

It’s astonishing, it’s scandalous.

For a Jew in John’s day to submit to baptism was essentially to say, “I confess that I am as far away from God as a Gentile and I need to get right with Him.” This was a real work of the Holy Spirit.

John the baptist is telling people, you need to get right because the King is here. Confess your sins, choose the gift of repentance, and live out that choice by humbling yourself through baptism.

Response of Repentance

The fruit of the message John was giving is great. But not everyone was enjoying this message. Not everyone was getting it. Lets read verses 7-8

Matthew 3:7–8 NIV

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

Our first introduction to the Pharisees and Sadducees. These are two important groups are very different and often in conflict.

The Pharisees

The Pharisees believed themselves righteous by keeping the law… Mostly poor or middle class, the pharisees were obsessed with law and ritual purity. Wanting to be keepers of the law, they now were in hypocrisy. Their perceived righteousness was their idol.

They often misinterpreted the law when it was convenient for them while also holding up traditions as equal to Scripture. This would be the group that could not believe Christ would heal on the sabbath. Would eat with sinners and claim to forgive sins? Would cast out demons with power they could not understand?

The Sadducees

These were folks who adhered to the law given by Moses and that found in the Torah. They rejected any oral laws that came about. These were political society elite who dipped there toes in outward religion. They felt that God was absent of their daily lives now. They were known to not believe in the miraculous.

John Piper put it like this "They, the Sadducees did not put much stock in the supernatural. They also did not hold highly the prophets but rather focused most of the attention to the writings of Moses.”

These were the schemers who would plot to have Jesus killed. This group would be the deniers of the resurrection.

That is the group, the pharisees and the sadducees, that walk up to John as he is walking people through confessing their sins and baptizing them. What is John’s response to them?

John’s Response

You brood of vipers.

This is a nasty insult from a prophet of God. Let me put it differently so we can feel the weight of it...John is saying “ You worthless conniving creatures who crawl on your bellies spiritually. You vile slithering biting chaos inducing snakes who would eat your mothers to satisfy your own desires. . Whew…Type A Wildman.

John is in line with the message of the OT prophets, especially Elijah who spoke boldly against Israel and Judah.

John tells them the same message, produce fruit of repentance. Don’t just come down here and look. Don’t just get dunked because it might look good. Repent for the Kingdom is here.

John was pointing out that that they were in grave sin and they either didn’t know it or pretended that they were alright with God because of who they were.

John goes down that road in verse 9.

Matthew 3:9 NIV

9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.

“Don’t say that just because we’re Jewish, because we’re God’s chosen people, everything will be ok.” John reminds them that God is God and they are not. In fact, he uses the term stones. Whether he was talking about pagans, or literal stones, most commentators agree that the term stone was considered the most lifeless thing. In essence, God can take the most dead thing…a rock....and bring descendants!

What matters to God is fruit in keeping with repentance. Your parents, your background, God looks at the heart. Nothing matters except repentance because the Kingdom of God is here.

We all have a choice when it comes to repentance. John outlines in verses 10 and also 12 that the Lord gives consequences to repentant and unrepentant people.

Matthew 3:10–12 NIV

10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 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.”

Our lives need to show evidence that we have turned away from sin, and have turned toward God. The decisive identifying mark of a living tree is the fruit that it bears. No fruit, the tree is dead. It doesn’t matter how good the stock of that tree is…Old World Oak or Mahogany....no fruit means it isn’t a living tree.

The decisive identifying mark of someone in the kingdom of God is a life that hopes in Christ and bears the fruit of repentance. Here me on this... If the core of your life is something other than Jesus, it will not satisfy. Now or for eternity.

John continues in pointing to Christ who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. John’s baptism is not the same as that of the One who is coming after him (Acts 18:25; 19:3–6). John says his baptism is for repentance, turning from sin to live in faithfulness to God. All who want to be spared from God's wrath must repent, but eternal salvation requires that change of heart be tied to faith in Christ (John 3:16–18).

APPLICATION

If you are like me today, you are thinking well....there are some things I do well. Let’s talk about those!

But friends, we must embrace the message of John the Baptist. If you are breathing…you need the gift of repentance. Repentance is a declaration of a radical life change, not mere grief or sorrow. We come out of exile and into the presence of God!

We should embrace repentance for ourselves and others.but today we like to avoid hearing peoples mistakes. We discourage being honest and vulnerable. We are repulsed by peoples mistakes. Can I just say that if all have fallen short of the glory of God, why are we surprised or shocked? Rather we should encourage and rally around repentance. God is glorified in repentance!

Repentance is not an outward action only....it is not pretend time. This is not what God is looking for. We are a brood of vipers if we pretend with our repentance. If we just go through the motions…remember God looks at the heart. Not your perceived good deeds.

Here at GracePointe and many other Christ-following churches, we want to be a place of help and hope for people who admit they are sinners and a desire to turn their lives around. We are a place where people come to repent. Repentance is a gift for all as we live out the transformation of choosing Christ.

Repentance is something that we hear today and we can be transformed. One beautiful way that we display this transformation is through baptism...

Baptism is a public display of humility and hope as we live out Romans 6:4

Romans 6:4 NIV

4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

Perhaps you haven’t made that choice to be baptized. Any of the pastors or elders would love to talk with you about it.

Robert Webber points to the fact that, if we already been baptized, repentance is a way for us to live in the power of our baptism in the daily rhythm and reminder of repentance. We are buried with Christ and we rise as new people with a new life. As we repent, we are reminding ourselves of the public declaration of dying and rising with Christ.

As we end today, How you are to change your mind so deeply that it changes all of you....and causes action that results in turning back to God.

The first thing you can do is... acknowledge that you need help.

Joel 2:12–13 NIV

12 “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” 13 Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.

The second thing you can do is confess your sin. Psalm 32:5

Psalm 32:5 NIV

5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.

Forgiveness....The indescribable relief from that previously ever-present burden of guilt. We want that. I want that. It is a wonderful joyous part of the gospel…that Jesus is mighty to save. He is faithful to forgive.

Finally, the third thing is choose a love of Christ above all else. Above your own pleasure. Above your own dreams. Above your need to be liked. Die to yourself and live a life of love for Christ first and foremost. When we love Christ, we live out Colossians 1:10

Colossians 1:10 NIV

10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,

Today, want to remember repentance in light of the promise of Christ’s return. The hope, peace, joy, and love that we see glimpses of in this life only come through repentance. May we prepare for eternity by embracing the gift of repentance and see the Kingdom come and His will done on earth as it is in heaven.

Let us pray

GracePointe, May you go this week and live out the thriving life of Hebrews 12:1-2

Hebrews 12:1–2 NIV

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

May you experience peace this week through Christ. Have a great day and we will see you next week.