Laying The Axe To The Root
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Introduction
Introduction
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.’ ”
Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.
Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him
and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,
and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
THEY DID NOT KNOW THAT THEY WERE STANDING IN THE DOORWAY OF PROPHECY!
( root and offspring of David was near… the Messiah! )
God always sends a preacher to stir the pot and Announce what’s happening!
There are 3 kinds of people:
1. Those that Make things happen
2. Those that Watch things happen
3. Those that Wonder what happened
NOW THERE IS NO DOUBT —> JOHN WAS ONE THAT MADE THINGS HAPPEN!
HIS MESSAGE WAS SIMPLE: Repent, the Kingdom is at hand! –(the church)
Repent, Because God is ready to do a new thing!
WE SHOULD BE HONORED TO BE PREACHED TO : ( God is sharing his plan )
wants us to participate
No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
FOOLISHNESS OF PREACHING —- NOT FOOLISH PREACHING
( the absurdity, the simplicity of it)
It’s absurd to take an imperfect human to preach a perfect Gospel to an imperfect world! — Absurd! Silly!
NEVERTHELESS…
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Like John’s day… so it is with ours: “WE TRY TO DISCREDIT PREACHING”
Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.
WE PAINT HIM AS SOME WILD EYED, UNEDUCATED, HICK, JACK LEG LUNATIC!
1. Camel’s Hair (type of clothing)
2. Leather Mantle
3. Locust = (some say a tree) Nevertheless, people ate locust (protein)
(– SYMBOLIC: = Locust was type of judgment| Honey was a type of Canaan
JUDGMENT IS OVER… GRACE IS ON ITS WAY!
POINT: John was not some wild eyed nut!
——> He was an articulate prophet of God filled with the H.G. from his mother’s womb who shook his world and prepared it for Jesus Christ!
MULTITUDES WERE MOVED AT HIS PREACHING… AND WERE BAPTIZED! (still works)
He challenged the Religious Order:
Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,
and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Each tree has to have fruit
YOUR PENTECOSTAL PEDIGREE WILL NOT SHIELD YOU!
— let’s see some repentance —
JOHN’S MESSAGE: ///> The axe must be laid to the root! REPENTANCE!
**** The ROOT is where things spring from ****
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
—> Our Root is our heart!
For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
P O I N T :
REPENTANCE IS NOT PRUNING!
( clipping outer edges for looks )
REPENTANCE IS LAYING AN AXE TO THE ROT IN THE ROOT!
— Some folks are only spiritually mowing the lawn —
— never getting to the bottom line of the problem! —
REPENTANCE IS = “WEED BE GONE!” —-> “Spiritual Paraquat”
GET RID OF YOUR SINFUL ACTIONS >>>>> —> “cut it out” “stop it”
Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
OUR SIN PROBLEM CAN BE WASHED AWAY IN ONE SERVICE!
(our fascination with sin isn’t)
WE ARE DRAWN BY OUR OWN LUST (strong desire) — when acted upon is sin!
O U R P R O B L E M : we use our past to justify our desires!
We constantly wish to analyze our parents etc… to explain our desires
BUT THE BIBLE DOES NOT DEAL WITH US SO:
Pronounces us Sinners and says Get on with it!
LOOK FORWARD & UPWARD!
for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.
And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.
But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
Hebrews 11:20-22 — ALL LOOKED AHEAD!
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.
choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,
HOW COULD HE DO IT?
esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.
They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented—
of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.
And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise,
God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.
NOW LISTEN UP CLOSE…
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
STOP LOOKING IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR AND GET ON WITH LIFE!
LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT & SIN:
–> Wanna know why you can’t stop DRINKING, SMOKING, CUSSING, ADULTERY, IMPROPER VIDEOS, etc…
— because you like it!
UNTIL OUR LOVE FOR HIM OVER POWERS OUR LOVE FOR SIN – NOTHING WILL CHANGE!
the axe must get laid to the root!
HERE THE INSTRUCTION!
**** Philippians 3:13
Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
“THIS ONE THING I DO”
—> only focused believers can shed the baggage & clutter of yesterday to enjoy a great tomorrow!
One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple.
UNTIL YOU AND I ARE READY TO GET FOCUSED ON OUR PRESSING NEED TO REPENT
— NOTHING ELSE IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN OUR LIFE! —
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
John said that if we would prepare ourselves with “axe to root” repentance
HE WOULD BAPTIZE US WITH THE (Acts 2:4) HOLY GHOST!
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
( that is a promise! )
ONLY 3 THINGS CAN KEEP US FROM RECEIVING:
1. Unrepentant Attitude
2. Insincerity (not hungry)
3. Lack of open Praise