Fruits Worthy of Repentance

Luke 3:7–14 NKJV

7 Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin 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. 9 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.” 10 So the people asked him, saying, “What shall we do then?” 11 He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” 12 Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than what is appointed for you.” 14 Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?” So he said to them, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.”

Last week we talked about John’s baptism of repentance. This baptism was not the same as the baptism that Jesus instituted

Matthew 28:18–20 NKJV

18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

We can confirm that there is a difference between these baptisms from.

Acts 19:1–7 NKJV

1 And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 2 he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. 7 Now the men were about twelve in all.

We also talked last week about how that baptism was not an entirely foreign concept. The Jews had many cleaning rituals for purification. But this was, however, somewhat unique in that it was a baptism of repentance. That is, it was a washing in order to signify that the person had repented of their sins.

Repentance is a turning, its a reversal of your direction.

in Eph 2:1-2

Ephesians 2:1–2 NKJV

1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,

we see that we once walked according to the course of this world according to the prince of the power of the air.

but we read further down

Ephesians 2:10 NKJV

10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

So to walk according to the course that God has set for us we must have a reversal in our life. Turn for walking the way of satan and begin to walk the way of God.

Repentance it the decision will no longer walk this way but i’m going to walk that way.

It doesn’t mean that we won’t stumble or that we won’t sometime walk the wrong way. But we have determined to walk in the way of God. This discussion should be evident in our actions.

So John’s baptism confronts the Jewish people in that they believed that they were God’s people simply because they were Israelites. But John says you must repent turn away from the wrong path and turn to God’s path.

But still many received Johns message and repented and were baptised. But there were others who came to spy on John, to find out what all this commotion was about?

John 1:19–27 NKJV

19 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,” ’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” 24 Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. 27 It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”

This is John’s account of what Luke has recorded in Luke 3 and we can see that the account in Matt also confirms this.

Matthew 3:7 NKJV

7 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?

So by cross referencing the gospels we can get a fuller picture of what is going on. The specific people that John is addressing in Luke 3:7 is the Pharisees and the Sadducees as well as priest and Levites who had come out specifically to find out what all the stir was about concerning this crazy guy who was telling people to repent and be baptised.

Brood of Vipers

Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Of course John knew that they were not there because they were concerned about the wrath to come, they were there to spy on and question him. But his question to them was meant to highlight that they should be concerned about the wrath to come. These were the hebrews of the hebrews. They were not just Israelites they were the religious teachers and leaders. As God chosen people they did not believe that they were in danger of God’s wrath or judgement.

Romans 2:1–3 NKJV

1 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. 3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?

Romans 2:17–24 NKJV

17 Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God, 18 and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law. 21 You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? 22 You who say, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? 24 For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” as it is written.

So these religious leaders were gathered to see what John was doing and John begins to preach to them.

Brood of vipers he calls them that is they were the offspring of vipers. The connection with that old serpent satan seems evident and in line with what Jesus said of these same groups

John 8:44 NKJV

44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

Vipers are poisonous as were the teachings of these religious leaders. They were as the blind leading the blind.

So John tells them

Luke 3:8 NKJV

8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin 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.

Fruit of Repentance

Fruits worthy of repentance is the evidence in your life that you have made a decision to turn from going satan’s way to going God’s way. If you have indeed made that decision then there will be evidence.

And don’t say “we have Abraham as our father” You cannot escape the wrath of God because you are Jewish. With God there is no partiality. You may be jewish but if you don’t bear fruit then

Luke 3:9 NKJV

9 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.”

John 15:1–2 NKJV

1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

John 15:6 NKJV

6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

Romans 11:16–22 NKJV

16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.

1 John 2:19 NKJV

19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.

Luke 3:10–14 NKJV

10 So the people asked him, saying, “What shall we do then?” 11 He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” 12 Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than what is appointed for you.” 14 Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?” So he said to them, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.”

You are not saved by your good works but you were save unto good works. You will be know by your fruit. One who has truely repented will bear fruit worthy of repentance. if you are not bearing fruit but claim to be a child of God even now the ax is laid at the root of the tree.