Receiving the Spirit

Luke 3:7–18 ESV

7 He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” 10 And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” 11 And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” 12 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 you are authorized to do.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.” 15 As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, 16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” 18 So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people.

The passage from Luke 3:7-18 invites us to reflect on the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. As John the Baptist calls the people to repentance, he emphasizes the necessity of a tangible and radical change in their hearts and actions. This call is about avoiding wrath and embracing a new life in Christ, marked by the fruits of repentance and empowered by the Holy Spirit. This text explores how the Spirit prepares us for new life, calls us to repentance that manifests in real-world change, and empowers us to fulfill God's mission in the world.

1. The Holy Spirit prepares us for new life in Christ. (vs. 7-9)

When the people come to John to be baptized, he does not greet them like a pastor might traditionally greet those who have heard him preach. He calls them a “brood of vipers.” Why would he say this? John does not mince words with people. He calls them out for what they are. You can see this when he stands before Herod, which ends up getting him killed. But John is evident in the condition of the people’s hearts. They are spiritual vipers. The phrase can also be translated as “sons of snakes.” This is a direct reference to the serpent in the Garden of Eden. The destructive evil of Satan has overtaken the nation of Israel. John rebukes the spiritual powers that have kept the people from knowing God fully. Now is their time to leave behind their claim of being God’s people simply because they are from Abraham. As we discussed last week, the rites and rituals of Judaism are not enough for the people to be in a relationship with God. They must repent and turn to him.

‌For us, repentance leads to a new life in Christ. The fruit of repentance is living in obedience to God. This is all the work of the Holy Spirit. When we are connected to Christ, we abide in him, and we will bear fruit. That is, we will live under the will of God rather than ourselves. Not living this way means that we will be tossed away and separated from Christ. According to Jesus in John 15:5-6, we cannot bear fruit or have evidence of salvation without living an obedient life. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. Wesley says this work of the Spirit is the consequence of the inward change to fulfill all external righteousness. We are to walk as Christ walked.

‌The Holy Spirit prepares us for our new life in Christ. By his transformative power, we become a reflection of Christ in the world. It is a reversal of our natures. Humanity was not created to be separated from God but to be his vice-regents over all creation. We were to always commune with the Lord in his presence. We were created in his image. Instead, humanity chose to be the sons and daughters of the snake. We decided to be a brood of vipers who live according to our sinful desires in disobedience to God. When we repent, we leave that life and live in Christ. The Holy Spirit does the work to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, but we must be willing to give those things up to be holy and righteous. We must make a different choice than the one in the Garden. We must choose a new life in Christ so the Holy Spirit can remake us.

2. Repentance involves tangible change. (vs. 10-14)

Luke divides those listening to John into three groups: the crowds, the tax collectors, and the soldiers. They all ask the same question, “What shall we do?” How are they going to be saved from the wrath to come? There must be action associated with a change of heart. One cannot continue doing the same things before without repentance. It must be a tangible change. James tells us in James 2:26, “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.” This is not to say that works save us. But there must be something different about our lives when we turn toward God and away from sin. This is the heart of holiness. We give up our sins and begin to lead lives worthy of repentance.

‌For each group, John gives real-world responses to their question. To the crowds, he says they are to share their possessions with the less fortunate. For the tax collectors, they are not to bilk people out of money to line their pockets. The same is true for the soldiers. They are not to extort the people for money by claiming false accusations against them. The point is simple. If you turn from sin, you are called to love your neighbor. Loving our neighbor means that we reflect the nature and character of God. If the Spirit resides in us, there must be a change in our behavior toward those around us. It must be a change that others can see.

‌As Methodists, we talk about this in terms of works of piety and works of mercy. This is something that we talk about a lot. However, we must understand that “bearing fruit in keeping with repentance” involves these works. Repentance produces evidence of change. That evidence is summed up in works of piety and works of mercy. Works of piety include prayer, fasting, worship, Bible study, attending to the sacraments, Christian fellowship, and confession. These are signs of someone who is spiritually healthy. One is connected to the vine and does not wither but is strengthened and sustained. Through the Holy Spirit, one has the spiritual nutrients necessary to grow in faith.

‌Works of mercy are John’s points to the various groups. These are external works done in service to others. Serving the poor, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and showing others the true love of Christ are marks of these works. It is how we become selfless. It is not something that happens quickly. Much of the time, these acts can be tiring and frustrating. However, the Holy Spirit will empower this kind of total submission to God. These are not things that we can do on our own. They are done through God working in and through us by the Spirit. When we give our lives to the Lord through repentance, we submit ourselves to him and his rule. His call is for us to love him with all we have and love our neighbors as ourselves. The faith we claim cannot be genuine unless it is lived out in tangible ways.

3. The Holy Spirit empowers us. (vs. 15-18)

The Holy Spirit empowers individuals and the church for the work of God in the world. John’s baptism is for the forgiveness of sins. It is a call to repentance and change in preparation for what is coming. What is coming is a greater baptism in the Holy Spirit. Joel 2:28 puts it this way, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.” This is the passage that Peter quotes in his sermon on Pentecost. The Holy Spirit being poured out on all flesh is a sign of empowerment.

‌Prophecy, dreams, and visions are just part of the outpouring. The Bible talks about signs and wonders following the believers. The gifts of the Spirit are given to the church to show that the Spirit is dwelling with God’s people. These gifts equip believers to do ministry in the world. The indwelling of the Spirit in believers and the church is part of God’s redemptive plan for the world. God is restoring his people to himself through the Spirit. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we are made holy and righteous. This work empowers us to continue to spread God’s kingdom throughout the earth.

‌The Holy Spirit shapes us and the church into the image of Christ so that Christ might be visible to the world. Matthew Ayars writes in his book, The Holy Spirit, the following:

‌“Spirit-empowered obedience to the will of God sets believers apart from the world. When Christians are faithful, loving, kind, compassionate, hospitable, honest, gracious, and just, it testifies to the character of God to the world around them. As God revealed in Jesus as the preeminent image-bearer, and believers conform to the image of Jesus through Holy Spirit indwelling, the world sees the witness of Jesus in the witness of the church.” (page 166)

‌Christ’s mission for the church is to spread the good news of the gospel to all. We continue his earthly ministry until he comes again in power and glory. We do not sit on the sidelines waiting. We are to be active in our community and the broader world in telling the story of Jesus. We have been empowered by the Holy Spirit and equipped for this work in the ways the Spirit has distributed his gifts to his people.

‌God will come to the world in judgment and clear the threshing floor. But the Spirit comes into the life of the believer to refine us with fire so that we can be the holy people set apart for his good work.

Luke 3:7-18 provides a profound road-map for a life transformed by the Holy Spirit. John's bold proclamation challenges us to repent, bear fruit, and live a life empowered by the Spirit for God's purpose. The Holy Spirit prepares and refines us and equips us to reflect Christ's love and character in the world. As we heed this call, may we embrace the Spirit's work within us, becoming vessels of God's kingdom on earth and faithful witnesses to His redemptive power.