Bearing Fruit!

Introduction

Luke 3:1–14 ESV

1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, 6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ” 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.”

1) Wandering in the Wilderness (v. 1-6)

A heart that is not repentant is still wandering in the wilderness

John’s location is by coincidence!

John was in the wilderness, near the Jordan.

This was a historical place as a proving ground for God’s people.

In this region, Israel had been tested to determine if their hearts truly were aligned with God and if they trusted Him.

The first test, they failed and wandered in the wilderness.

The second time they trusted God and proceeded into His Promise, though ultimately they did not fully follow Him and faced His rebuke.

For many years, God’s people had lived in oppression and occupation from the Babylonians, Persians, Seleucids, and now Romans.

But ultimately, their oppression and occupation came from their own sin and selfishness.

It is in this physical place, representing a spiritual crossroads, that John is led to call the people to a relational repentance in preparation for the arrival of the King and His salvation.

How is this change of heart represented? With a physical baptism and entering through the waters.

Just as Israel had walked through the Jordan to dedicate themselves to God’s Promise, so John was calling the people to signify their dedication to God’s Promised One by entering into the Jordan river.

You and I today, need to make sure we are a people prepared and preparing for the return of God’s Promised One!

John prepared people for the first coming of Jesus to make sure they were ready.

We need to be preparing people for the second coming of Jesus to make sure they are ready.

We need to call out to those who are still in the wilderness and call them to a change of heart and mind towards God instead of against Him.

2) Warning of God’s Wrath (v.7-9)

The Day of the Lord in the Old Testament is the same Day of the Lord in the New Testament.

Those who are in Christ long for this day, but for those who are still in their sin, it is a terrible day of God’s righteous wrath.

Those who are in Christ, this righteous wrath has already been poured out on Jesus on the cross. Those who are without Christ will face judgment and the eternal consequences of their sin.

Repentance towards Jesus is our only hope to escape God’s certain and eternal judgment.

That repentance is not just lip service.

John admonishes that true repentance bears fruit in our lives and does not rely on empty claims of legacy or cultural identity.

John warns them, “Do not BEGIN to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’”

This was a cultural claim that had underlying roots in something acquired or passed down.

I think today, many people have a false sense of security that because they hold to a cultural claim of Christianity they will be saved from the impending judgement of God.

Because they were raised in a church or their parents took them to church, then they are good with Jesus.

Because they were baptized as a child in a Christian church or prayed a prayer some preacher told them to pray then that sealed the deal.

But if there is no fruits of repentance, there is no evidence in your life of changing how you think and live regarding God and sin and things of the Spirit and things of the flesh…then your claims are just as empty as a Jew listening to John who would dare to say, “I have Abraham as my father.”

You may say, “But I identify as a Christian!”

In our warped world, you can identify as anything you please…but the proof is still in the pudding!

True claims of Christ are marked by a life that is being transformed by the Spirit of God aligning your heart with the Heart of God.

True claims of Christianity are evident in the fruits of repentance they bear.

John warns, “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.”

You cannot rely on a cultural Christianity to save you.

Only a life that is surrendered to Jesus will be saved.

Only those who truly place their trust and their faith in Jesus will be saved.

And us who bow to Jesus, our lives will be marked by the transforming work of God the Holy Spirit!

3) Witness of Changing to God’s Ways (v.10-14)

When the people heard this, they asked John, “What then shall we do?”

John’s reply was a call to renounce self-centeredness and embrace selflessness!

He starts with something as simple as the clothes on our backs.

If you have an abundance give to those in need.

If you have your needs satisfied, then sacrifice your wants to provide for others needs.

This is not a lesson in material things, it is a lesson in reliance and contentment.

Next, Luke introduces us to Tax Collectors coming out to hear John and respond to His divine message.

Likewise, he tells them not to take advantage of others, but to simply do their duty and no more.

His instruction is for them to realize their spiritual enrichment through Jesus and not worry about this material enrichment at the exploitation of others.

Again, Luke tells us that some soldiers came to John and responded to the Spirit’s call to make ready their hearts for the Lord.

Like the tax collectors he tells them to not extort others and to be content with their wages.

John’s message to prepare a people ready for Jesus, is to call them to repentance that is marked by bearing fruits in keeping with repentance.

Jesus, who for them would come and for us has come, secures our salvation in Himself.

To embrace this salvation, we must repent to Jesus and place our trust and faith in Him. He has to be and can only be the Lord of our lives!

Real repentance is marked by the Spirit of God leading us to righteous thinking that produces a manifestation of righteous living!

Closing

In this first lesson from Luke, we learn about bearing fruits in keeping with repentance.

We are drawn out of the wilderness of selfishness and called into the Promised Land of peace and contentment in Christ.

As you examine your life this morning, is Jesus your Lord? Have you placed your trust and faith in Him as you repent to Him?

Are you relying on a false sense of security based on a cultural Christianity, or does your life display that evidence of a journey with Jesus marked by repentance that grows and produces righteousness?

May we be a people who bear fruits in keeping with righteousness and call others out of the wilderness of lostness to do that same as we prepare for the coming of King Jesus!