King Part 4 | Pepare the Way

Matthew 3:1–12 NKJV

1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” 3 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.’ ” 4 Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. 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? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9 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. 10 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. 11 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. 12 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.”

I. REPENT

To Change the mind or shift your perspective

To see things in a different light

To have a change of heart

John is pleading to those who are in the wilderness. Although he is in a sparsely populated area, people are searching for him Hungry for a word from the Lord. There has been no prophet in Israel since Malachai. John brings a word, Repent! The old way of operating will not do.

I A. HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE REPENTED?

I WILL REJECT SIN.

I WILL LIVE AND ACT DIFFERENTLY

This goes beyond a mere emotional response and sit’s in a constitutional resolve of an individual to make a decision to live for God.

I will exhibit a behavior of Brokeness before the Lord Psalm 51:17

Psalm 51:17 NKJV

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise.

Power Principle: When presented with the holiness of God, we a confronted with the brokeness of ourselves.

Isaiah 6:1–6 NKJV

1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!” 4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar.

The rituals are null effect if the heart in not repentant.

John is preparing our hearts to receive the message of thing Kingdom “Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand”

Change the way you think… Jesus is coming

Change the way you live… Jesus is coming

The holiness, power and authority of God are about to be expressed in and undeniable fashion. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS ABOUT TO CHANGE THE WORLD!

Hermeneutical bridge:

Christ is calling us to repentance.

Joel 2:28–32 NKJV

28 “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, Your young men shall see visions. 29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. 30 “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. 32 And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, As the Lord has said, Among the remnant whom the Lord calls.

God wants us to repent and turn our back on the self serving focus of the flesh. Repentance will lead to a submission of the will and the spirit. It will declare and end of the rebellion against God.

II. PREPARE FOR HIS PRESENCE

Matthew 3:3 NKJV

3 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.’ ”

We must admit that we are in sin and usher in the kingdom.

1 John 1:9 NKJV

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Power Principle: Tolerance and Acceptance is the opposite of repentance and righteousness.

Tolerance generally involves accepting or enduring something, even if one disagrees with it, while repentance involves acknowledging wrongdoing and making a conscious effort to change. 

Revelation 2:6 NKJV

6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. [Ephesus]

Revelation 2:15 NKJV

15 Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. [Pergamum]

The Nicolaitans blurred the lines. They were compromised.

III. Reject Religion and Rest on Repentance

Matthew 3:9 NKJV

9 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.

The Pharisees were:

inhabitants of Israel - National Identity

Jewish - Religious identity

Abraham’s seed - Genetic or familial identity.

We cannot rely on these things to save us. Only repentance and faith will save us.

2 Corinthians 6:17 NKJV

17 Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.”