Preparing with Repentance
Notes
Transcript
1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene—2 during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.
5 Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
the rough ways smooth.
6 And all people will see God’s salvation.’ ”
7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10 “What should we do then?” the crowd asked.
11 John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”
12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”
13 “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.
14 Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”
He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”
15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps 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 he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.
19 But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done, 20 Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.
Introduction
Introduction
The first 6 verses set the background
1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene—2 during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.
5 Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
the rough ways smooth.
6 And all people will see God’s salvation.’ ”
Setting
Setting
Roman dominated Palestine
1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene—2 during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, […]
All the most powerful individuals in the region are introduced.
Two categories
Political leaders
Religious leaders
Two reasons
Establish history
Contrast Jesus and John with the powerful leaders
The palace v. the wilderness/the mighty v. the week/the wise v. the foolish
Main Character of this Story
Main Character of this Story
3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.
5 Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
the rough ways smooth.
6 And all people will see God’s salvation.’ ”
John has a mission of proclamation
Baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins
John has a mission of preparation
Straight paths
Filled valleys
Low mountains
Oregon trail ruts
What is John’s message
Salvation Requires Repentance
Salvation Requires Repentance
7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10 “What should we do then?” the crowd asked.
11 John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food
should do the same.”
12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”
13 “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.
14 Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”
He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”
The Brood of Vipers
The Brood of Vipers
The masses come to receive John’s baptism, but he’s not excited about it!
He calls the crowds a brood of vipers
A repeated phrase in the gospels
3x Matthew, 1x Luke
Always refers to the religious leaders who are hypocrites
In Matthew’s account of John’s baptism this is explicit (mt 3)
John is not interested in building a crowd
Baptism reflects repentance; it doesn’t replace it.
John is obviously not opposed to baptism, but he recognizes the danger of pursuing the symbols of repentance without the heart of repentance.
cf. Amos – John carries the banners of the prophets
If baptism is an empty religious ritual John opposes it
True Repentance
True Repentance
The temptation of false repentance
False repentance is a consequence of pride
Our pride is disgusted at our faults and we mistake this disgust for true repentance.
François Fénelon
False repentance seeks to remove consequences
True repentance takes God’s part against ourselves.
Augustus Hopkins Strong (America’s Leading Baptist Theologian)
False repentance is driven by emotions
True repentance includes lifestyle change
10 “What should we do then?” the crowd asked.
11 John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”
12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”
13 “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.
14 Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”
He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”
The crowd – share what you have
The tax collectors – Don’t take more than required
The soldiers – Don’t extort or falsely accuse
Salvation Requires a Savior
Salvation Requires a Savior
15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps 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 he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.
19 But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done, 20 Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.
John’s message is ultimately as inadequate as the OT system. No one is going to succeed at repenting enough.
However, John’s message of repentance was a message of preparation for something better.
The Coming Savior is More powerful than John
The Coming Savior is More powerful than John
16 But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.
John is unworthy to loose Jesus sandals
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: All tasks that a Canaanite slave performs for his master, a student performs for his teacher, except for untying his shoe, a demeaning act that was typically performed by slaves and would not be appropriate for a student to do. (Ketubot 96a)
The Coming Savior Brings a Better Baptism than John
The Coming Savior Brings a Better Baptism than John
16 He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
The Messiah is going to come with a baptism of fire and the spirit
Giving new life
Purifying
Repentance is not just something we can be summoned to do, it is something that God does in us
The pattern of Luke-Acts
31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins.
18 When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
The pattern of the OT
31 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel?
26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
The Coming Savior Brings Judgment
The Coming Savior Brings Judgment
17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
John fits in the long line of OT prophets who proclaim coming judgment
Jesus is a new kind of prophet – he actually brings judgment.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Closing Background
Closing Background
19 But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done, 20 Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.
This passage closes with Herod confirming his opposition to John and therefore Jesus
Closing Invitation
Closing Invitation
John was asked “What shall we do then?” Let’s ask the same question today
True, personal repentance
Trust in Jesus
John was preparing, we are in a better position – Jesus has come!
