Sermon Tone Analysis

Opening Illustration

Trump / Kim summit .. the hope of the World??

The peace of the world

The arrogance of world leaders who think they are in control .. thinking that nuclear armament = power

REVIEW : So far .... Matthew has introduced Jesus the MESSIAH .

In Ch.1 we see a GENEALOGY which reflects Joseph’s family tree which includes ABRAHAM and KING DAVID and displays all the brokenness and sordidness of humanity .. still .. Joseph is from a KINGLY LINE

In the same chapter we saw the BIRTH of Jesus the Messiah .. conceived by the HOLY SPIRIT .. Jesus is 100% MAN and 100% DIVINE .. the SAVIOUR who identifies with us and SAVES us from our sins 1:21

In chapter 2 Matthew uniquely gives us the history of some GENTILE Magi .. astronomers .. wise men from the EAST (Babylon) who follow the star that points them to the house of the KING OF THE JEWS.

Not a FAKE king like herod .. but the One that fulfils prophecy .. the light to the GENTILES .. the King and Saviour of ALL God’s creation.

God has been working ALL of history to this END.

It all points to .. and is FULFILLED .. in Jesus.The right response is to WORSHIP Him .. to surrender our lives and honour Him in everything we do and say

As we jump into Matthew Ch.3, Jesus is grown up but a highly significant person is also introduced to us .. as in all the gospels .. we see the importance of these historical events because a HERALD is sent to announce the Lord’s anointed and describe His ministry .. enter John the Baptist .. which has nothing to do with the church he goes to BUT it describes what he is DOING .. John the baptiser .. and he has a very distinctive MESSAGE

Remorse .. Ritual .. or REPENTANCE?

NB the Scene is the WILDERNESS .. (some mss “desert”) just means INHOSPITABLE land .. it’s not sand and cactus .. there’s water here .. and maybe deepish water so that you can baptise them

John’s message is straight to the point “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near!”

How would you know?

Well .. the big clues are in what John WEARS and EATS .. John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist.

His food was locusts and wild honey.

Why is that significant?

Coz the Jews were waiting for ELIJAH to come back.

Elijah .. the prominent prophet of Israel, the prophet that had NOT died but taken directly to heaven .. the prophet who wore rough clothing and a leather belt () .. and ate wilderness food.

tells us that Elijah will return before the Lord’s return

John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist.

His food was locusts and wild honey.

So Matthew is saying .. have a good look at John .. he’s an ELIJAH LOOK-A-LIKE .. but it’s not that he’s a sausage short of a barbie .. he’s the real deal .. look at what he is PREACHING .. John is PREPARING the way .. preparing your thinking .. about the events that are about to unfold

Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near

The WAIT is over .. the LORD has come .. the KINGDOM has come .. just as ISAIAH had prophesied ( ; )

A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him

God is about to come to earth .. to visit His world .. to SAVE His world .. AND if the LORD is coming, there are things that have to be prepared

‘Prepare the way for the Lord,

ILLUSTRATION

That’s what happened when TRUMP/KIM world summit was announced .. lot of preparation .. can you imagine the security .. all the logistics .. the best 5 star hotel .. the food .. and with a communist dictator coming to town, it brings a whole new idea of roll out the RED carpet!

What’s the MAIN POINT .. the KEY to the preparation needed as the Messiah comes?

REPENT

God’s coming … REPENT!

John is preaching repentance .. and he is saying if you mean it .. be BAPTISED .. and it’s catching on

5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan.

6 Confessing their sins, they were baptised by him in the Jordan River.

The BIG question is .. what does it mean to REPENT?

Y’see .. we can have REMORSE .. I can see my mistake .. confess my mistake .. which is what Judas Iscariot did after betraying Jesus .. knew he’d done the wrong thing .. abused the authorities and through back the 30 pieces of silver .. the blood money .. and then hung himself .. remorse but no repentance and NO salvation

And there is a RITUAL happening here in the passage too.. the RELIGIOUS PEOPLE .. the ones who looked the part when it came to piety and godliness… but look at what John says 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptising, he said to them: “You brood of vipers!

Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

These guys were FRAUDS .. they were HYPOCRITES .. they have this veneer of piety .. they think they are right with God .. they like the BADGE of holiness .. they will check out the religious activity .. be associated with people who quote the Scriptures .. I doubt whether they were actually BAPTISED .. I don’t think they would see the need .. they are the religious elite .. NB they have “Abraham as our father” .. a PEDIGREE .. oh really ?! .. Everyone can be part of the Kingdom of God .. this is not just for Jews

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers!

Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

See, it's the thing generations of Presbyterians say as well.

My grandfather was an elder.

My mum did the flower roster for years.

As if somehow the heritage credit points add up with God and rub off on you.

Don't claim your proud Jewish heritage.

If God wanted Israelites he could make them from rocks.

John gives them the name that best describes them .. a BROOD OF VIPERS .. only God’s JUDGEMENT and WRATH is waiting for them

So John gives us clear direction for what REPENTANCE really is ..v.8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

.. and then a bit further down John says 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

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

What a deception!

.. to think you are right with God when you are on your way to DESTRUCTION

Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

See, it's the things generations of Presbyterians say as well.

My grandfather was an elder.

My mum did the flower roster for years.

As if somehow the heritage credit points add up with God and rub off on you.

Don't claim your proud Jewish heritage.

If God wanted Israelites he could make them from rocks.

ILLUSTRATION

I remember having this plum tree .. beautiful purply leaves .. waited a while til it was big enough to fruit .. the year finally came and there were flowers .. and where there are flowers .. fruit will come!

The flower blossomed .. very pretty .. then fell off! Beate told me it was an ORNAMENTAL PLUM TREE! Doh! Pretty .. looks great but not practical!

No fruit

John says to Israel, "Start bearing the fruit of repentance.

" No good looking the part ... PRODUCE SOMETHING

See the Jews can trace the promises all the way back to Abraham.

That they're the special people of God.

But time's up.

If they don't want to repent... then the waiting game's over.

John says in verse 9, "the axe 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."

When the king comes... Israel's going to get sorted.

Like never before.

And if they're not growing the fruit of repentance, they'll be cut down and thrown in the fire.

You start to see how serious this is .. without repentance we are destined for destruction / hell ... we either TURN or BURN ...

Hi Josh .. we are having trouble with the toilet in the ensuite .. the water level goes right down and then it STINKS .. press the button and flush it and it’s OK again until it does it again .. just wondering what the problem is .. I know that you are an academic now but just after some direction .. look forward to your words of wisdom .. cheers Steve

It's a great question, isn't it?

And one that I hope you've echoed yourself.

It's in verse 10. "What should we do then?" the crowd asks.

Which is a promising sign of at least some humble hearts.

And John tells them.

Now the interesting thing is John doesn't understand he's not being politically correct.

John doesn't seem to realize you're meant to put up a concrete wall between your private beliefs and your public behaviour.

Especially in the workplace.

And so if you're a doctor or you're a lawyer or if you're a judge or if you're a politician, the thing you've got to do is leave your own ethics at the door and not let your personal beliefs about what's right and what's wrong interfere with your decisions.

Did you notice the other day how upset people were with Kevin Rudd on same sex marriages.

When is he going to get with the programme and do what everybody wants .. legalise homosexual weddings

That’s the big point .. Matthew is saying that THE King of Israel is coming .. get ready

Same with Tony Abbott he was made mincemeat in the media because there's a hint that his view that there are too many abortions has been tainted by his Catholic faith.

I mean, what a terrible thing.

If your faith... somehow interferes with your thinking.

About what's right and wrong.

Now if you're in a position like that, it needs some careful thinking.

Because I'm not saying the thing to do is just impose Christian values on everybody else either.

Because we're living under the rule of democratic law.

The Son of God .. the KINGDOM of Heaven .. and everyone knows that they need to HUMBLE themselves and turn to Him .. Jesus is the ONLY HOPE