Jan 13 - Fruit in Keeping of Repentance

This morning's message titled fruit and keeping of repentance. Is evidence of a changed heart and a changed life and we're focusing on Luke chapter 3 verses 1 to 20. There's a little bit of a history lesson at the beginning of this , so let me get through that real quick. So you in in the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea Herod the tetrarch of Galilee his brother Philip tetrarch of Abilene , and track and itis and Lace San Andreas play Santa is tetrarch of adaline. During the high priesthood of ananias and Caiaphas the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went to all the country round Jordan and preaching at a baptism of repentance for the Forgiveness of sins. That isn't right at it and it is written. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet a voice of one calling out in the winter Wilderness prepare the way for the Lord make straight As for him. Every Valley shall be filled in and every mountain and Hill made low the Crooked Road shall become a straight the rough ways smooth and all the people will see God's salvation John said to the crowns coming out to be baptized by him you brood of vipers who warned you to flee from the coming Wrath. Produce fruit in keeping with repentance and do not begin to save yourselves. We have Abraham as our Father for I tell you that out of these Stones God can raise up the children of Abraham. Tax is already at the root of the tree and every tree that does not produce good for will be cut down and thrown into the fire. And what should we do? Then the crowd ask John answered anyone who has two shirts shall share with one who has none. And anyone who has food should do the same. Even Tax Collectors came to be baptized teacher. They asked what should we do? Don't collect any more than you are required to he told them.

And then some soldiers ask him. What should we do? He replied don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely be content with your pay. The people were waiting expectantly and we're all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah.

10 answer 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 with fire. John answer them all sorry. Is winnowing Fork is in his hands and clear to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

How do I add many other words on exhorted the people and proclaim the good news to him? How many John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of his marriage to herodias his brother's wife all the other evil things. He had done hair and added this to them. He locks John up in prison. Tell and the beginning of this passage, then there's a bit of history. There is you know, Tiberius Caesar was a second emperor of this. Of the Roman. And it 8014 237. He was the adopted son of Caesar Augustus the first emperor from 30 BC to 8014 and all this actually has to do with what we're talking about today. So let me get through this he roared through a table at the time that Christ was born at first. He was a wise and beneficial leader, but then he became cruel and tyrannical. He did all sorts of things to people he didn't like or disagreed with her and he thought that they were threatening him became very paranoid Lux. They said John the Baptist began his ministry in the 15th year of Tiberius is rain. Tiberius was not a good guy. Pontius Pilate was the governor and his Latin title is pure Purity pure curator procurator of Judea. Basically, he was appointed to specifically for GDI because there were so many problems and trying to govern this place to trying to rule over the Jews at the time and they did not accept them as a ruler why because he was not appointed by God was not anointed by God through them. So why would they accept them as ruler? So they had they constantly fought against them and so they had to have this specific person placed over them. And that's what they did at the time. So he was he's in the central part of the southern part of Palestine. And so you can have this idea of after Herod the Great had ruled at the time than it is. The area is broken up into do, you know four or five different pieces and different rulers where they're his his son's his inheritance was broken up into different parts in each world over a different part, but then some of the sons were not very good at ruling so it ended up being that one sign eventually had most of the rule over the area that was later on in Jesus time. So we can you get mixed up with like who is rolling win in which Herod were talking about at what time and sometimes we confuse Herod the Great with one of his sons and there was there was another son as well. There is a bike Herod Antipas was a was the one who had come as a son of Herod the Great and Cleopatra and so he had her royal lineage on both sides of his family. Not just one so he had like most of the power There is also a sannyasin did we didn't even know that this guy even really existed in history. We're still debating on whether or not that really happened. But in the Bible does place it and we actually have found something that that confirms that this guy existed and ruled only recently. So it is really cool house history to stand up and I know you can't see this very well, but it is and I can show you the image and name paper form that I have it. So we broke up the whole territory into different parts. So really Jesus and the disciples think we're going through these different places Galilee Samaria and Judea track ignitus, which is above Galilee and sort of a part of it to in Abilene was up there but more by Damascus High route.

So this is John Hughes in the wilderness, and he was just living there. Like I said to eating eating insects and crickets. I don't know why you would even want to eat a cricket you ever seen those candies at like there's an insect inside of them and some reason people think that's a good thing.

Like I haven't eaten in two x but I don't really want to I don't really have to I can go to the grocery store and pick up to the food and I want to eat but John was out there in the wilderness and there is that mean that it is Wilderness Brown as far as the eye can see there might be some little brown plants every so often and they're not going to be very nutritious is going to be like the dry grass who wants to eat dry grass, but John was out there because you know, there's this idea that Do you know if you go out in the wilderness you go out into the desert and you're alone in solitude with God. That you were in a better place to receive things from God. It's one of the reasons why the Methodist Webmail camp meetings and a lot of cat meanings and continuously and every year and almost every quarter. If you look into the history of the Methodist Church, I'm Methodist we go out like every quarter and go have a camp meeting out in the out in the woods, you know, and this would be a place where they were gathered together to receive from God to receive the holy spirit in a fashion that they weren't allowed to do and some church circles because there was this judgemental idea of if you acted in a certain way that somehow you weren't there demonic activity. Was it a part of your life? While you're a Christian and I don't know how you would you put those two together. Either God is ruling and reigning in your heart in your life or is not the one does not go with the other one. Ain't so let me talk about the desert father is 2 in in the 300 people went out in the desert because Christians were being hunted down. Christians were being killed by room and they went out in the desert just had to be in the presence of God to to hear from God to put themselves in a place of silence and Solitude for a little while just to be able to calm their minds and hearts down to be able to position themselves before God so that they can hear from God instead of allowing other people's thoughts and attitudes and habits way on them. They allow God to way on them.

And this is why this is why people went out and did these things they Place themselves before God.

Issa Matthew 3:4 through 6 as Don closed-door made of camel hair like you when is bacon basic as he can go. I mean he's that he's taking on camel hair. Is it as a part of his clothes and I don't know how they fashion that other than you know, when a camel dies and I guess they make hives like like we make hives from cows. I'm so he has his camel hair. He's wearing that and he has a leather belt and guessing from the same height as he got the camel hair from and and he's just out there nasty like that and eating locusts and wild honey, and I love honey. I love honey when it's like its most basic too, but I don't know if I'm going to go out there and try to get stung by 5000b just to get some wild, honey. John's out there doing this but then he goes to the people and you know, he learned something while he's out there. He learned something while he's in the wilderness. And he comes back and he's talking about Sin and then washing yourself and being purified by God. You know, I'm leaving those things behind that are wasteful to his life and receiving those things from God dead better there to change his life. And convincing other people's to do the same. I thought this picture was was pretty close to what I had in mind is like Donna scraggly here in and dirty and nasty and like, you know, his clothes are looking pretty bad and worn down everybody saying something in his presence is in such a way that people are are flocking to him. Flocking to him hundreds or even thousands of people are coming to him because he has a message. Because he has a message cuz he's saying to them confess your sins because God is coming. God is coming. The Messiah is coming prepare yourself for his coming.

Prepare yourself for his coming. Malachi 3:1 said I will send my messenger who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his Temple the messenger of the Covenant whom you desire will come, says the Lord Almighty. Tell any I mean John comes to prepare the way for Jesus to come. This is a prophecy a proclamation or prophecy of Jesus coming Kansas coming as as John came to prepare the way for his coming.

I remember what he said in Luke 1:13 through 17 said the angel said to him and his talking to Zakaria right now John's father do not be afraid Zakaria and your prayer has been heard your wife Elizabeth will bear you assign and you are to call him John and this was totally unusual because Elizabeth was old she was all in her own age and she was known to be bearing. And then somehow, you know, this Angel comes to Zacharia and tell them you are going to Bear a son you're going to have a sign Elizabeth the wife that did that has been Barren all this time. I am giving her a sign.

And he will be a joy and a delight to you and many Will Rejoice because of his birth. Is it any question that LOL? It's somebody who's bearing and in her old age who wanted to have a son of her own? Is it given a son in her old age it is it any wonder that she would be joyful. Is it any wonder that she would she would Delight in the things of God be thankful for the things of God to know the Miracles do exist that God comes into our lives and changes things for us. I would know that he would be true, especially in that case.

For he will be great in the sight of the Lord is never to take wine or any fermented drink and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. This is John even before he is born. He's filled with the holy spirit. So it is it any wonder that when Elizabeth and Mary came together. John jumped while he was still in his mother's womb when they came together when it when the mother of Christ who is comes to Elizabeth who has John The Same Spirit that is in John is the same spirit that brought life to Christ

They will bring back many to the people of Israel and to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord in spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Spinning saying that if you if you look back into Elijah's life and what he did Eliza had like a similar ministry, right? And he he put himself in a place out in the wilderness to discover God more fully for himself. He discipline his body and his mind in such a fashion is that he would receive the spirit of God into him and into his life and into his ministry so that his ministry Kapoor out to other people.

Turn 5 333 335 says and this is this is John. This is Jesus talking about John you have have said to John and he has to testify to the truth. Not that I accept human testimony, but I mention it so that you may might be saved John the Baptist was a lamp that burned and gave light and you choose for a time to enjoy his light. Matt Stephens talking about John. He also said that John was the greatest of the prophets to come. Matthew 3 5 through 6 says people went out to him from Jerusalem and all of Judea and all the whole region of the Jordan confessing their sins and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. So this baptism isn't necessarily something that just came out of the blue. It wasn't just something that John fashioned on his own or received from God to do this specific thing on his own. This actually comes through what's known is a proselyte baptism in the Jewish. Faith is a proselyte is a person who is not hereditary really a part of the Jewish faith. It did not come to Ada because his family was a part of the one that one of the twelve Twelve Tribes people can believe in God and be part of the Jewish faith by becoming a proselyte. To believe in the same things but not necessarily be of the same heredity. So you would have to be circumcised you would have to be baptized and this ritual washing and cleansing is commanded through the Torah in the end. What we know is the Old Testament what we will we call the Hebrew scriptures and other writings in the rabbinical writings and what they call the Mikvah laws so that the baptizes of the sages understand this ritual washing is something that is a part of the Jewish faith from way back. As soon as God was giving them the laws of Moses. The ritual washing was a part of of the faith. And every time you would become unclean in some way original washing with the way to become clean before it. Again. It was it was always known to be more of a spiritual activity than at a physical activity always forever since the beginning of this thing. So really John was taking this ritual washing of individual parts and putting it all together in one fashion and one and one one place one ritual and it wasn't a referral unnecessarily this point it was just him and now seeing proclaiming that Jesus is coming in order to prepare the way they needed to have the ritual washing because they were still under the law right the Holy Spirit hymn come to everybody yet right there. The Upper Room hasn't happened to Holy Spirit hasn't been given to everyone. It's been only given to specific people also be given to John and giving given to Jesus. And I'm so this ritual washing was a way that they could say I am watching myself to make myself pure and holy so I can position myself to receive from God. And that's that's what this thing is. All about. John is is telling them that you know, this is an outward sign of what's happening in my life. I'm watching myself at work early and people are seeing that and I'm placing myself before God and allowing him to come into my life to change it. That's what John was about.

Come outside and God commanded the people to wash their clothing as a symbolic act in Exodus 19 10 Leviticus 8 6 it recorded the washing of Aaron and his sons I'll mess they are ordained to be priests. Provident living 16-4 says God commanded Aaron to wash himself. I might be able to minister on the day of atonement numbers 19. Is it explicit extraction instructions on the purification and defilement of dead bodies and in you know, and bring people in and taking care of them. They would have to soak still go through a washing to Klein's himself to clean them so that they can be brought back into the into the warships heading of the of the life of the Jewish faith.

And Israelites used on water for cleansing to purifying not just themselves but other things and anytime they blundered in battle and some way and then and that happened here with the midianites numbers 1321 to 24.

And Matthew going back to Matthew 3 when talking about that John is talking here. He says produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And this is what John Wesley was talking about in the scripture way of Salvation when Wesley asked the following question, but what good works are those and is that a talking about Good Works in general the practice of which you affirm to be necessary for sanctification Wesley responded in two ways. with works of piety through public prayers through family prayers true individual prayers praying in your closet receiving of the Lord's Supper coming before communion the receiving the Eucharist. Searching the scriptures hearing reading in meditating on the word. In fasting or abstinence as a way to Nino Place ourselves in the position to receive from God. Sometimes we need to refrain from doing some things in order to hear from God so that our minds and our hearts aren't wrapped up inside of them. So we can receive. And then he talks about the Works of Mercy and these are related to the bodies and Souls of other people such as feeding the hungry or clothing the naked or serving entertaining The Stranger or visiting to those who are in prison or sick or Afflicted in some way.

And instructing the ignorant ignorant just means you don't know so instructing those who don't know something Awakening the center and quickening the lukewarm preaching and I was going out and talking to people about God about witnessing to those things that are happening in your life and the people in the lives of people around you that come from God. Confirm the wavering. All right with our faith is a little wishy-washy. Maybe we don't know some things about her faith just yet and and there are other people who are more mature and Ice who can guide us who can mentor s through the process comfort those who are unable to make sound decisions. This is weird Grace extremely comes in if we are in a position of ourselves and we'd look we have no guarantee of whether or not our brains are going to keep functioning as well as they are right now. And if anything happens to her in any way that's going to affect that function. I know that the grace of God is going to be there for me whether or not I can have an intellect and sink through the things of faith. So I receiving Grace all those things that God has for me and we need to be able to comfort people who cannot make those sound decisions for themselves. They're unable to and there are those who because they feel like they might need to use or abuse alcohol or drugs who whose Minds aren't in the position to make those sound decisions for themselves. We can be in a relationship with them to comfort them and Grace and guide them. Toward the next step of what they need to do.

The word that John uses the sucker it means to encourage or otherwise not an enabling helping but is it a help in some way the temp in those who are tempted to be able to come alongside them? Like I said when it wouldn't win somebody's has a habit or hang up. There are heard that they keep them in a habitual Behavior. We need to be able to come alongside them and help them encouraged them.

And to contribute in any manner any manner, he says any manner all right to the saving of the souls from Death anything that we can do to come song alongside of a person anyway that we can instruct them. Anyway that we can help him if we can open up our tables and our kitchens is someone who needs food if we can open up our closet. This is someone who needs a shirt and some clothing. Open up our homes to someone who needs a home. And anyway to help them. Any way to guide them? dimensional

this is the repentance that we are called to a repentance. That isn't just saying God forgive me for my thing. And then and then we walking just keep keep doing what we're doing. This is repentance is different that's opposite of that's a 180 from what we have been doing in the past. Completely different from where it where we were living Our Lives before. And it comes with some evidence.

2in are are judgmental attitudes and behavior is well. Because we think people need to live the the the ways we think they have to leave their lives. And we tell them that they had the following the same path it that we came along. I think my God Is Enough of a gracious God. That there are so many ways. There is many there's so many ways that Jesus can get come into our lives at the Holy Spirit can Empower us and lead us right where we are at to get us where we need to be. And sometimes we did we just get caught up in this year. You have to go the way I went. Well that doesn't always work and I can see that between my brother and my sister right? Like we were three siblings in my my brother and you know, I had to experience some things that I didn't experience and my sisters. Some things I didn't experience there were different ways that we came before God, but the same spirit is alive in us and brought us back to relationship with him. We had our own problems. We had our own sins. We are their own habits and failing. And we we just went our own ways for a time. We'd were not brother and sister to each other. We weren't. We didn't keep in contact with him make phone calls. But we had to grow up.

We had to grow up.

And when we grew in the faith and the Holy Spirit moved us toward God we moved toward each other. And we started loving each other again. We started being a family again. Then I can see my nieces and nephews growing in COD growing in faith, and I'm hearing things from them that are guy that that are caused words living alive and then And we have a new hope for the Next Generation because of bad.

God God leads us toward toward this wholeness right? It's is what John Wesley called a heart strangely warmed. This Heart religion It's hard time calling having a heart after God loving God and loving others having a hard that is warm. Not a hard cold heart and I was Jen judgmental attitudes and behaviors put in knowing that everyone needs new life. Everybody needs to be healed. Everybody needs relationships as long as for these things and has a hope in them.

So when our hearts are are are prepared through repentance.

Khloe's looking at a way to please the father. Iron Works of piety and Works of Mercy not because we learned not because somehow we use these things and earned a better place before God but because of God's love because God.