REPENTANCE AND Matthew 3:1-17 9/26/10

About 30 years after ’ was born appears on the scene preaching in the Judean desert. Picture or map of the area 1. The Ministry of John the Baptist 3:1-12 a. John was the prophesied messenger. 1-4 John the Baptist fulfills the prophesies about the messenger who prepares the way before the Lord. (Isaiah 40:3; Malachi 3:1; 4:5-6) John's appearance would have evoked images of the prophecies about “Elijah,” who was to return to prepare the way for God's judgment. The kingdom of has come near to people in the person of Jesus (the Messiah). b. John preached a message of repentance. 5-10 1. Repentance involves of . 2, 5-6 There is no genuine without first confronting our . Baptism is an outward expression of a repentant heart. It symbolized both the cleansing away of sin. 2. Genuine repentance results in a change of lifestyle. 7- 9 Jesus’ warning is addressed to the Pharisees and Sadducees. They represented both the religious legalists and the religious liberals of the day. Pharisee means “separated ones” They considered themselves to be superspiritual and wouldn’t associate with those who weren’t their kind. They were very legalistic and proud of their knowledge and traditions. 1 Corinthians 8:1 . . . Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies. James 1:22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. Sadducees were the liberal religious leaders who cared little for doctrine. They lived mainly for the present. They were like many today who are “coming to Christ” without confronting their sin. Those who “come to Christ” for selfish reasons To find peace, prosperity, or personal fulfillment To have God help them get what they want The Pharisees and Sadducees had only two things in common. 1. They both trusted that their religious works and personal goodness put them in good standing with God. 2. They were united in their opposition to Jesus. 7 brood of vipers John recognized the deadliness of their religious teachings. He saw their insincerity and lack of true repentance. While many of the common people were confessing their sins and being baptized, the religious leaders were coming for the wrong reasons. 2 John calls for people to remove any sins from their lives that might hinder their reception of the Messiah and his kingdom. 8 To repent means to change your attitude toward God and your sin. If repentance is genuine it will result in a life that bears fruit in keeping with repentances. Genuine repentance will impact your actions and life choices. Repentance involves “turning,” from one way of thinking and living to a different way. :10-14 10-11 Compassion and generosity 12-13 Honesty and integrity 14 Humility and contentment Repentance is not just feeling sorry for your sin. It includes surrendering your life to God and being willing to live the kind of life He would have you to live. 3. A failure to repent will result in judgment. 10 Fire is speaking of judgment c. John pointed to Jesus as both savior and judge. 11-12 Those who repent and trust in him will receive the blessing of the Holy Spirit while the unrepentant will receive the judgment of eternal fire, ultimately ending in the Lake of Fire. (Revelation 20) Winnowing fork is used figuratively for the separation of the repentant from the unrepentant. Jesus will gather those who belong to Him and judge those who those who refuse to repent.

3 2. The Baptism of Jesus 3:13-15 Why was Jesus baptized? 15 To fulfill all Jesus was sinless and had no need of repentance and cleansing. But in His baptism Jesus is identifying Himself with the sinners whose sins He would ultimately bear on the cross. 2 Corinthians 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 3. The Confirmation of the Godhead 3:16-17 All three members of the Godhead are all present in different forms at the same time and in the same place. This denies modalism which teaches that the one God wears takes on different roles at different times. The Trinity is an antinomy. Jesus is God John 1:1-3, 14 Jesus takes away the sins of the world. John 1:29 John 1:29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! Jesus is the source of eternal life. John 3:35-36 John 3:35-36 "The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. 36 "He who in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." 4. What About You? Do you need to repent and believe?

4 :15 "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the ." Luke 24:46-47 . . . "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance for of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations . . . Acts 20:20-21 I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

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