Prepare the Way Luke: Certainty of the Truth Luke 3:1-20 Pastor Josh Black August 21, 2016 I Pity the Golden Rule Yesterday, I listened to a game show on the radio. They played a game called “The Sorrow and the Pity.” It was based on Mr. T’s famous catchphrase in Rocky III, “I pity the fool.” The contestants were asked questions that could be answered with a word or phrase that rhymed with fool. For example, if they were asked, “Do you feel bad for the cylindrical piece of wood around which thread is wound?” They would answer, “I pity the spool.” Another question asked was, “Do you commiserate with the concept that you should do unto others as you would have them do unto you?” What’s the answer? “I pity the golden rule?”1 Interestingly, Mr. T once said, “I believe in the golden rule.” But he went on in typical fashion to say, “Whoever has the most gold rules!” His attitude was the polar opposite of the attitude imbedded in Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount (Lk. 6:31). Mr. T’s perspective is the perspective of the world. The more wealth and the more power the better. Forget about others; look out for number one! But Jesus teaches us to humble ourselves and to look to the interests of others. One of the main themes in the Gospel of Luke is that the proud will be brought low. And the humble will be lifted up. How do we learn this lesson? How do we move from Mr. T’s understanding of the golden rule to Jesus’ way? Our text this morning teaches us. We introduced our series in Luke last week. We are going to skip chapters 1-2 for now and save them for Advent. Today, we will consider the ministry of John the Baptist. He prepared the way for Jesus. He teaches us about repentance and the need to humble ourselves, if we are going to understand the gospel. Luke 3:1-202 1In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, 6and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”

1 “The Sorrow and the Pity.” Radio Segment, Ask Me Another, Originally aired October 8, 2015, http://www.npr.org/2015/10/08/446613828/the-sorrow-and-the-pity. 2 Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® unless otherwise noted. 2

7He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” 10And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” 11And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” 12Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” 14Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.” 15As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, 16John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” 18So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. 19But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, 20added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison. This is the Word of the Lord. I see three main themes in this passage. 1. The nature of the power of worldly rulers (Rulers’ Power). 2. The prophetic role of John the Baptist (Role of a Prophet). 3. John’s proclamation of repentance (Repentance Proclaimed). I’d like to organize my sermon around these three themes.3 RULERS’ POWER (1-2a, 19-20)

Let’s start with the nature of the power of worldly rulers. In verse 1-2, John the Baptist’s ministry is set within the historical context of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate, Herod Antipas, Philip, and Lysanias, as well as the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas. It’s important to remember that salvation history is set within world history. Like we said last week, the gospel is historically reliable.

3 I see a chiastic structure in this passage: A Rulers (1-2a) B Summary of John’s Ministry (2b-3) C Role of Prophet: Preparing by Baptism (4-6) D Repentance Proclaimed (7-14) C’ Role of Prophet: Pointing to Jesus Baptism (15-17) B’ Summary of John’s Ministry (18) A’ Rulers (19-20) 3

But that’s not the only reason Luke lists these rulers. In verses 19-20 we’re told that Herod was evil and he put John in prison. We also know that he eventually had John killed. And many of the rulers listed in verses 1-2 played a role in Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion. The evil and murderous pride of these rulers is placed in contrast to the humility of John and Jesus. In God’s plan of salvation, God brings down the proud and he lifts up the humble. Mary predicted this in her song in chapter 1. “He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty” (1:52-53). When John shows up on the scene, the mighty rulers are on their throne. And they will take down John and Jesus temporarily. But eventually the so called mighty will be brought down from their thrones. Tiberius died in AD 37. Pontius Pilate was forced from office in AD 36. Herod Antipas was deposed in AD 39. The high priests Annas and Caiaphas were also brought low.4 But Jesus, who humbled himself to the point of death, was raised. King Jesus reigns eternally. He lives forever as our high priest. He’s the true Mighty One, as verse 16 says. God raised him up and will raise up everybody who looks to him in humility. Mr. T was wrong. It’s not those with gold and power that ultimately rule. It’s those of humble estate. This is a reminder to us to not put our confidence in any worldly or political power. And it’s also a reminder to not be discouraged when we see the failure of our political leaders. In God’s economy of salvation, the mighty will be brought low. And the humble King Jesus is on his throne and he will reign forever. ROLE OF PROPHET (2b-6, 15-18)

Let’s now consider John the Baptist’s role as a prophet. In the second half of verse 2, we’re told, “the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.” The prophets in the Old Testament were introduced in a similar way. In Jeremiah 1:4, we read, “Now the word of the LORD came to me…” In Ezekiel 1:3, we read, “The word of the LORD came to Ezekiel…” We’ve already been told that John the Baptist is a prophet (1:76). Now we see that his role was similar to the role of the prophets in the Old Testament.5 This would give certainty to Luke’s readers that God’s plan of salvation in Christ was grounded in the Old Testament. And in the same way that the Old Testament prophets called people to repent, that’s exactly what John does. We see this in verse 3. We’ll deal more with what’s involved in repentance in the next point. For now, I want to focus on the reason John was calling people to repent. There are two reasons I see in this passage. Preparing the Way for Jesus First, John was preparing the way for Jesus. This comes out in verses 4-6. As Isaiah prophesied, John’s role was to prepare the way for the Messiah, to make his paths straight (v. 4). Preparing the

4 Garland, David E. Luke. Zondervan exegetical commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan, 2011. 5 Garland points out that prophets in the OT, like John, are also introduced in relationship with the rulers in their day (e.g. Isa. 6:1; Jer. 1:1), along with their parents (Jer. 1:2; Ezek. 1:3). 4

path for Jesus is depicted metaphorically. The valleys shall be filled. The mountains shall be made low. The crooked shall become straight. The rough places shall become level (vv. 5-6). But this metaphor has spiritual overtones. Like I’ve already said, the proud must be brought low, the humble lifted up. “And the crooked will be changed.”6 The only way to be ready for Jesus is through being humbled. You have to know you need forgiveness of sins, before you can be ready for the forgiveness that Jesus brings. You have to see your need for the Savior, before you see the great worth of the Savior. This is similar to what we see in the Sermon on the Mount. You have to be poor in spirit to inherit the kingdom of God. You have to be hungry to be satisfied. You have to mourn before you can laugh (cf. Lk. 6:20-23). In my devotions, I’ve been reading the Puritan, Richard Sibbes. In his book, The Bruised Reed and Smoking Flax, he too says it’s necessary for us to be humbled or bruised before we’ll see our need for Jesus. A marvelous hard thing it is to bring a dull and a shifting heart to cry with feeling for mercy. Our hearts, like malefactors, until they be beaten from all shifts, never cry for the mercy of the Judge. …bruising maketh us set a high price upon Christ. The gospel is the gospel indeed then; then the fig-leaves of morality will do us no good.”7 John’s baptism and call to repentance is a call to humble ourselves. That’s how John prepares the way for Jesus. Pointing to Jesus The second reason John calls for repentance is to point to Jesus. John was clear in verses 15-17. He was not the Messiah. He was not the Savior or the Judge. His role was to humbly point to the Savior and the Judge. And his baptism was intended to do just that. John’s baptism was unique. The much respected Luke scholar, Darrell Bock, says there was no precedent for John’s baptism. Contrary to what some say, it was nothing like the Jews’ baptism for ceremonial cleansing. And it was nothing like the baptism for Jewish proselytes. It was strictly to prepare for and to point people to Jesus,8 the one who gives the baptism of the Holy Spirit, as verse 16 says. As disciples of Jesus Christ we’re called to be baptized with water, after we’re born again, after we’ve been baptized with the Holy Spirit. But that’s not the baptism of John (cf. Acts 19:1-7). John’s was designed to prepare and point people to Jesus. Our baptism comes after we’ve come to Jesus. It’s a baptism that reflects the death and the resurrection of Jesus. And it’s a baptism that represents our cleansing and forgiveness of sins. REPENTANCE PROCLAIMED (7-14)

Let’s now look closer at John’s proclamation of repentance.

6 Grudem, Wayne, and Thomas R. Schreiner. “Luke Study Notes.” in ESV Study Bible. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bibles, 2008. 7 Sibbes, Richard, and Alexander B. Grosart. Works of Richard Sibbes: Volume One. Carlisle, Penn: Banner of Truth Trust, 1973, p. 44. 8 Bock, Darrell L. Luke Volume 1: 1:1-9:50. Baker exegetical commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Books, 1994. 5

Salvation Is for the Nations. Just like the prophets in the Old Testament, John announces both judgment and salvation. The salvation of God is available in Jesus. And that salvation is now available for all flesh, as verse 6 says. It’s not just for the Jews. Salvation is for all nations, all people groups. In fact, John says that being an ethnic child of Abraham will do nothing to save a person. He even warns the Jews that they may be liable to God’s judgment, if they don’t repent. He announces that God’s wrath is coming. The ax is at the root of the trees. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Salvation and judgment have nothing to do with the family you’re born into. Salvation has to do with faith in Jesus, as we saw under the last point, and repentance. Repentance Must Produce Fruit But not just any brand of repentance. For John, repentance is not just feeling sorry for your sin. True repentance must produce fruit. John says, “Bear fruits in keeping with repentance” (v. 8). As someone said, “Real repentance requires a change in your inward attitude and your outward actions.” Or said another way, “Repentance is not simply a cerebral exercise but something that affects daily living.”9 That’s why, when people ask John what they should do in response to his message of repentance, he gives them tangible examples. Look at verses 10-14. He calls everyone to share with others. He calls the tax collectors to collect no more than they’re authorized to. He tells the soldiers to not extort money. Those who repent of their sins will be changed inside and out. Their faith and repentance will affect their daily lives; it will even affect their work, as two of the examples indicate. But notice the particular characteristics of the change John draws out in these verses. I’ll list three. 1. Notice that the fruit of repentance involves generosity. Those who are truly repentant will share their tunic or their food with those who have none (vv. 10-11). They will share what they have with those in need. They don’t believe that those with the most gold rule. They recognize that Christ is king and God owns everything. They realize that all they have is Christ. He’s their treasure. And he has shown us such generosity. Therefore, they will be generous. 2. Notice that the fruit of repentance involves humility. The powerful tax collectors are called to be meek and to not rip off the people they collect taxes from (vv. 12-13). The powerful soldiers are called to be meek and not use muscle to extort money (vv. 14-15), like the bully who takes the short kid’s lunch money. As I’ve said a number of times already, those who are repentant will humble themselves and they’ll give deference toward those of humble estate. That’s certainly what Christ did. He humbled himself to the point of death because he was considering the needs of others. 3. I guess if I were to summarize the fruit of repentance that John draws out in each of these examples, I would say that the fruit of repentance is characterized by loving other people. A true love of God will result in love for others. Later in Luke, Jesus calls his disciples to “love the

9 Garland 6

Lord…and [love] your neighbor as yourself (Lk. 10:27). And when you love your neighbor as yourself, you’ll treat them the way you want to be treated! I want to pause at this point and make a quick theological qualification. The main theme of this passage is repentance. But it’s important to note that repentance in the New Testament is not something we can conjure up. It is a gift of the Holy Spirit. Later in Acts, Luke says Christ gives repentance and forgiveness (Acts 5:31); and that God grants repentance that leads to life (Acts 11:18; cf. 2 Tim. 2:25).10 Now that may seem like a contradiction. John clearly calls us to repent. We have a responsibility to repent. And yet at the same time, we’re told that repentance is a gift from God. That’s not a contradiction. Both are true. And that’s why true repentance will bear fruit. If God gives us faith and repentance, God will also produce fruit in our lives. True Conversion The Bible’s teaching on repentance is so important for the church today. There are many people today who would say that they have trusted Jesus for salvation. They would say that they believe and are saved. But they show no fruit of repentance. In his book, What is a Healthy Church Member, Thabiti Anyabwile tells a story that illustrates my point. Thabiti’s friend Curtis is an enthusiastic evangelist who is willing to do whatever it takes to have someone profess faith in Christ. One day Curtis told him that their mutual friend Kenny “got saved.” When Thabiti asked him how he knew Kenny was saved, Curtis responded by saying, “Oh. That’s easy. He came down front after service and prayed to receive Christ—the way lots of people get saved.” Fast forward a year later. Curtis called Thabiti quite concerned. It was about Kenny. Kenny began the Christian race well, attending church, praying, and even going out with evangelism teams. But then, Kenny just fell off the radar. He disappeared from church. He experienced problems in his marriage and was now leaving the faith.11 Well was Kenny saved or not? I don’t want to dive into that conversation this morning. Let me simply say that Kenny’s story is a common story. And let me also say that true conversion involves more than just a one-time decision to accept Jesus. True conversion involves faith and repentance. And true repentance will bear fruit. It involves turning from the world, the flesh, and the devil and turning toward Christ as both Savior and Lord. We are saved from our sin by grace alone. But we are also saved for good works. If we don’t bear fruit in keeping with repentance, if we don’t submit to Christ as Lord, I don’t know how we can have much confidence in our salvation. I love the way Leander Keck puts it: Somehow we have come to think that we can save souls without repentance. We have come to think that repentance is feeling sorry for not being religious sooner, that repentance is something that sinners go through on the way to salvation. But repentance is turning one’s whole life toward the will

10 Garland 11 Illustration modified. Anyabwile, Thabiti M. What Is a Healthy Church Member? Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Books, 2008, pp. 47-48. 7

and way of God, and so repentance is not the preliminary step to something else but the name of the game. Repentance is the discipline of rebuilding life in alignment with the will of God.12 I think he’s right. And the reason I quote him here is because, even though our passage this morning is about repentance as preparation for Jesus, the broader picture in the Bible shows us that repentance is a life-long endeavor. So, if you have yet to place your faith in Jesus for your salvation and the forgiveness of your sins, I urge you today to turn from relying in your own strength, your wealth, your education, your family, and to turn toward Jesus. Trust him alone for salvation. Turn and trust. Repent and believe. And then be baptized. But if you have already repented of your sins and trusted Christ at some point in the past, I want to encourage you today to continue to live a life of faith and repentance. Every new day provides a new opportunity to repent and believe. Amazing Grace I want to close this morning with a story that I think illustrates most of what we’ve seen in Luke 3 this morning, but I hope more than anything motivates you to prepare the way for Jesus in your heart, by living a life of humble repentance. Pastor Matt has done a great job of working with Jan Steinert and the other library volunteers to overhaul our library in recent months. You need to check out all of the new stuff! One of the best additions to the library lately is a whole host of great Christian biographies. Yesterday I picked up the one by Tony Reinke on John Newton and was greatly encouraged by what I’ve read so far.13 John Newton lived in Liverpool England. He was the captain of a slave ship. He had power and eventually wealth. But, like Herod before him, he was an evil man. In addition to being a leader in the English slave trade, he also had a foul mouth. He had gambled his way into debt, and had even dabbled in witchcraft. During his extensive travels, he became sexually promiscuous. Some think that he probably raped captive African women on board the slave ships. He said of himself that “he had the ambition of Caesar…and wanted to rank in wickedness among the foremost of the human race.” On March 21, 1748, his ship encountered a horrible storm. Waves slammed into the ship and ripped away the upper timbers on one side. The ship was taking on water quickly. Newton and his crew began furiously bailing water back into the ocean while the waves crashed upon their heads. The ship was certain to be dashed to pieces and everybody on board lost. In a moment of desperation, Newton cried out to God as he bailed water. He said, “If this will not do, the Lord have mercy upon us.” Reinke says that before that day, he had only used the Lord’s name in vain. But now the Lord’s name struck his heart like an arrow, humbling and breaking him. Newton describes that day as his “great day of turning.” Or in other words, this was his first day down the road of repentance. Not only did God save him from the storm at sea. God saved him from eternal judgment.

12 Quoted in Garland. 13 Most of what follows is directly from Reinke. Reinke, Tony. Newton on the Christian Life: To Live Is Christ. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Books, 2015. 8

Reinke says, “This drowning wretch of a sailor would later pen a hymn so popular that its lyrics are as recognizable throughout the English speaking world as any national anthem.” Of course that hymn was Amazing Grace. “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.” Newton came to know the grace of God in an amazing way. And that understanding of grace gave him a life-long humility. Like Jacob who was wounded by God and walked with a limp for the rest of his life, John Newton walked with a spiritual limp for rest of his life; he walked with humility. Newton’s repentance bore fruit. Not only did it produce the most well-known hymn in the world. Newton, who was formerly involved in trading slaves, was also used by God to help guys like William Wilberforce to end the English slave trade. After his conversion he continued to work within the nautical profession. But, through much counsel and prayer, he wrestled with the decision to become a pastor. Eventually he did become a pastor—for 45 years. Listen to what he said when he made the decision. His words apply to all of us who seek to live lives of faith and repentance, regardless of whether or not we’re in vocational ministry. “The day is now arrived when I propose to close all of my deliberations on this subject with a solemn, unreserved, unconditional surrender of myself to the Lord.” That’s what the fruit of repentance looks like. A solemn, unreserved, unconditional surrender of our lives to Christ. Newton’s conversion was dramatic. And some of you may think it’s so dramatic that it doesn’t apply to you. But all conversions are dramatic. They’re all a miracle. Faith and repentance are gifts from God. And therefore they will all produce the dramatic fruit of repentance. I pray Newton’s story encourages you to live a life of repentance. But more importantly, I pray that Christ himself would motivate your repentance! May First Free be a church marked by the fruit of repentance: humility, generosity, and love.