Preparing the Way: A Call To Repentance, Part 1
Matthew: The King and His Kingdom • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 42:28
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· 6 viewsThe Kingdom of Heaven is here; therefore, You must turn from your sin and trust the Savior.
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In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’ ”
Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him,
and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.
And do not presume 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.
Even 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.
“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Prayer
Where does the OT end and the NT begin?
Many people would differ on this question.
Who was the LAST OT prophet?
From the witness of Christ, we would be correct in saying it was JTB.
“The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it.
The text immediately transitions from Jesus’ infancy to his ministry age.
The ministry of JTB is a monumental moment.
JTB was regarded as a prophet in Judea and people recognized his ministry as a prophetic ministry (Matthew 11:11-15, Matthew 21:23-27).
Similar to prophets in the OT, John was preaching in the wilderness.
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
Preparing the Way
Preparing the Way
“Elijah Preparing the Way” (Matthew 3:1-6)
We should notice the strangeness of JTB.
He is not a rabbi, reasoning and giving opinions.
He is not a priest, by leading rituals and ceremonies.
He is not a scribe, describing what the Torah says.
He is a prophet, declaring what God says.
The people of Israel haven’t heard from a prophet in 400 years...
And Matthew picks up on this down in verse 3...
For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’ ”
Matthew cites a prophetic witness to validate and make clear that JTB is standing in line with the prophets.
By citing Isaiah 40:3, Matthew is arguing that JTB fulfills this voice from Isaiah that points to the coming Glory of the Lord.
Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.
And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
When the way of the Lord has been made straight
then the glory of the Lord will be revealed to all flesh.
It is only after the voice in the wilderness crying out that the glory of the Lord will be revealed.
Matthew points to JTB as a fulfillment of the voice that cries out preparing the way of the Lord.
Notice too what JTB looks like…
Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
John assuredly again is described in prophetic terms.
The terms described of Elijah in 2 Kings 1:8 are picked up and applied to JTB.
Or as Jesus says in another place that JTB is the Elijah who is to come (Matthew 11:14, Malachi 4:5-6).
and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.
JTB comes as a precursor of the Lord Himself, which is we see as Jesus.
What was his message?
What did he preach about?
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Repentance
Repentance
“Return to God”
The message of JTB is, “Repent!”
He is heralding that the people of God should turn from their sins.
Jerome’s Vulgate
An interesting side note here for people who have grown up Catholic.
I have heard people ask before, “How did the Catholic system get so screwed up?”
This verse represents just one simple sliver to an answer to that question.
There was a guy named Jerome who translated the Latin Bible, called the Vulgate.
The Latin Bible was used in the Catholic church up until 1965.
There is one word here for “repentance” but he translated that singular word “Μετανοεῖτε” into two words.
He translated it to say, “Due penance.”
Penance was the act of paying for our sins and it all came about by one mistranslation of the Bible.
Now before we move on from this, we need a clear definition for repentance.
Be Sorry
Be Sorry
“Sorrow for Sin”
This is good that we think of repentance as including sorrow.
Any true repentance will have sorrow at some level.
The problem is if we get the cart before the horse.
If we try to make someone “feel bad” for their sins, without a work of the Holy Spirit it will do nothing.
Seeing a Picture of Jesus saying “I saw that.”
For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
Worldly grief is more upset about the consequences than the sin.
Worldly grief is more upset they have been caught than they have sinned.
Worldly grief only shifts the blame to others.
Worldly grief does not produce real change.
Repentance must include a sorrow over sin, but repentance is more than just sorrow over sin.
This leads to a second conception of repentance....
Change Your Mind
Change Your Mind
“Change Your Thinking”
The word repent means to “change one’s mind”[1]
“You were thinking in this old way, now you need to think in this new way!”
Now if we see repentance for John as something only intellectual then we will get people who say.
“I know what is true, but I don’t live it out.”
Children Fighting
Picture with me two young boys.
The first young boy choose to hit his brother.
The parent comes to the young child who hit his brother and says, “Why did you hit your brother? You need to apologize to them”
The child responds to the parent, “I didn’t intend to hit them.”
Changing one’s mind is a component of repentance, but is not the sum total.
This leads to a third conception of repentance....
Change Direction
Change Direction
“Return to the Lord”
John is calling these Jews to “repent” but it is a repentance of moral reform.
This is seen in the gospel of Luke when he calls for repentance and the crowds respond.
And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?”
What John says next is striking...
He doesn’t say… feel bad for your sin.
He doesn’t say… think differently about your sin.
He says....
And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”
Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”
And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.”
Soldiers 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.”
Their repentance was an outward preparation for what Jesus was coming to bring.
Their repentance was preparing the way for the Lord Jesus.
Do you know what the big difference between John’s baptism’s and Jesus’?
The remission of sins.
John prepared the way for the coming forgiveness.
He was preparing the way that people may more easily received the forgiveness of Christ.
He was preparing them to see their own sin and thus be able to recognize the Savior.
Therefore he humbles them also when they are come, and persuades them to have no high fancies about themselves; showing them liable to the utmost evils, unless they would repent, and leaving their forefathers, and all vaunting in them, would receive Him that was coming.
Now we Christian’s are baptized because we have been forgiven.
Why should they repent?
What is the reason for this urgent repentance?
The Kingdom
The Kingdom
“God’s Rule Revealed”
The idea of kingdom is foreign to us.
We think that kingdom has to do with kings, queens, court gestures, and knights.
The Gospel of the Kingdom: Scriptural Studies in the Kingdom of God Chapter I: What Is the Kingdom of God?
The dictionary follows this line of thought by giving as its first modern definition, “A state or monarchy the head of which is a king; dominion; realm.”
But the kingdom of God is a common way that Matthew refers to the inbreaking power of God in this world.
The religious leaders thought that the kingdom was about their ethnicity and geographical location.
They likely had in their minds the restoration of Israel and the overthrowing of the Romans.
Now this is in contrast to the way John refers to the kingdom of God.
That phrase “at hand” means “draw near, come near”
That word is also a perfect which means it has happened in the past but has an ongoing nearness.
The kingdom has broken into our world already and is close at hand.
This means that Christ’s incarnation was the inbreaking of the kingdom of God and it currently is near.
The idea of KINGDOM is pivotal for understanding Matthew.
I am going to analyze several conceptions of kingdom and present what I think Matthew is showing us.
The first conception of the kingdom is...
Spiritual Kingdom
Spiritual Kingdom
“Ghost Party”
There are some that hold that the kingdom of heaven is a “spiritual kingdom”
They think it is a subjective realm
They hold that it should only be understood in reference to the human spirit in relation to God.
They think that it is only an inward power which is within the human soul
The problem with this view is that if the kingdom is only “spiritual” then it doesn’t really impact this world.
If the kingdom is ONLY spiritual then it doesn’t impact the way we parent our children, go to work, or treat out neighbor.
The second conception is...
Future Kingdom
Future Kingdom
“Someday, Somewhere”
This view sees the kingdom only in reference to the future reign of God.
This view only sees the kingdom being relevant “someday and somewhere.”
The problem with this view is that the kingdom has nothing to do with today.
The third conception is...
Already Here Kingdom
Already Here Kingdom
“Over Realized”
This view see the kingdom as completely and fully here.
Which means that we should always see “healing”, nobody should ever be sick.
This view of the kingdom will leave people disappointed and downcast thinking that they are somehow failures.
“Already-Not Yet” Kingdom
“Already-Not Yet” Kingdom
“Here but Coming”
Already aspect of the kingdom....
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Not Yet aspect of the kingdom…
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
The kingdom is a present reality but also a future blessing.
The kingdom is what we enter now and will enter one day.
The kingdom is a gift to be received in the future but also to be received right now.
But John says....
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
With the Bible’s diverse perspective of the kingdom, how are we to think of it?
How are we supposed to understand the kingdom of God?
The arrival of the kingdom represents God’s rule and reign.
His rule and reign has come near.
God’s kingdom has come near to God’s people.
The kingdom is NOT a Place.
The kingdom is NOT a People.
The kingdom IS God’s reign.
The kingdom has more to do with the rule and reign of the king than anything else.
God has always ruled everything, but that rule is not visible to all.
John is calling out that the God’s kingship overall which has not been as clear in the past is coming into view.
His kingdom is coming near because the king is HERE.
This is why Jesus says in Mark 10:15
Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
What is being received here?
It is God’s rule that is being received.
“In order to enter the future realm of the Kingdom, one must submit himself in perfect trust to God’s rule here and now.” - George Ladd
The Gospel of the Kingdom: Scriptural Studies in the Kingdom of God (Chapter I: What Is the Kingdom of God?)
When we understand the kingdom of God correctly, then everything else changes.
The Kingdom of Heaven is here; therefore, You must turn from your sin and trust the Savior.
When Jesus tells us to pray, Matthew 6:9-10
Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
This prayer is asking for God’s reign to be over this earth just as it is in heaven.
The Gospel of the Kingdom: Scriptural Studies in the Kingdom of God Chapter I: What Is the Kingdom of God?
This prayer is a petition for God to reign, to manifest His kingly sovereignty and power, to put to flight every enemy of righteousness and of His divine rule, that God alone may be King over all the world.
The alternative to receiving the kingdom like a little child is the response of the Pharisee’s.
Matthew 3:7 (ESV)
“You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
On account of these the wrath of God is coming.
Notice what JTB does in the wilderness...
What was the mode to show a person was repentant?
How was a person to demonstrate they were repentant?
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him,
and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
Baptism
Baptism
“Renouncing Former Life”
The baptism administered in the OT days was self-administered.
Which meant that a person washed themselves.
The washing of oneself was for ceremonial cleansing.
John is breaking from the pattern by showing that someone else needed to baptize a person.
John baptized as a way for people to recognize that their former way of life was over.
Their former life was over and the new life has begun.
John’s Baptism
John’s Baptism
“Water and Repentance”
John baptized in a period of time which is unique.
He was the end of the OT prophets but the New Covenant had not been given yet.
Which meant that there would be people who had been baptized by John but not faith.
And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples.
And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.”
This is an interesting moment…
These disciples are clearly not Christian’s here.
We have people who were baptized with John’s baptism but not baptized into the name of the Triune God.
And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”
These people had not yet believed on the Lord Jesus.
These “disciples” had not experienced baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus.
On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.
Application
Turning from your sins alone will not be sufficient.
You may even hate your sins
But if you do not turn from your sins and turn to the Lord Jesus, you will NOT be saved.
The Kingdom of Heaven is here; therefore, You must turn from your sin and trust the Savior.
“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Jesus’ Baptism
Jesus’ Baptism
“The Holy Spirit and Fire”
John says that the One coming after Him will baptize His followers with the Holy Spirit.
This baptism is a baptism from God.
It does not happen because of us, but in spite of us.
The Holy Spirit is the One who comes and grants to us repentance and faith.
When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
The Holy Spirit Preparation?
Faith will always be penitent; repentance will always be believing, if it is genuine. There is no regeneration which is not expressed in both faith and repentance.
Jesus commands believers…
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
The Christian is one who has been baptized into the death of Christ.
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
The Kingdom of Heaven is here; therefore, You must turn from your sin and trust the Savior.