WEBVTT 00:00:01.520 --> 00:00:03.040 Question for you. 00:00:04.080 --> 00:00:08.960 Um, how many of you would say that you are good with directions? 00:00:09.199 --> 00:00:10.480 You raise your hands on this. 00:00:10.720 --> 00:00:11.519 Good with directions. 00:00:11.599 --> 00:00:12.800 I generally know where I'm going. 00:00:12.880 --> 00:00:13.919 I usually don't get lost. 00:00:14.000 --> 00:00:15.439 There's three people in this whole crowd. 00:00:15.519 --> 00:00:15.759 Okay. 00:00:15.919 --> 00:00:16.480 That's amazing. 00:00:16.719 --> 00:00:17.839 Some more, some more, okay? 00:00:18.079 --> 00:00:19.440 Directions are helpful. 00:00:19.600 --> 00:00:23.440 Um, how many of you have been just extremely lost? 00:00:23.600 --> 00:00:24.800 Like, I mean, you're lost. 00:00:24.879 --> 00:00:27.359 Maybe not, you're not in the Yukon lost, but you're just really lost. 00:00:27.519 --> 00:00:27.760 Yeah. 00:00:27.839 --> 00:00:28.000 Yeah. 00:00:28.079 --> 00:00:28.239 Yeah. 00:00:28.399 --> 00:00:29.440 There you go, right? 00:00:29.679 --> 00:00:41.679 Some of you guys, so when you're lost, when you're completely lost, the most helpful thing isn't to know what direction to start heading, right? 00:00:42.000 --> 00:00:44.799 The most helpful thing to know is where are you at? 00:00:45.359 --> 00:00:46.399 Where am I? 00:00:46.640 --> 00:00:51.600 I can't get where I need to be until I figure out where I'm already at. 00:00:52.799 --> 00:00:56.880 A good preacher does this for us. 00:00:57.119 --> 00:01:03.920 A good preacher will tell you where you're at, and then tell you where you need to go. 00:01:04.640 --> 00:01:07.200 We see this lostness, if you will. 00:01:07.359 --> 00:01:11.760 I don't just mean salvation loss, but just the directionless, aimless. 00:01:11.920 --> 00:01:13.599 Everything seems ambiguous. 00:01:13.760 --> 00:01:15.680 We see this in our culture. 00:01:16.400 --> 00:01:17.359 Almost everywhere. 00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:18.719 People just seem to be lost. 00:01:18.799 --> 00:01:24.079 And whether, I mean this with cars and getting places, but I really mean they're just not sure where they're heading. 00:01:24.239 --> 00:01:25.920 They're not even sure where they're at. 00:01:26.159 --> 00:01:27.840 They just are living for the moment. 00:01:28.000 --> 00:01:31.439 What's the next best pleasure I can get? 00:01:31.840 --> 00:01:35.840 Or what's the next best thing I can do to feel safe or secure? 00:01:36.480 --> 00:01:43.519 They're rather aimless because they know neither where they should be going or where they are currently at. 00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:52.079 Again, the preacher comes to tell people where they are, that they are lost, and where they can go to be found. 00:01:52.319 --> 00:01:55.120 Turning your Bibles to Luke chapter 3. 00:01:55.280 --> 00:01:57.280 If you don't have a Bible, there's some on the back table there. 00:01:57.519 --> 00:01:58.480 Love for you to have one. 00:01:58.560 --> 00:01:59.599 It's great to have a Bible. 00:01:59.760 --> 00:02:01.840 Open up into the Gospel of Luke. 00:02:01.920 --> 00:02:05.840 It's just open, it's toward the back of the Bible, but it's early in the New Testament. 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:07.439 Matthew, Mark, Luke. 00:02:07.599 --> 00:02:11.280 If you get into 1 2 Corinthians, those letters, go back. 00:02:12.319 --> 00:02:18.560 In Luke chapter 3, we'll be looking this morning at verses 17 through 14, Lord willing. 00:02:18.879 --> 00:02:28.000 Last week we looked at verses 1 through 6, that John the Baptist was fulfilling the prophecy to prepare the way for the Messiah to come. 00:02:28.319 --> 00:02:33.120 He travels around this region of the Jordan, calling people to repentance. 00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:40.159 And then we pick it up here in verse 7 of Luke chapter 3. 00:02:41.360 --> 00:02:54.960 He 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, bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 00:02:55.520 --> 00:03:00.560 And do not begin to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our father. 00:03:00.879 --> 00:03:06.560 For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 00:03:07.039 --> 00:03:10.639 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. 00:03:11.039 --> 00:03:20.240 Every tree that is therefore every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 00:03:21.520 --> 00:03:25.759 And the crowds asked him, What then shall we do? 00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:33.280 And he answered them, Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none. 00:03:33.680 --> 00:03:37.120 And whoever has food is to do likewise. 00:03:38.159 --> 00:03:43.919 Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, Teacher, what shall we do? 00:03:44.080 --> 00:03:49.599 And he said to them, Collect no more than you are authorized to do. 00:03:50.800 --> 00:03:56.879 Soldiers also asked him, and we and we, what shall we do? 00:03:57.120 --> 00:04:08.319 And he said to them, Do not exhort, extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusations, and be content with your wages. 00:04:09.599 --> 00:04:13.680 This is God's holy and precious word. 00:04:14.879 --> 00:04:26.879 So the first thing that John the Baptist does when he goes out, he's proclaiming this message of baptism and repentance, is he begins to tell them where they are. 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:32.399 He tells them, he orients them, it's a kindness that he does to them. 00:04:32.560 --> 00:04:34.560 He tells them where they are. 00:04:34.800 --> 00:04:37.600 First, he does this by telling them who they are, what they desire. 00:04:37.759 --> 00:04:39.600 He's revealing to them who they are. 00:04:39.759 --> 00:04:40.319 Verse 7. 00:04:40.399 --> 00:04:42.160 He calls them a brood of vipers. 00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:44.800 It's pretty strong language. 00:04:45.120 --> 00:04:46.879 Pois snakes. 00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:58.000 Lethal in their teaching and their living and acting, acting like seeds of the serpent, Satan, rather than seeds of Abraham. 00:04:58.800 --> 00:05:01.600 Who warned you to flee the wrath to come? 00:05:02.399 --> 00:05:06.319 In a sense, he's questioning where is this authority coming from? 00:05:06.480 --> 00:05:09.360 Who are you listening to and taking advice from? 00:05:09.680 --> 00:05:10.959 Who is your counselor? 00:05:11.360 --> 00:05:12.959 Where are you looking for wisdom? 00:05:13.120 --> 00:05:19.120 That now you, as poisonous snakes, are coming to be baptized to repent? 00:05:20.079 --> 00:05:25.199 He's calling into question the source of their wisdom. 00:05:25.519 --> 00:05:28.720 And he's calling into question their motives. 00:05:29.120 --> 00:05:30.399 Who told you? 00:05:30.639 --> 00:05:31.839 Who warned you? 00:05:32.079 --> 00:05:34.399 And why are you listening to them? 00:05:34.720 --> 00:05:38.399 Are you coming to repent because the Messiah is coming? 00:05:38.720 --> 00:05:40.079 A chosen one? 00:05:41.439 --> 00:05:45.439 Talk of the Messiah never seemed to motivate you guys in the past. 00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:47.120 So why now? 00:05:49.040 --> 00:05:52.079 Do they really desire to be made right with God? 00:05:53.279 --> 00:05:56.160 Or to just have a clean conscience? 00:05:57.040 --> 00:05:59.920 It's really important that we understand the difference. 00:06:00.879 --> 00:06:07.040 One is I want to be reconciled to my creator, the one whom I've been made for. 00:06:07.680 --> 00:06:11.199 Another is I don't want to feel bad about myself. 00:06:12.639 --> 00:06:17.839 Now, it's often that those feelings are together. 00:06:18.399 --> 00:06:18.720 Right? 00:06:18.879 --> 00:06:25.199 So sometimes it takes some work to figure out am I repenting because I just want to feel better? 00:06:25.519 --> 00:06:27.680 Or because I want to be made right with the Lord? 00:06:27.839 --> 00:06:29.759 Well, in a sense, both. 00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:33.839 No one's like, hey, I want to be made right with the Lord, but I want to keep feeling guilty. 00:06:34.000 --> 00:06:36.720 This is that's not the case for most people. 00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:40.639 However, there is a difference. 00:06:41.040 --> 00:06:45.920 And if you're a Christian, hopefully you've been able to identify that sometimes in your life. 00:06:46.079 --> 00:06:47.920 That in your own repentance. 00:06:48.319 --> 00:06:50.399 It's not that you're hating sin. 00:06:51.360 --> 00:06:57.439 It's not that sin has just drive you, driven you so down, and you so far down you just hate it and you loathe it. 00:06:57.680 --> 00:07:00.639 It's just, I don't want to feel bad for it anymore. 00:07:00.879 --> 00:07:04.560 I don't want to feel the pricking of my conscience, the Holy Spirit potentially. 00:07:04.639 --> 00:07:06.240 If you're a Christian, it's the Holy Spirit working. 00:07:06.319 --> 00:07:07.519 I don't want to feel those things. 00:07:07.680 --> 00:07:13.600 So let me just say I'm sorry and do the prayer of confession thing and take communion and I'll feel better. 00:07:13.759 --> 00:07:15.680 And I, you know, I probably mean it. 00:07:15.920 --> 00:07:25.040 I'm not gonna change the way I live, I'm not gonna change my friends, I'm not gonna change uh what's going on with my phone or TV or what I consume. 00:07:25.360 --> 00:07:28.720 I'm not gonna change my life, but I'm gonna repent. 00:07:30.160 --> 00:07:37.439 If you're not a Christian, this repentance thing, maybe you've grown up in the church, and you're just weary of this like repent. 00:07:37.519 --> 00:07:42.079 Like apparently we're all so bad, we just gotta keep repenting every day for everything. 00:07:42.319 --> 00:07:52.879 Well, I mean, you know, you you you examine your own life for 24 hours, and you tell me just how good you think you are before a holy and righteous God. 00:07:53.600 --> 00:07:59.680 Repentance is not just a acknowledgement that I've done something wrong. 00:07:59.920 --> 00:08:01.519 It's a contrition. 00:08:01.839 --> 00:08:06.160 It's a it's a man, I feel bad that I've done the wrong thing. 00:08:06.319 --> 00:08:08.399 And I don't want to do that anymore. 00:08:08.560 --> 00:08:12.879 And I don't want to do that anymore, so I'm gonna change things in my life. 00:08:12.959 --> 00:08:17.199 I'm gonna turn from those sins and I'm gonna follow Jesus. 00:08:18.160 --> 00:08:21.120 So he calls into question their motives. 00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:25.120 He calls into question in verse 8 what they believe. 00:08:25.439 --> 00:08:37.279 Bear fruits and keep it 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. 00:08:38.480 --> 00:08:42.960 And John the Baptist, just add it again, just cutting right to the heart of things. 00:08:43.120 --> 00:08:46.320 If you claim to be repentant, then show it. 00:08:46.559 --> 00:08:47.600 Live like it. 00:08:48.480 --> 00:08:55.600 If your claim is I'm truly repentant, I really am, and I want to I want to forsake sin and follow Jesus, then live that way. 00:08:56.320 --> 00:09:00.320 Bear fruit that keeps with repentance. 00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:10.960 It's like the husband who keeps abusing his wife emotionally, or he's having an affair, and he and he says, Oh, I'm sorry, I won't do it again. 00:09:11.840 --> 00:09:13.039 But he does it again. 00:09:13.519 --> 00:09:15.519 There's no fruit in your repentance. 00:09:16.080 --> 00:09:30.639 It's like the guy who says, I love my wife and I and I care about her, but keeps going back to porn again and again, hoping that somehow that's gonna fix him, but yet claiming that he's sorry and repentant. 00:09:32.879 --> 00:09:34.879 It's one thing to fight sin. 00:09:36.159 --> 00:09:36.720 Hear me on this. 00:09:36.799 --> 00:09:38.159 It's one thing to fight sin. 00:09:38.559 --> 00:09:41.360 It's another thing to just indulge sin. 00:09:42.159 --> 00:09:43.519 But say you're sorry. 00:09:44.480 --> 00:09:45.200 You see the difference there? 00:09:45.279 --> 00:09:51.279 It's one thing to fight against sin and struggle and lose and win and struggle and lose and win with sin. 00:09:51.440 --> 00:09:54.639 That's that's the pattern for the rest of our lives, brothers and sisters. 00:09:54.879 --> 00:09:57.039 That is us until Christ comes. 00:09:57.200 --> 00:10:02.480 Hopefully, as we get older, there's a lot more victories and a lot fewer losses. 00:10:03.600 --> 00:10:11.039 But if the attitude is, I'll repent and then turn back to my sin, that is my intent. 00:10:12.559 --> 00:10:15.120 I don't know that you are a Christian. 00:10:15.759 --> 00:10:22.080 If that is your desire to keep indulging in sin and yet claim to follow Christ. 00:10:22.559 --> 00:10:29.440 Because what John is saying, and he's saying these to old covenant-believed people, bear fruit in your repentance. 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:33.120 Show that you're struggling. 00:10:33.679 --> 00:10:42.559 Fight, contend, struggle, have victory, and you have losses, but then you repent and you contend again and again. 00:10:43.679 --> 00:10:48.320 Bearing fruit with repentance doesn't mean we do not sin anymore. 00:10:48.639 --> 00:10:54.879 But it does mean that we are fighting sin always, or contending against it. 00:10:55.279 --> 00:10:57.679 And so he's challenging them in that. 00:10:57.759 --> 00:11:08.960 And then he says, listen, don't think you can slip into the kingdom because you can kind of pull the whole, I'm Abraham's descendant cart. 00:11:09.919 --> 00:11:12.879 You can't scoot in on Abraham's coattails. 00:11:12.960 --> 00:11:14.559 That's not how this works. 00:11:15.840 --> 00:11:24.080 The Jews, they just threw this around, like, hey, Abraham's my dad stuff, and I can get away with what I want, and I can get immunity, it's fine, it's good. 00:11:27.759 --> 00:11:28.879 They're thinking. 00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:33.519 And it goes right after their false sense of security. 00:11:33.919 --> 00:11:35.120 It goes right after it. 00:11:35.919 --> 00:11:37.200 Don't be thinking. 00:11:37.679 --> 00:11:44.320 Because you're Hebrews, you're your father, your descendants of Abraham that you can slip in. 00:11:45.519 --> 00:11:48.720 He says, because God can raise up children for Abraham. 00:11:49.200 --> 00:11:50.559 Which is kind of an interesting phrase. 00:11:50.720 --> 00:11:54.799 Well, why would God have to raise up children for Abraham? 00:11:55.200 --> 00:11:58.240 Why would God need to use stones to do these things? 00:11:59.039 --> 00:12:02.080 God made a covenant with Abraham. 00:12:03.360 --> 00:12:08.799 John is affirming that God will keep this covenant he made with Abraham. 00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:11.679 That from Abraham will come many nations. 00:12:14.000 --> 00:12:16.399 So they're not going to manipulate God. 00:12:16.720 --> 00:12:19.360 Well, God needs us to keep his covenant with Abraham. 00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:20.000 We've got to be here. 00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:20.960 No, no, no, no. 00:12:21.200 --> 00:12:27.519 The Lord can take all these stones and make up from raise up from them children for Abraham. 00:12:27.919 --> 00:12:34.240 For they are not looking for bloodline, but rather those who have faith like Abraham. 00:12:35.200 --> 00:12:39.039 So he challenges what they believe, their sense of security. 00:12:39.200 --> 00:12:41.600 Well, I grew up in a Christian home. 00:12:41.840 --> 00:12:43.679 Or I am a good person. 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:46.960 And from the world's standards, like maybe you are. 00:12:47.200 --> 00:12:52.799 Maybe you pay all your taxes and you even return your shopping cart when you're done. 00:12:53.120 --> 00:12:54.559 Isn't that amazing? 00:12:55.679 --> 00:12:57.919 That does not get you into heaven. 00:12:59.919 --> 00:13:04.159 And the standard isn't even just, well, you gotta believe the right things. 00:13:04.320 --> 00:13:05.919 Read your Bible regularly. 00:13:06.399 --> 00:13:13.440 There's plenty of people who read their Bible regularly and who think the right things, but their hearts have never been changed. 00:13:13.919 --> 00:13:19.759 They've never forsaken sin and followed after the Lord. 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:25.519 And that is required if we are going to be Abraham's descendants. 00:13:25.759 --> 00:13:28.480 If we're going to be in the covenant. 00:13:29.440 --> 00:13:31.759 So he then gives them this warning. 00:13:33.840 --> 00:13:35.039 Verse 9. 00:13:35.519 --> 00:13:41.039 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. 00:13:42.159 --> 00:13:49.519 Every tree, therefore, that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 00:13:51.039 --> 00:13:54.080 Again, he's getting back to the fruit language here. 00:13:54.240 --> 00:13:58.000 And the axe is laid to the root of the tree. 00:13:59.120 --> 00:14:08.480 And this no doubt brings up Isaiah chapter 10, when God's talking about lopping off all the trees, right? 00:14:08.720 --> 00:14:10.639 Judgment on Israel. 00:14:11.039 --> 00:14:23.120 That was Isaiah 10's message, Isaiah's prophecy that God would cut down all the trees, all the people, these covenant people, and they would be carried off into captivity. 00:14:23.279 --> 00:14:32.320 But then in Isaiah 11, there is a promise that from the shoot of Jesse, this lumped-off tree, a shoot would come. 00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:38.080 David, King David, and from King David would come the Messiah. 00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:44.960 And so John is using this same language, language his listeners would have known well. 00:14:45.519 --> 00:14:48.399 That the axe is laid at the fruit of the tree. 00:14:48.879 --> 00:14:58.639 And if your tree is, Abraham is my father, it's going to be cut down because that is bad fruit. 00:14:59.200 --> 00:15:05.200 And if your tree is, again, I'm not a per bad person, that will be cut down. 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:15.600 If your fruit is anything other than the fruit of God's amazing work in your life, it will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:23.200 John is not speaking metaphorically, that wrath is coming, that judgment is coming. 00:15:23.759 --> 00:15:39.519 He means this quite literally that for those who reject God, those who live against his ways and bear bad fruit, judgment is coming. 00:15:39.840 --> 00:15:42.639 They will face eternity in hell. 00:15:42.960 --> 00:15:52.399 John cannot be clear enough to these people that this wrath is coming, that they need to bear fruit and repentance. 00:15:54.799 --> 00:15:56.879 Don't appeal to your heritage. 00:15:57.440 --> 00:16:01.200 Don't appeal to your knowledge for salvation. 00:16:01.519 --> 00:16:06.080 Appeal to the person and work of Jesus Christ. 00:16:06.960 --> 00:16:10.960 It's not, I'm going to look, I'm going to be Abraham's descendant. 00:16:12.559 --> 00:16:16.000 Or I have a lot of Bible knowledge. 00:16:17.039 --> 00:16:22.639 Sometimes we can even deceive ourselves as Christians, having been born again, regenerate. 00:16:22.960 --> 00:16:25.679 We become Christians, the Lord saves us. 00:16:26.000 --> 00:16:29.519 And then we learn so much about the Bible, it's beautiful, it's glorious. 00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:38.879 And we understand more about who God is, and we understand more about how he works, as little tiny glimpses we can get into that because our finite little minds. 00:16:39.440 --> 00:16:50.879 We get a glimpse of our own nature and how we function and how we're broken and how the Lord has made us beautiful and how we're designed to be like our Creator and to worship Him and all these things. 00:16:51.440 --> 00:16:54.320 That we're just kind of growing in our faith, and things are good. 00:16:54.799 --> 00:17:05.279 And then there's a creeping in of pride, a creeping in of just this, well, you know, of course I'm a Christian. 00:17:05.440 --> 00:17:11.519 I remember when the Lord saved me, and I remember being baptized, and I remember all these things, which is good. 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:13.119 Praise the Lord for that. 00:17:13.680 --> 00:17:19.359 But then we keep looking to our past for our confidence. 00:17:20.160 --> 00:17:22.240 And I'm not saying that those things don't matter. 00:17:22.400 --> 00:17:22.960 Hear me. 00:17:23.200 --> 00:17:28.720 One of the blessings as Christians is looking behind us and saying, remember what the Lord did? 00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:33.039 Remember when we were dead in our sin and how the Lord changed our hearts? 00:17:33.279 --> 00:17:39.359 Remember when we blew it and we sinned and how the Christians of the church loved us well and called us to repentance? 00:17:39.519 --> 00:17:41.759 Remember when we didn't have enough money the Lord provided? 00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:43.519 And you just reflect on all these things. 00:17:43.599 --> 00:17:45.440 Those are beautiful things, wonderful things. 00:17:45.599 --> 00:17:46.880 They built our faith. 00:17:47.039 --> 00:17:50.480 And so we should be, as a church, quick to share those. 00:17:51.119 --> 00:17:58.319 But it can be dangerous when our confidence is just in the past. 00:17:59.279 --> 00:18:04.880 And it's been five years since I've really felt like I was in a sweet time of prayer with the Lord. 00:18:06.240 --> 00:18:12.559 It's been probably 18 months since I sat and read God's word and let it minister to me. 00:18:12.799 --> 00:18:14.240 Let it convict. 00:18:14.640 --> 00:18:18.880 Let it prod, let it cut me and heal me. 00:18:19.359 --> 00:18:21.519 I just don't do those things anymore. 00:18:21.839 --> 00:18:23.119 And I'm not saying you're not a Christian. 00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:23.759 That's not my point. 00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:28.799 My point is the danger, just looking to the past. 00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:30.240 Looking to the past. 00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:33.920 But what's the Lord doing now in your life? 00:18:35.519 --> 00:18:48.720 No doubt some of the people that John was taught was referring to or speaking to would have been devout in their desire to be faithful Jewish teachers or students or followers. 00:18:50.720 --> 00:18:55.440 But at somewhere, at some point, their heart became more callous. 00:18:55.839 --> 00:18:59.920 The cares of the world, which are real, you can't just do away with them. 00:19:00.079 --> 00:19:05.759 But they begin to shroud over them and cover them and weigh down on them. 00:19:07.759 --> 00:19:12.319 And John is calling them to repent. 00:19:15.359 --> 00:19:19.359 This language of for return. 00:19:20.480 --> 00:19:21.359 Come back to. 00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:24.640 And some here this morning. 00:19:25.359 --> 00:19:28.559 The Lord has done amazing things in your life. 00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:32.319 And we can sit down at the mealtime and we can go for hours. 00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:40.559 Just with probably you and someone else talking about how the Lord has been faithful to you, how the Lord has ministered to you, how the Lord has freed you from sin. 00:19:40.799 --> 00:19:44.079 How the Lord has provided when you thought there was no way out. 00:19:44.880 --> 00:19:46.480 That's a beautiful thing. 00:19:46.799 --> 00:20:04.559 But I want to remember remind you to keep repenting, keep confessing, keep coming to the Lord, seeking to be built up and encouraged and strengthened, that you might not grow weary in doing good, that you might not grow callous in following Christ. 00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:13.839 And then worst of all, you don't just slip into this apathetic place where, yeah, you want to follow Jesus. 00:20:14.079 --> 00:20:20.000 But man, just somehow, I don't know how, but every day I just, the day gets away and I don't have time in the Word. 00:20:20.240 --> 00:20:26.480 You know, I've been meaning to meet up with a brother or sister and get coffee and just encourage one another to do that. 00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:28.000 That's an important thing we do. 00:20:28.240 --> 00:20:34.880 But, you know, somehow this year it didn't happen, but this next year it will, then somehow just it didn't happen. 00:20:35.759 --> 00:20:39.279 This is a dangerous place as Christians to be. 00:20:39.599 --> 00:20:49.759 Where we're we're kind of apathetic and we have good intentions, we know what we should be doing, and the Holy Spirit is convicting us on things, but we just kind of stay complacent. 00:20:50.240 --> 00:20:56.799 I know, but but genuinely praise the Lord for his grace and praise the Lord for his grace. 00:20:57.279 --> 00:21:03.839 But it is not cheap grace, it's not grace for us just to be throwing around. 00:21:04.079 --> 00:21:07.599 Well, I I know I wanted to do that, but it's okay. 00:21:07.839 --> 00:21:08.720 It's a fine. 00:21:08.880 --> 00:21:12.400 I'll make up for it next time, or I'll do it next year, I'll get there. 00:21:13.440 --> 00:21:17.359 Instead of walking in humble repentant obedience. 00:21:18.799 --> 00:21:26.240 There are some here this morning, I would imagine, who have yet to repent, truly follow Jesus. 00:21:27.359 --> 00:21:32.960 And John's words are for you to hear and respond to. 00:21:33.599 --> 00:21:36.079 They're not just here for you to say, well, that's interesting. 00:21:36.240 --> 00:21:45.839 This first century guy who lived in the wilderness and he's calling, he comes out of the wilderness, and somehow all these people are now like, well, let's go get baptized by this guy. 00:21:46.240 --> 00:21:53.039 This guy's wearing some weird clothes, eating weird food, and now it's cool to go get baptized by him. 00:21:53.200 --> 00:21:57.839 It's a little social phenomenon here we see in in Luke chapter 3. 00:21:58.720 --> 00:21:59.519 John's words. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:04.160 John the Baptist's words are the words that you need to hear. 00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:06.960 That you are dead in your sin. 00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:10.880 That there is wrath coming. 00:22:11.119 --> 00:22:12.720 There is judgment coming. 00:22:12.880 --> 00:22:14.960 And you should flee that wrath. 00:22:15.119 --> 00:22:24.079 And you should flee to Christ, coming to him, repenting to him, trusting in him for your salvation. 00:22:24.960 --> 00:22:28.880 That he might work in your life and free you from sin. 00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:33.599 That he would adopt you into his family and you belong to him. 00:22:33.920 --> 00:22:37.920 And then from that place, a place of being saved. 00:22:38.880 --> 00:22:40.559 You've been atoned for. 00:22:40.799 --> 00:22:43.039 All your wrongs have been paid for. 00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:44.480 Not canceled. 00:22:44.960 --> 00:22:48.160 Again, it's important we understand our sins are never canceled. 00:22:48.799 --> 00:22:51.200 The payment for your sins are never canceled. 00:22:51.359 --> 00:22:55.039 They've been paid for by Jesus' blood and body. 00:22:55.359 --> 00:22:56.000 Amen? 00:22:56.960 --> 00:23:09.440 We do not come to Christ, looking to make ourselves better, clean ourselves up, and then come and be baptized or be saved. 00:23:11.039 --> 00:23:16.000 John's call is to come and follow the way. 00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:26.240 It's interesting how even in John's language as he's talking to them, this is again under the old covenant, so there's still more to come. 00:23:26.400 --> 00:23:33.359 And the reality is they don't just need to repent and strive for the old covenant system again. 00:23:33.519 --> 00:23:35.200 Although that's the system in place. 00:23:35.599 --> 00:23:38.160 They need to repent looking to the Messiah. 00:23:38.400 --> 00:23:44.559 Because in the old covenant, in the Old Testament, it was never intended that that would be God's way forever. 00:23:44.720 --> 00:23:46.319 It was never God's intention. 00:23:46.559 --> 00:23:52.480 He brought the old covenant, he brought the law so that we might know our need for a Savior. 00:23:52.880 --> 00:23:54.799 That He would then bring the Savior. 00:23:54.880 --> 00:24:00.720 So even in the Old Covenant, with their sacrificial system and all those things, they're to be looking to Christ. 00:24:00.880 --> 00:24:02.240 The hope is in Christ. 00:24:02.480 --> 00:24:07.519 Not that the priest on the Day of Atonement can wipe all of our sins away. 00:24:07.759 --> 00:24:10.000 They're looking to Christ. 00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:19.839 So even as John's calling them to repentance, he's saying, Come and look for the Messiah with us because he is coming. 00:24:20.079 --> 00:24:23.920 And oftentimes we get this backwards. 00:24:24.640 --> 00:24:30.960 When we come to Jesus, one, because we want to be cleaned up to our standards. 00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:35.279 And there's some things going on in our lives that we don't like about ourselves. 00:24:35.440 --> 00:24:36.160 And we know they're wrong. 00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:37.200 The Bible says they're wrong. 00:24:37.279 --> 00:24:39.200 And we want those things to be taken care of. 00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:43.279 But we don't always come to Jesus saying, Lord, I am now yours. 00:24:43.519 --> 00:24:45.920 Do what you want with my life. 00:24:46.799 --> 00:24:49.440 Do have your way with me. 00:24:49.680 --> 00:24:52.000 Take down all of my idols. 00:24:52.160 --> 00:24:54.160 Remove all of my dreams. 00:24:54.319 --> 00:24:58.400 And then give me the vision that you have for my life. 00:24:58.720 --> 00:25:02.640 We want Jesus to fix part of us, but not all of us. 00:25:02.799 --> 00:25:05.440 We're not willing to surrender everything. 00:25:06.240 --> 00:25:16.319 The second mistake we can make in our repentance is we come, we have this wrong understanding, again, that we have to patch ourselves up enough to come to Christ. 00:25:16.559 --> 00:25:18.400 And you just can't do that. 00:25:19.039 --> 00:25:25.519 You can never be good enough, do enough to be able to then come to Christ for salvation. 00:25:25.680 --> 00:25:27.599 It's kind of the whole point, right? 00:25:27.839 --> 00:25:32.240 That's kind of the whole point, is that apart from Him, we can't do any of these things. 00:25:32.480 --> 00:25:38.079 So we come and we repent and we just confess, Lord, right here in all this mess, this is who I am. 00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:39.759 Lord, would you save me? 00:25:40.079 --> 00:25:41.920 Would you forgive me for my sins? 00:25:42.079 --> 00:25:45.279 Would you put uh take out the heart of stone that I have? 00:25:45.519 --> 00:25:54.559 The rebellious heart that pushes against you, that resists you, that loves sin, and that, as Ephesians says, hates you. 00:25:54.799 --> 00:25:55.920 God, would you take that out? 00:25:56.000 --> 00:26:06.400 And would you put in a heart of flesh, a heart with new desires, a heart with a desire to obey you, to follow your ways, to trust you? 00:26:07.440 --> 00:26:10.960 That is God's call on us. 00:26:11.599 --> 00:26:19.680 So if you're if you're not a Christian, I encourage you this day, today, call out to the Lord. 00:26:19.759 --> 00:26:20.319 Come talk to me. 00:26:20.400 --> 00:26:24.160 I'd love to pray with you and talk with you, talk with Jimmy, talk to just anyone you came with. 00:26:24.319 --> 00:26:31.599 We would love to pray with you that you might repent of your sins, not just fling the wrath to come, although that's real and important. 00:26:32.720 --> 00:26:35.599 But that you might be made right with your Creator. 00:26:36.160 --> 00:26:40.480 That you would finally know what it means to be forgiven. 00:26:41.039 --> 00:26:43.119 Only God can forgive your sins. 00:26:43.279 --> 00:26:45.279 You can't forgive yourself. 00:26:45.519 --> 00:26:47.039 Your parents can't forgive you. 00:26:47.200 --> 00:26:48.480 The world can't forgive you. 00:26:48.880 --> 00:26:49.759 And they're trying. 00:26:49.839 --> 00:26:51.039 And they're really trying hard. 00:26:51.119 --> 00:26:51.599 I mean that. 00:26:51.680 --> 00:26:54.480 Like people are always trying to forgive people of things. 00:26:55.039 --> 00:26:55.440 Why? 00:26:55.519 --> 00:26:58.000 Well, we're we're kind of we are made in God's image. 00:26:58.160 --> 00:27:00.160 We want to be merciful to people at times. 00:27:00.400 --> 00:27:05.119 But we can't extend forgiveness because you haven't sinned against us. 00:27:05.359 --> 00:27:10.480 You haven't broken my law, you haven't broken society's law, you've broken God's law. 00:27:10.640 --> 00:27:14.640 So even in your quest to be made right, it's that you might be made right with God. 00:27:14.720 --> 00:27:20.960 Whether you realize that or not, the tension, the frustration, it's because you need his forgiveness. 00:27:22.000 --> 00:27:31.359 Even in your selfish, sinful desires and your sinful ways, you long to be made right, to have God's forgiveness given to you. 00:27:31.519 --> 00:27:34.400 And you might be looking to other things to find that. 00:27:34.559 --> 00:27:44.799 But I want to encourage you this morning to come to Christ, to feel his forgiveness, to know his forgiveness, to trust his word when his word says that he has forgiven you. 00:27:45.039 --> 00:27:48.079 And that you might then be able to worship him. 00:27:49.039 --> 00:27:51.279 And this isn't a worship that would just come. 00:27:51.440 --> 00:27:54.559 It's not just coming on Sunday mornings and singing songs. 00:27:54.799 --> 00:27:57.039 Although that's beautiful, it's wonderful. 00:27:58.000 --> 00:28:06.640 It's that your life might be for him, that your days might be spent adoring him, following his ways. 00:28:06.880 --> 00:28:09.920 Because in that there is life. 00:28:10.720 --> 00:28:11.839 There's hope. 00:28:12.079 --> 00:28:13.039 There's change. 00:28:13.200 --> 00:28:16.799 Not just get over the sin issue you have, although that's important. 00:28:17.519 --> 00:28:28.880 But God desires you that he might know you and walk through life with you, that you might enjoy him, and that you might be satisfied in him. 00:28:29.519 --> 00:28:37.440 There's no other way to do this but then coming and repenting of your sins, turning from them and following after Jesus. 00:28:37.599 --> 00:28:45.279 And joining us as a church as we're fallen and we're broken and we sin and we're reminding each other week after week. 00:28:45.519 --> 00:28:47.519 Remember what Christ has done for us. 00:28:47.759 --> 00:28:49.440 Remember what he's called us to. 00:28:49.599 --> 00:28:50.720 Let's be faithful. 00:28:50.880 --> 00:28:55.599 Let's encourage one another all the more as we see the day approaching. 00:28:56.480 --> 00:29:00.000 Church, I don't think I'm going to get to the rest of the rest of this passage this morning. 00:29:00.240 --> 00:29:02.720 We have some testimonies, we have some baptisms. 00:29:02.880 --> 00:29:04.640 So I'm going to pray for us. 00:29:04.960 --> 00:29:09.279 Then we're going to hear from a couple brothers as they prepare to be baptized. 00:29:09.440 --> 00:29:10.319 Let's pray.