But God knows our hearts. John did not tell people that they “should” or “ought to” repent; rather, he said, “Repent!” His tone was very direct, wild, and unrefined. Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.” (Matthew 11:7,9) Last of all the coarse garments of John the Baptist symbolize his mission to preach repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. Peter said “Repent and be baptized” ( Acts 2:38 ). It is hard to overstate how radical this was in John's day. Jesus said “Repent and believe in the gospel” ( Mark 1:15 ). John … Repent means to ask the Holy Spirit to transform your life through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ…to renew your mind into the mind of … It really enriched my study in preparation for this Sunday’s sermon. And when we fail, if we repent in our hearts, God will know it, and He will be there to love us, save us, and lift us up. So what exactly does repentance mean? There is much that can be said about this little pericope, but, more importantly, there is much that we must do if we listen to it. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets. In approximately 29 AD, Herod Antipas had John the Baptist arrested and put in prison. “Blessed are you who weep now, The remarkable ministry of John the Baptist included the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. We live in a world stained by sin. Notice what exactly John said in Matthew 3:11: “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me … will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” John did not lack boldness as he challenged even Herod to repent of his sins. }(document, "script", "aweber-wjs-v41xtin6x")); Your email address will not be published. Living in rural America, I can tell you of the lack of opportunity, the lack of funding our schools receive, of people surrounded by food who cannot afford to put any on their plates, of a drug epidemic that is destroying families, and, most devastating of all, the apathy of our society. 1 John tells us that if we confess our sins, we not only receive forgiveness for them (1 John 1:9), but they are washed and cleansed from us by the blood of the Lamb (1 John 1:7). And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Repentance (Gk. for you will be filled. It means to make a serious change in one's life. Why then did you go out? John the baptist was bold and direct, calling out even the Pharisees and even King Herod when necessary. Literally, it means “after thought.”. The first verse sets forth a world ruled from Rome and rife with sin. Mark 1:4, NLT: "This messenger was John the Baptist. Mark 1:4, KJV: "John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins." Repentance means to have regret for what you have done wrong, it means that you understand where your old life of sin was taking you and you don’t want to go there. John the Baptist was preparing the way for Christ and calling us to repentance. It gives the setting for our story, but more than just chronologically. Why would we not want to please our Father and do our best to walk with Him every day and follow in His ways. He called upon the world to repent and turn away from sin, so that their hearts would be ready to recieve the Messiah--Our Lord Jesus Christ, when he came into the world. I am surprised by how children go hungry in the bread basket of the world. Furthermore, John baptized people in water after they had repented. His actions was completely unrelated to repentance as far as we know. But his first concern was to see the repentance of which baptism was an outward sign. John's baptism was stated to be unto repentance; that is, it led up to repentance and the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 3:11). This means "to change" or "to change one's mind" according to Thayer's lexicon. John the Baptist said “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” ( Matt. Amen. Fill our hearts and our lives with more of your goodness. To see a prophet? John's Baptism of Repentance In verse 3 John's preaching is described as a "baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." The message of John the Baptist challenges our complacency about sin, an attitude that pervades and perverts our entire life as a society. Wouldn’t it be easy to see how God, who is our Father, also wishes for our hearts to be right, for our own sake? Matthew 3:2 – And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Jesus' baptism, however, made people followers of Christ. " Scripture:“In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near’.” – Matthew 3:1,2. Look at verse 1. Saint John the Baptist was making the way for Christ in the world. In the case of a sinful action, repentance requires a retrospection of the act and a subsequent feeling of sorrow for having committed the sin. Jn1:6,14). js.src = "//forms.aweber.com/form/65/219354465.js"; He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”. It means to have a change of heart. John was the last of the Old Testament prophets. What did John the Baptist mean by the phrase, "baptism with fire," as mentioned in Matthew 3:11? After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized. Our sinful human hearts have become satisfied with the prosperous ease of Sodom and have forgotten the words of woe that Christ proclaims to the wealthy. for you will be hungry. Repentance … for you have received your consolation. The Greek word translated repent, metanoia, means to change one’s mind.In the New Testament it’s most often used in reference to changing our mind about the need for a Savior to save us from our sins, as when John said, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near” (Matthew 3:2).He was saying, “Change your mind and admit you need a Savior while there’s still time.” In Romans 3:23, the Apostle Paul writes that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” The scriptures consistently paint a pessimistic picture of humanity, as can be seen in Genesis 6:5, which states: “The LORD saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually.” The Christian tradition has spoken of humanity as a sinful, fallen race. No. In other words, he represents a phase of teaching and influence through which we must needs pass if we are properly to discover and appreciate the grace of Christ. if (d.getElementById(id)) return; We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Why did John the Baptist go “into all the region around the Jordan” (Luke 3:3) River? Just as John the Baptist “came” (1a), so in verse 13 Matthew writes, “ Then Jesus came …” The repeated verb “came” strongly suggests that God sent them both (cf. Paul affirms this in Acts 19:4: “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. John came calling for repentance and offering a new sign, baptism. When Christ taught his disciples, he told them that the poor, hungry, and sorrowful would be blessed. Shenko. He was able to do so because he had a very simple ministry and message. God knows this, He created us and has been with us from the beginning. Unfortunately, the answer to that is yes. Help us this morning to love everyone who comes across our path this morning, and let your light shine in us and through us. THE SUMMONS TO REPENT. In this text, the Jews rejoiced thatGod had granted the Gentiles "repentance unto life." Google definition says “feel or express sincere regret or remorse about one’s wrongdoing or sin.” Another definition is. John's baptism was a sign of personal, individual repentance, not a sign of birth into a covenant family. We need to repent of our sins and turn from them and receive forgiveness (1 John 1:9). var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; Was John the Baptist Elijah reincarnated? He did not use the word “bury,” which is a more refined expression. What does it mean to repent in our time? It is this understanding of human sinfulness which the Church must reclaim at this time. In Jesus’ day, the scribes predicted that Elijah would … The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” – Matthew 3:8-10, “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. When my kids hearts are right I know it, and there is nothing that I wouldn’t do for them. It was in preparation for the very presence of God coming to His people. js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; This opening verse sets the scene for a world that has gone awry, a world where God’s people live as a conquered people in their own land and where those in power would crucify the one God sent to save the world. for you will mourn and weep.”. "-Acts 13:24 “view or think of (an action or omission) with deep regret or remorse.” His simple message was to feel in our hearts deep regret and remorse for our wrong doing against God. for yours is the kingdom of God. Instead, we have allowed Sin to rule over us. By repentance of our sins, we ‘prepare the way’ for Jesus to operate in our lives! In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, 2during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. Did people understand what John the Baptist was talking about when he told them to "repent and be baptized?" I don’t believe we’ve met, but I’m a Disicples of Christ pastor in rural Kentucky, and I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciated and was moved by this commentary. With us, too, a preparatory work has to be done. John told them to produce fruit that was worthy of repentance (3:8). fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); Are we prepared to join John the Baptist in the wilderness or shall we continue to define ourselves by the times, by Tiberius, Pilate, Herod, and Caiaphas? Hear these words from Ezekiel chapter 16, verses 49 and 50: “This was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. When Christ taught his disciples, he told them that the poor, hungry, and sorrowful would be blessed. -- John has a ministry with all men. It suggests the idea of thinking about a deed after the commission of it. The central theme of his ministry was, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" ( Matt 3:2 ).He was called "The Baptist" because his practice was to baptize those who responded to the message he proclaimed and sincerely repented of their sins ( Matt 3:1 ; Mark 6:14 ; Luke 7:20 ). Living in rural America, I am surprised by how much poverty can exist in a land of so much wealth. The word "repent" is being translated from the Greek word μετανοέω (metanoeō). John tells us that when Jesus came to him, he did not yet know for certain that Jesus was the Messiah. In this world gone wrong, the word of God came to John the Baptist and “he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” Christians believe that John was a prophet who was called to prepare the way for Christ and to speak out against the injustice of his time. 5Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; 6and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”. “But woe to you who are rich, Mordecai wore sackcloth and ashes because of the decree to wipe out the Jews (Esther 4:1). The year is established in relation to Emperor Tiberius and the leadership that the Romans have put in place in and around Judea. Our scripture lesson for today is not primarily about textual exegesis, but rather analysis of our own world and our role in it. In this context, John is basically saying to care deeply in your heart about God and His kingdom, and do your best to walk in His was and keep his commandments. A. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In this opening, Pontius Pilate, Herod, and Caiaphas are all mentioned. John the Baptist began his ministry the same way (Matthew 3:2). metanoia) literally means “to change the mind.” It usually refers to changing the mind regarding your former beliefs and behaviors, and turning to a new way of believing and behaving. In other words, he preached the essential gospel message of repentance resulting from faith in Jesus as … Jesus proclaimed God’s favor on those who were down and out and called to task the rich and powerful. I am surprised by children who are taught by their parents to make fun of and look down on other children for receiving a free lunch. Sure we make mistakes, we all fail sometimes. The root cause of the problems in our world is Sin. And Paul said God “commands all people everywhere to repent” ( Acts 17:30 ). Prayer:Dear heavenly Father, thank you for your Word this beautiful morning. The repentance associated with John’s baptism also kept the self-righteous out of the water, as they did not see themselves as sinners. John did preach the baptisma, the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, for the saving of our souls to heaven [Mark 1:4]. Few men see themselves as evil, but looking back we can see how the pressures of the time led them to compromise with sin. Jesus told His hearers twice that without repentance, they would perish (Luke 13:3, 5). The words he quoted from Isaiah would be quoted in modern times by Martin Luther King Jr, as he called a nation to repentance for its sins against the African American community. I can tell you that as a father this is very easy to truly understand. Have we replaced the Gospel with bread and circuses? (function(d, s, id) { The Mission of John the Baptist 1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’� Here Matthew introduces us to John the Baptist. John the Baptist - Repentance - Baptized and Alive, “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. Practical Tips For Navigating These Crazy Times, The Top Two Habits You Need For Break Through This Year. The citizens of Nineveh did this as a sign of repentance and mourning. This is why he refused to baptize the Pharisees and Sadducees when they refused to repent. Is there a precedent for baptism in the Old Testament? Our world is falling apart and we cannot repair it until we honestly acknowledge the problem. Peace and blessing to you. Today’s full reading: 1 Samuel 18; 1 Chronicles 6; 1 Psalm 11; Matthew 3. Have we grown accustomed to sin? Do we speak of sin and repentance in our churches? “Woe to you who are laughing now, Ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and currently serving as the Senior Minister of a Disciple congregation in small town Tennessee. The Jews already had a sign of the covenant, circumcision. John the Baptist was preparing the way for Christ and calling us to repentance. Hello Rev. Are we compromising with sin? In this context, John is basically saying to care deeply in your heart about God and His kingdom, and do your best to walk in His was and keep his commandments. Scripture References From Today’s Reflection: Your email address will not be published. How can we ask forgiveness when we haven’t woken up to the reality of our own sin? He was the last one to call Israel to repentance in anticipation of the coming Messiah. I am surprised by the “prosperous ease” in which most of us live, when someone a street away could be barely treading water. The confirmation of his identity came at His baptism, when the Spirit abode on the Lord Jesus. This change, of course, is exactly what John’s baptism represented for the Jewish people. Herod would be responsible for the death of John the Baptist and, along with Pontius Pilate and Caiaphas, would be in part responsible for the death of Christ. After “proclaiming the baptism of repentance” (Luke 3:3), he administered that baptism to those who wanted to be baptized in and around the Jordan River “because there was much water there” (John 3:23).. What does “baptism” (Luke 3:3) mean? He is quite used to human failure. The Baptism of John was a baptism of repentance. for you will laugh. We seek You first, and ask you this morning for the forgiveness of our sins. “Woe to you who are full now, Thank you for sending Jesus to die for our sins. “Blessed are you who are hungry now, I. Answer: The Old Testament is full of references to ritual washing. – Matthew 3:1,2. When a child does not care, feels entitled, and does everything against your wishes, that is when the “hammer is coming down” and discipline will be swift and strong. 3:2 ). They were haughty, and did abominable things before me; therefore I removed them when I saw it.”. “Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. 3He 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 the prophet Isaiah, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. “Blessed are you who are poor, Back in chapter 1 the angel Gabriel had told Zechariah what John's ministry would be, and his words explain what Luke means by repentance in 3:3. Sin is spoken of in Genesis chapter 4 as something that is crouching at our door, desiring to consume us, and we are told that we must rule over it. We give you all the honor and glory, in Jesus mighty name. When my kid does wrong, if I can see in his heart that he feels bad for what he did, I feel much better about the situation because I know that my child’s heart is right. This was done multiple times as a sign of mourning. John the Baptist preached a message of repentance expressed in water baptism and bearing active fruit in one’s lif e in preparation for the appearing of the Messiah, whose coming would represent a divine visitation. John the Baptist (late 1st century BC – c. AD 30) was a Jewish itinerant preacher in the early 1st century AD. Baptism became John’s trademark, so much so that it gave him his nickname, John the Baptist. "John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Are you uncomfortable with how often I am using that “s” word, that word sin? His simple message and purpose was to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord, baptizing and preaching repentance. In the United States, our government was designed with checks and balances because of the sure knowledge of human corruptibility. “In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near’.”. Observation/Application:Remember the message from a few days ago, God knows the heart? "-Mark 1:4 "And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;"-Luke 3:3 "When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. This includes their believing in Christ and their obedience to the command to bebaptized (Acts 10:34, 35, 43, 48). John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Let us remember the blessing and woes in Luke 6.20-25: Then he looked up at his disciples and said: Our leaders have turned away from Christ and we ourselves have turned our backs on the very people that Christ came to save. Image courtesy of: Art4TheGlryOfGod by Sharon. After their belief and baptism, it is said that God had "granted repentance unto life" unto the Gentiles. Join our mailing list to receive an email every time we post new content. If we do wrong,repent in our hearts, and feel deep remorse for what we did, not for our sake but because we “hurt” God our Father, then He knows this and will forgive our sins. Are we prepared to repent? John’s baptism had to do with repentance—it was a symbolic representation of changing one’s mind and going a new direction. Luke 13:3 – I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Because it was not overly complex it was easy to not get tangled in all of the discussions and shenanigans of society. He also told us that those of us who are rich, full, and happy today have received our fill today. Repentance involves more than being sorry for the wrong act. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” – Matthew 3:11, “Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Required fields are marked *. He also told us that those of us who are rich, full, and happy today have received our fill today. He was the final call to “make straight the way of the Lord.” As he issued that call with fiery rhetoric there was a spiritual awakening of sorts. In fact, throughout this Gospel Matthew draws parallels between John the Baptist and Jesus. As we read these words from the Gospel of Luke, let us pay careful attention to that first verse. And when a man is really converted and really saved, the first thing he’ll want to do, “Preacher, I want to be baptized, just as it is in the Word of God [Matthew 28:19] . Mark 1:4, NASB: "John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." Are You a Christian, or follower of Jesus? I think we need to pause here and say that most of these men thought they were doing what was right. When we seek God our Father, when we love the Lord our God with all our heart, He knows it, and there is nothing that He won’t do for us. '” – Matthew 22:37. There he remained with them and baptized not lack boldness as he challenged even Herod to repent of sins! Those of us who are rich, full, and website in this browser for the wrong act because the... Root cause of the Lord, baptizing and preaching repentance we can not repair until. Jesus told his hearers twice that without repentance, they would perish ( Luke 13:3 – tell... Our hearts and our lives at his baptism, when the Spirit on. This Sunday ’ s sermon is said that God had `` granted unto... 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