WEBVTT

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 You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

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 Our passion is to experience and express grace. Join us.

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 Will you pray with me?

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 Father, we confess that more often than we would like to admit, those words strike to our hearts.

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 We know what it's like to be people who honor you with our lips and yet find our hearts to be far from you.

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 To be chasing after other things.

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 Honestly, we're just better at performing than we are at trusting and resting in your heart and loving and serving others.

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 It's more natural to us. It's easier for us.

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 And so, Father, forgive us when that's true of us.

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 Father, show us that again this morning.

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 Might we, as we look to your words, see our own sin.

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 See the fact that our hearts don't even sometimes want to know you or love you.

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 And be willing to admit that.

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 Because at the same time, we will see our great Savior.

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 Might He be more glorious, more precious to us.

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 Would You teach us by Your Spirit, not just information, but things that would change our hearts.

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 And as a result, at every moment of all of our lives.

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 Your Spirit's able to do that.

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 We believe that.

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 Your Word's powerful and it will speak this morning.

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 And so, Father, may we be those who hear and obey and trust.

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 We pray in Jesus' name.

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 Amen.

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 499 years ago this month, that's a long time,

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 Martin Luther nailed 95 theses to the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany.

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 They were his complaints, his arguments he wanted to take up with the church.

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 He wanted to talk about some things that he didn't think were right.

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 You know what that first thesis of the 95 is?

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 The very first thing Luther said needed to be taken up.

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 He said,

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 When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said,

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 Repent,

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 He intended that the entire life of believers should be one of repentance.

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 John Calvin agreed with that.

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 He said that the worship of God consists in faith and repentance.

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 Jesus, when He came, when He went to a new city,

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 what did He often say was the first thing or the summary of His message?

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 Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

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 That idea of repentance is one that may not seem to you like it's at the heart of Christianity.

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 Like it's what it's all to be about.

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 It may not feel that exciting.

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 You may not even know exactly what it means.

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 Is repentance something that happens in one moment after a really big sin?

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 There are a couple of moments in life when I'm really going to need to repent?

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 Or is it the essence of Christianity, the daily consistent pattern of those following Jesus?

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 The last two weeks as we've been in the Gospel of Luke,

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 Ron and Peter have very capably taken us through 30 years of Jesus' early life.

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 In two weeks, 30 years, I'd say we've got some good new pastors.

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 What do you think?

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 30 years in two weeks.

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 Pretty impressive, guys.

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 Thank you.

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 Now this morning we come to chapter 3.

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 We get one passage on the ministry of the prophet that we've been so excited about

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 as the angel has come and promised him to his father, Zechariah.

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 John the Baptist is now here on the scene preaching and teaching.

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 And the essence of John's message is repentance.

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 It's what this passage is going to tell us.

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 He's going to call God's people back to him.

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 He's going to say some really hard words.

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 Some things that really challenge them.

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 A very difficult challenge, but it's such a hopeful challenge.

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 I want you to see that this morning.

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 The hardest words he has to say are full of hope for them and for us.

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 I tried to think of the most helpful way to understand this story.

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 And I think for us this morning, just to read through this passage verse by verse and follow

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 the story that Luke tells of John's ministry is going to help us understand where it's going.

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 And then we'll ask when we get to the end what particularly it means for us in our hearts,

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 in our lives.

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 The verses will be up on the screen.

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 You're welcome to use it.

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 You may find it especially helpful this morning to have a Bible open in front of you to be able

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 to follow along.

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 If you want to grab one from the pew in front of you, you can find Luke chapter 3 beginning

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 on page 858.

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 Page 858 of the Bible in the pews.

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 So immediately as we start this passage, we're going to be confronted from the outset with the

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 necessity of repentance, that it's vital how important it is.

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 Look at how this passage starts.

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 In the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea and Herod

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 being tetrarch of Galilee and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Aecheria and Trachonitis

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 and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word

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 of God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the wilderness.

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 And he went into all the region around the Jordan proclaiming a baptism of repentance for

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 the forgiveness of sins.

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 If that sounds a little bit like the Old Testament to you, it should.

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 This is echoes of the prophets, right?

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 As John receives his particular call and message here, you've heard it over and over.

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 In the days of kings such and such, the word of the Lord came to Isaiah and Jeremiah and

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 Ezekiel and Micah and one prophet after the next in that same pattern.

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 And Luke is telling us that this is what's happening.

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 Remember I told you that a prophet was coming, that God was speaking again after 400 years

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 of no prophecy?

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 Here he is.

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 The word of the Lord came to John and what was God's message through John for his people?

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 The content of his message echoes the prophets too, doesn't it?

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 He says repent.

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 That's the summary of his message, a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

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 He says your sins need forgiveness.

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 You're wandering away from God and you need to be called back to him.

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 This is what all the prophets have said.

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 They say it with different words but they've been calling God's people back to repentance.

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 I've been reading through the prophets just this week and it hit me over and over but I

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 should stop there and say whenever I hear somebody say, I was reading in Ezekiel this week.

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 I think, oh man, he's holier than I am.

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 Honest confession.

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 For those of you who don't know, your pastor is attempting for the first time in his life

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 to read through the Bible from beginning to end in one year.

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 And I just told you that this week I was reading in the prophets, which means what?

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 You should pray for me.

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 I am way behind.

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 It's not looking promising.

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 It's not a good thing that I'm still in the prophets.

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 Nonetheless, God used it that I was in the prophets this week and one after another, that's

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 what they say.

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 They say repent.

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 They say you're wandering after idols.

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 You're serving your own desires.

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 Come back to Yahweh.

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 Bring your heart back to him.

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 Treasure him.

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 Almost every one of them.

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 Let me just give you a couple of examples.

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 Ezekiel 14.

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 Say to the house of Israel, thus says the Lord God.

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 What's the word from God?

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 Repent.

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 Turn away from your idols.

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 Later, Ezekiel says, I'm going to judge you, house of Israel.

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 Everyone according to his ways, declares the Lord God.

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 So repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity, lest your sins be your ruin.

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 Come back.

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 Isaiah in chapter 30, thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, in repentance and rest,

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 you will be saved.

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 That's your hope.

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 Hope and quietness and trust is your strength.

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 Turn back to me.

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 Repent and that's where you'll find salvation.

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 That's where your hope is.

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 Joel says it this way.

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 Even now, declares the Lord.

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 Even now, after all the sins Joel's been recounting for God's people, after all the idolatry they've been chasing after,

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 return to me with all your heart.

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 With fasting, weeping, and mourning.

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 Rend your hearts and not your garments.

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 Don't just come and tear your clothes.

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 Your hearts need to be broken over your sin.

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 Come back to God.

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 He's gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love.

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 That's the message of the prophets always to God's people.

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 Turn away from your idols and yourself.

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 Bring your hearts back to Yahweh.

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 Worship Him.

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 Value Him.

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 And that's what John's calling God's people to.

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 He's standing out there in the wilderness saying, here's the message you need to hear.

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 It's a baptism of repentance so your sins can be forgiven.

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 A baptism, right?

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 That's what John's known for, isn't it?

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 What do we call him?

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 John the Baptist.

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 Not because he hates Presbyterians.

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 We love Baptists.

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 John the Baptizer.

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 The one who baptized lots of people.

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 What was he doing?

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 What was baptism in John's day?

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 Well, at this time, baptism was primarily used for Gentile converts.

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 Why?

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 Because they were unclean.

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 And part of their becoming a follower of Yahweh, part of God's people,

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 was a baptism that cleansed them from their uncleanness

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 so that they could be with the Jews, with the Israelites.

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 What does John say?

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 Who's John talking to?

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 John's talking to Jews primarily, isn't he?

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 He's calling the Jews to come out and be baptized.

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 Do you understand how radical that would be for them?

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 You too need to be cleansed.

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 You too are unclean.

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 You've muddied yourselves with your sins and your idolatry.

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 I'm calling you to a baptism of repentance because you have sins that need to be forgiven.

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 That's John's message.

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 He's the prophet coming to call God's people and to say,

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 you have something you need to deal with.

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 And you need to come back to God with all of your heart.

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 And John's not just a prophet, right?

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 He's the prophet that the others have talked about.

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 The one who will come and prepare the way for the Messiah.

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 Verse 4.

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 As it's written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet.

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 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord.

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 Make his paths straight.

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 Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low.

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 And the crooked shall become straight and the rough places shall become level ways.

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 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

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 This is John coming to talk, right?

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 The one who's been promised.

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 Promised.

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 Those words you may know from the Messiah about the geographical landscape changing.

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 Valleys raised up.

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 Mountains brought low.

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 Crooked things made straight.

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 What's that all about?

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 It's about the Messiah having a smooth path to come to God's people.

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 Making the way straight for the Messiah to be able to come and to be received and to be heard.

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 And what does John preach to smooth the way?

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 What's the message on both sides of these verses from Isaiah?

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 It's repent.

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 It's repentance.

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 That's what's going to prepare you for receiving the Messiah.

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 This message of hope and promise that there's one coming that's going to rescue and deliver.

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 What prepares you for that is knowing you need to be delivered.

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 Knowing that you have to turn away from something.

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 That your hold on the idols and the things you're chasing after needs to be loosened.

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 So that you can turn and remember and embrace again God who loves you.

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 John says, I want to see your hearts coming back to Yahweh.

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 Coming back to Him who loves you.

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 You're His people.

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 And realize the joy that you will find there because He's sending a Savior.

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 Your salvation is coming.

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 And the joy of that is that you need it.

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 John says.

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 That's the necessity of repentance.

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 That's where John starts.

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 Our hearts have to see the worthlessness of the things that we would hold on to and that we would chase after.

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 The things we value.

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 The things we value.

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 And thus be prepared by seeing that to value Jesus when He shows up above all else.

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 That's what's going on in the beginning of this passage.

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 Repentance starts in the heart with what we value.

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 And then when that true repentance begins to work in our hearts, it looks like something, doesn't it?

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 There's fruit to that repentance.

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 We're going to get a good look at that here.

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 Verse 7.

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 John said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by Him,

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 You brood of vipers!

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 Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

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 Bear fruits in keeping with repentance.

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 And don't begin to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our father.

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 For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.

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 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees.

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 Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

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 John apparently doesn't like preaching two services.

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 There's too many.

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 Crowds are showing up to be baptized and John's not being very friendly, is he?

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 All these people.

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 Listen, you've been trying to get people to come listen to you.

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 Here we come and we don't even get so much as good morning.

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 Brood of vipers!

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 Who told you to come out here and get baptized?

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 What's John doing?

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 It doesn't sound friendly, but he's actually loving them.

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 He's caring about them.

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 He's loving them enough to warn them against the danger that he sees in God's people that they've had to see over and over.

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 And that's the danger of an empty religious formalism.

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 Of just going through the motions.

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 God's people have never been real bad at being religious.

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 In many ways they're known for that.

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 But John sees them coming out for yet another religious ceremony.

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 And he says, don't think what you need is just another ceremony.

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 Baptism, perhaps.

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 Even the one he's offering.

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 Don't think just being a Jew and going through the motions of religion is enough.

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 Don't think repentance is just saying you value Yahweh,

00:16:13.500 --> 00:16:17.940
 but then ignoring all the things that Yahweh values.

00:16:19.460 --> 00:16:20.620
 John says, you need to hear me.

00:16:20.659 --> 00:16:24.240
 You can't just come into the temple and talk about loving God

00:16:24.240 --> 00:16:28.799
 and then go out and ignore his commands and do whatever you please

00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:33.000
 or even go worship other gods as God's people were often prone to do.

00:16:34.220 --> 00:16:40.919
 Reminds me when I think of that empty religious formalism of a famous scene from the movie The Godfather.

00:16:40.919 --> 00:16:44.439
 It's a scene that's become known as the baptism murders.

00:16:45.339 --> 00:16:49.159
 You can already hear in just the name of it the dissonance.

00:16:50.039 --> 00:16:52.179
 It's a very violent scene.

00:16:52.779 --> 00:17:00.419
 But it paints the picture where the mafia head is having his child baptized in the church

00:17:00.419 --> 00:17:03.919
 and he stands professing his faith in God,

00:17:04.200 --> 00:17:08.139
 his trust in God for himself and for his family and his children

00:17:08.140 --> 00:17:12.640
 while flashes go to heads of other families

00:17:12.640 --> 00:17:16.720
 whose murders he has ordered to take place during the baptism.

00:17:17.240 --> 00:17:19.500
 It's a very violent scene.

00:17:19.900 --> 00:17:22.420
 And the contrast is there for a reason.

00:17:22.740 --> 00:17:27.040
 To show that he's there in the church building with his son being baptized

00:17:27.040 --> 00:17:34.340
 while the things he's professing he is showing are not true of him at all.

00:17:34.339 --> 00:17:40.119
 The people in verse 8 are tempted to say things like,

00:17:40.199 --> 00:17:40.959
 Hey, listen, we're okay.

00:17:41.019 --> 00:17:44.019
 We've got Abraham as our father, right?

00:17:44.519 --> 00:17:45.679
 Father Abraham.

00:17:46.740 --> 00:17:48.720
 John says, Don't say that to me.

00:17:49.419 --> 00:17:55.439
 Don't say Abraham is your father if that's all it is, is something that you say.

00:17:55.440 --> 00:18:02.400
 Your relationship with God is not presumed upon by birth or by ceremony.

00:18:03.700 --> 00:18:09.420
 It's evidenced by fruit, by a life that values what God values.

00:18:09.539 --> 00:18:11.820
 That's how you know you're in a relationship with God.

00:18:12.400 --> 00:18:15.220
 That's how you know that Abraham is your father.

00:18:17.200 --> 00:18:20.860
 That's what's going on in that offertory song that we sang, right?

00:18:21.840 --> 00:18:24.860
 Difficult words to sing in a worship service, aren't they?

00:18:25.980 --> 00:18:27.640
 I hate all your show.

00:18:28.059 --> 00:18:30.799
 The hypocrisy of your praise.

00:18:32.039 --> 00:18:33.100
 The pretense.

00:18:33.820 --> 00:18:37.440
 That people would honor God with their lips, even as we are,

00:18:37.860 --> 00:18:40.160
 but would do so with hearts that are far from.

00:18:40.259 --> 00:18:41.799
 Is that possible?

00:18:42.620 --> 00:18:47.860
 Can you sit in a room like this and have words of praise come out of your mouth

00:18:47.860 --> 00:18:50.420
 but have a heart that is not there at all?

00:18:50.420 --> 00:18:53.960
 That doesn't mean a word that comes off your lips?

00:18:53.960 --> 00:18:54.400
 Yes.

00:18:54.400 --> 00:18:56.140
 The prophets say yes.

00:18:56.259 --> 00:18:57.019
 Yes, it is.

00:18:57.440 --> 00:18:59.180
 And God's people are prone to it.

00:18:59.660 --> 00:19:01.980
 In Amos chapter 5, Amos says,

00:19:01.980 --> 00:19:03.380
 you hate the truth.

00:19:04.000 --> 00:19:05.700
 You trample the poor.

00:19:05.700 --> 00:19:07.480
 You take a bribe.

00:19:07.779 --> 00:19:09.799
 You turn aside from the needy.

00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:11.339
 All of those things.

00:19:11.519 --> 00:19:18.299
 And as a result of that, I hate, I despise your feasts where you come and profess something else to be true.

00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:20.400
 Your solemn assemblies.

00:19:20.400 --> 00:19:21.840
 You offer me offerings.

00:19:22.660 --> 00:19:26.440
 But I won't accept them because I know your hearts.

00:19:26.540 --> 00:19:27.720
 I see them in your life.

00:19:28.360 --> 00:19:29.640
 I'm not even going to look upon them.

00:19:30.040 --> 00:19:32.259
 Take away from me the noise of your songs.

00:19:32.360 --> 00:19:34.460
 To the melody of your harps I will not listen.

00:19:35.500 --> 00:19:42.340
 Instead, let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

00:19:43.199 --> 00:19:47.720
 Don't come and pretend in here with me, God says through his prophet.

00:19:48.059 --> 00:19:49.519
 Don't do that in your worship.

00:19:50.579 --> 00:19:52.319
 God's people have tried it through fasting.

00:19:52.879 --> 00:19:55.659
 In Isaiah 58, God's people are fasting.

00:19:55.879 --> 00:19:57.679
 And he says to them, you know what you do when you fast?

00:19:58.600 --> 00:20:03.460
 You're going and you're just, you're fasting and going around and pursuing your own desires to fill you up.

00:20:04.140 --> 00:20:05.279
 Acting however you want.

00:20:05.360 --> 00:20:09.120
 You're oppressing the workers, he says specifically, who work for you.

00:20:09.200 --> 00:20:12.140
 You're taking advantage of them who have less than you.

00:20:12.600 --> 00:20:13.680
 And then you fast.

00:20:13.799 --> 00:20:15.460
 That's not what fasting is about.

00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:18.740
 Fasting is about your heart coming back to me.

00:20:19.700 --> 00:20:22.200
 And that what happens is the bonds of wickedness are loosed.

00:20:22.519 --> 00:20:23.980
 The straps of the yoke are undone.

00:20:23.980 --> 00:20:26.259
 Let the oppressed go free in breaking every yoke.

00:20:26.259 --> 00:20:32.079
 Look, is fasting not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house?

00:20:32.839 --> 00:20:36.200
 Isn't that the purpose of fasting, God says?

00:20:36.579 --> 00:20:39.259
 To be about what I love?

00:20:39.980 --> 00:20:44.460
 The things that are important to me rather than pursuing your own pleasure?

00:20:46.259 --> 00:20:48.180
 It's a difficult warning, isn't it?

00:20:48.779 --> 00:20:53.420
 It's a warning for people who sit in pews like these.

00:20:53.420 --> 00:20:55.339
 It's a warning to church people, isn't it?

00:20:56.259 --> 00:20:57.559
 That's who John's talking to.

00:20:57.680 --> 00:21:00.599
 He's not talking to the ones back in town who didn't want to come hear the prophet.

00:21:01.960 --> 00:21:05.680
 The brood of vipers are the ones who showed up to hear him preach.

00:21:06.099 --> 00:21:07.279
 I mean, can you imagine that?

00:21:09.160 --> 00:21:14.519
 They're the ones to whom he says, don't come out here with your hearts far from me.

00:21:14.900 --> 00:21:18.180
 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.

00:21:18.180 --> 00:21:21.060
 It's a warning to Bible Belt churchgoers.

00:21:22.320 --> 00:21:25.080
 To Christians who've become very comfortable.

00:21:26.759 --> 00:21:28.200
 It's a strong warning.

00:21:28.460 --> 00:21:32.720
 John says if your life doesn't reflect a love for the things of God,

00:21:33.519 --> 00:21:35.840
 you don't love God.

00:21:37.019 --> 00:21:41.140
 If you're content for your commitment to church services in this room,

00:21:41.140 --> 00:21:45.460
 to outpace your commitment to Christian living beyond these walls,

00:21:45.640 --> 00:21:47.940
 it's not genuine repentance.

00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:54.700
 If your professed faith is merely professed and not practical,

00:21:54.880 --> 00:21:58.500
 it doesn't mean anything, it doesn't show up anywhere else in your life,

00:21:59.200 --> 00:22:01.020
 then it's not true faith.

00:22:02.560 --> 00:22:04.540
 James is pretty clear about that, isn't he?

00:22:04.539 --> 00:22:07.519
 That faith without works is dead.

00:22:07.619 --> 00:22:11.779
 James is concerned that we know that faith has to look like something.

00:22:12.559 --> 00:22:15.980
 John doesn't want anyone missing the Messiah.

00:22:16.159 --> 00:22:21.319
 He wants them prepared to see God's deliverance because they've seen their need.

00:22:21.980 --> 00:22:26.920
 And I don't want any of you walking confidently out these doors and into hell

00:22:26.920 --> 00:22:32.279
 because you thought mere outward identification with the people of God.

00:22:32.279 --> 00:22:35.980
 The name of Jesus showing up and saying a few things,

00:22:36.119 --> 00:22:37.619
 that that was all that mattered.

00:22:38.399 --> 00:22:39.099
 Hear me.

00:22:39.720 --> 00:22:41.819
 Be warned by God's word.

00:22:42.139 --> 00:22:45.639
 Going through the motions doesn't get you anywhere with God.

00:22:45.700 --> 00:22:48.779
 He's not impressed by our shows of religion.

00:22:50.359 --> 00:22:52.399
 It's not what pleases Him.

00:22:52.500 --> 00:22:54.279
 God says, I want your heart.

00:22:55.359 --> 00:22:56.440
 That's where it starts.

00:22:56.639 --> 00:22:58.359
 Turn your heart back to me.

00:22:58.579 --> 00:23:00.599
 And when you do, it will look like something.

00:23:01.099 --> 00:23:02.500
 Repentance bears fruit.

00:23:02.779 --> 00:23:05.119
 When people come back and love me,

00:23:05.199 --> 00:23:07.359
 they begin to value what I value.

00:23:08.039 --> 00:23:10.439
 To love the things that I love.

00:23:10.519 --> 00:23:12.980
 And it looks like something.

00:23:14.719 --> 00:23:17.759
 In fact, it looks like something in every area of life.

00:23:17.859 --> 00:23:19.379
 There's fruit everywhere.

00:23:20.039 --> 00:23:23.379
 There's such a neat interaction here as John continues.

00:23:23.379 --> 00:23:24.879
 In verse 10, they say,

00:23:25.199 --> 00:23:27.259
 What then shall we do?

00:23:27.559 --> 00:23:28.339
 Okay, John.

00:23:29.159 --> 00:23:30.099
 We hear you.

00:23:31.199 --> 00:23:32.619
 Tell us what to do.

00:23:34.579 --> 00:23:35.699
 And he answered them,

00:23:35.779 --> 00:23:39.000
 Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none.

00:23:39.720 --> 00:23:42.159
 And whoever has food is to do likewise.

00:23:43.819 --> 00:23:45.220
 That's for all of them, right?

00:23:45.240 --> 00:23:47.179
 This is the crowd at this point coming and saying,

00:23:47.240 --> 00:23:48.039
 Tell us what to do.

00:23:48.199 --> 00:23:49.379
 And where does he start?

00:23:50.099 --> 00:23:50.980
 Where does he start?

00:23:50.980 --> 00:23:53.039
 With the poor.

00:23:54.299 --> 00:23:55.199
 You surprised?

00:23:55.200 --> 00:23:57.819
 Isn't that where the prophets always start?

00:23:58.600 --> 00:24:01.680
 How do you know when you've come back to sharing God's heart?

00:24:02.080 --> 00:24:05.460
 When you've started pursuing his heart again rather than the things you want?

00:24:05.680 --> 00:24:07.620
 The poor are the first ones to know.

00:24:07.960 --> 00:24:09.380
 The ones who don't have.

00:24:10.799 --> 00:24:13.279
 So this is a word to the haves.

00:24:14.420 --> 00:24:18.420
 If you have a tunic, share it.

00:24:18.420 --> 00:24:22.660
 If you have food, give to the one who doesn't.

00:24:23.220 --> 00:24:24.759
 That's what it looks like, John says.

00:24:24.920 --> 00:24:27.980
 That's what it looks like when you come back to God.

00:24:28.300 --> 00:24:31.700
 Not that we are running headlong after our own desires,

00:24:31.840 --> 00:24:34.140
 but that our hearts come back to God.

00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:36.140
 That's for all of us.

00:24:39.080 --> 00:24:41.259
 Then particular groups come to John.

00:24:42.460 --> 00:24:43.019
 Verse 12,

00:24:43.019 --> 00:24:45.859
 Tax collectors also came to be baptized.

00:24:46.200 --> 00:24:47.440
 And they said to him,

00:24:47.700 --> 00:24:49.680
 Okay, it's got to look like something you say.

00:24:49.960 --> 00:24:51.079
 What should we do?

00:24:51.160 --> 00:24:52.139
 We're tax collectors.

00:24:53.139 --> 00:24:54.160
 And John said,

00:24:55.299 --> 00:24:57.779
 Collect no more than you're authorized to do.

00:24:58.299 --> 00:24:59.960
 And soldiers also asked him,

00:25:00.059 --> 00:25:00.740
 And us?

00:25:01.240 --> 00:25:02.440
 What should we do?

00:25:03.660 --> 00:25:04.480
 And he said to them,

00:25:04.539 --> 00:25:08.220
 Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation,

00:25:08.220 --> 00:25:11.480
 and be content with your wages.

00:25:11.480 --> 00:25:13.980
 What should a tax collector do?

00:25:14.079 --> 00:25:14.779
 Change jobs?

00:25:16.000 --> 00:25:18.120
 Become a priest because they're holy,

00:25:18.539 --> 00:25:19.940
 and you're wasting your time?

00:25:20.839 --> 00:25:21.559
 No.

00:25:23.099 --> 00:25:25.660
 You can be a tax collector, John says.

00:25:26.120 --> 00:25:29.299
 Be a different kind of tax collector.

00:25:30.440 --> 00:25:36.059
 Stop lining your own pockets like is standard for tax collectors.

00:25:36.620 --> 00:25:39.960
 Stop taking advantage of the people who can't resist you

00:25:39.960 --> 00:25:41.779
 like is common for soldiers,

00:25:41.960 --> 00:25:44.019
 and be a soldier they won't recognize.

00:25:44.579 --> 00:25:47.819
 Whose life where God has placed him is changed.

00:25:48.880 --> 00:25:49.640
 Right there.

00:25:50.480 --> 00:25:54.200
 The fruit of true repentance shows up right where you are already.

00:25:55.880 --> 00:25:57.960
 It may mean you're the only lawyer in town,

00:25:58.059 --> 00:26:00.400
 or the only lawyer you know who doesn't stretch the truth.

00:26:01.059 --> 00:26:02.700
 It may be the first one the rest of us would meet.

00:26:02.700 --> 00:26:07.940
 It may mean you're the only friend who doesn't join in the gossip.

00:26:09.500 --> 00:26:12.620
 It may mean you're the only engineer who doesn't cut corners

00:26:12.620 --> 00:26:16.840
 and climb over others and put them down on the way to promoting yourself.

00:26:17.960 --> 00:26:21.700
 It may mean a lot of things for you,

00:26:21.900 --> 00:26:24.019
 but have you ever asked yourself,

00:26:24.480 --> 00:26:26.299
 What then shall I do?

00:26:26.619 --> 00:26:30.579
 Have you actually taken the thing that God called you to?

00:26:31.159 --> 00:26:33.119
 And he's called you probably to more than one thing.

00:26:33.519 --> 00:26:36.579
 You may be a husband and a father and an engineer,

00:26:37.099 --> 00:26:38.819
 but those are all good things to put in the blank.

00:26:39.119 --> 00:26:40.819
 That blank is going to be left blank.

00:26:40.940 --> 00:26:41.819
 You get to fill in your own.

00:26:41.819 --> 00:26:42.759
 It's kind of fun, isn't it?

00:26:43.079 --> 00:26:43.940
 Ooh, creative.

00:26:44.359 --> 00:26:45.720
 You don't know what the right answer is.

00:26:46.059 --> 00:26:47.680
 Fill in the blank for yourself.

00:26:48.599 --> 00:26:49.099
 John says,

00:26:49.099 --> 00:27:01.439
 How does it look like for me to be a repentant lawyer,

00:27:01.919 --> 00:27:07.099
 doctor, engineer, retail store employee, mother, friend?

00:27:08.379 --> 00:27:09.839
 How does it change me?

00:27:09.939 --> 00:27:12.199
 What does fruit look like there?

00:27:12.200 --> 00:27:16.120
 What is it going to look like for the things Yahweh values

00:27:16.120 --> 00:27:21.660
 to show up in my life, in my vocation?

00:27:22.460 --> 00:27:25.380
 Not just needing to change and go do something else,

00:27:25.500 --> 00:27:27.279
 but what about what I'm already doing?

00:27:27.380 --> 00:27:28.720
 How is it going to make me different?

00:27:29.160 --> 00:27:31.420
 That's what John's painting for them here.

00:27:32.299 --> 00:27:35.640
 For all the people in thinking about those who have less.

00:27:36.019 --> 00:27:39.580
 For tax collectors and soldiers and any other group that would have come.

00:27:39.580 --> 00:27:42.000
 Here's how it changes things.

00:27:42.779 --> 00:27:44.559
 This is pretty big stuff, right?

00:27:45.319 --> 00:27:47.420
 Here's the message of John saying,

00:27:47.759 --> 00:27:48.700
 You need to be baptized.

00:27:49.160 --> 00:27:51.519
 You need to turn from your sins and back to God.

00:27:51.819 --> 00:27:54.259
 And your life needs to be changed because of it.

00:27:54.980 --> 00:27:55.819
 And people say,

00:27:55.980 --> 00:28:00.120
 Wow, this sounds like that Messiah we've heard about.

00:28:01.380 --> 00:28:02.740
 This must be the guy.

00:28:04.880 --> 00:28:06.720
 Maybe John's the Messiah.

00:28:08.539 --> 00:28:11.240
 Instead, John points to the Messiah,

00:28:11.240 --> 00:28:14.120
 the Savior of the repentant.

00:28:14.559 --> 00:28:15.539
 Verse 15.

00:28:16.200 --> 00:28:20.440
 As the people were in expectation and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John,

00:28:20.559 --> 00:28:22.039
 whether he might be the Christ,

00:28:22.900 --> 00:28:24.160
 John answered them all saying,

00:28:24.160 --> 00:28:25.880
 I baptize you with water,

00:28:25.880 --> 00:28:28.620
 but he who is mightier than I is coming.

00:28:29.040 --> 00:28:32.860
 The strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.

00:28:33.080 --> 00:28:36.620
 He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

00:28:36.980 --> 00:28:41.920
 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn.

00:28:42.240 --> 00:28:45.759
 But the shaft he will burn with unquenchable fire.

00:28:47.060 --> 00:28:48.440
 John, you're the preacher.

00:28:48.840 --> 00:28:50.140
 You're the baptizer.

00:28:50.140 --> 00:28:53.580
 I guess you've got this repentance thing figured out, right?

00:28:53.640 --> 00:28:54.640
 You must be the one.

00:28:55.300 --> 00:28:56.540
 You must do it right.

00:28:57.280 --> 00:28:58.680
 You're the guy, aren't you?

00:28:59.940 --> 00:29:00.780
 John says, no.

00:29:01.200 --> 00:29:02.720
 No, there's a stronger one.

00:29:03.700 --> 00:29:05.580
 There's a mightier one coming.

00:29:05.860 --> 00:29:09.200
 And he's so great, I'm not even worthy to untie his sandals.

00:29:10.500 --> 00:29:11.600
 Don't look at me.

00:29:11.880 --> 00:29:13.060
 Don't get stuck here.

00:29:13.059 --> 00:29:17.319
 I'm just getting you ready so that you'll know how much you need him.

00:29:17.639 --> 00:29:20.720
 There's a new hero for the repentant.

00:29:20.799 --> 00:29:23.579
 It's not even John, the one who's preaching to them.

00:29:23.639 --> 00:29:25.279
 There's a new hero coming.

00:29:26.259 --> 00:29:31.839
 And when he does, he'll bring new hope for the repentant.

00:29:32.179 --> 00:29:33.339
 Look at verse 18.

00:29:33.339 --> 00:29:42.259
 So with many other exhortations, John preached good news to the people.

00:29:42.819 --> 00:29:43.539
 Just stop there.

00:29:44.579 --> 00:29:46.220
 Is that what you've been hearing so far?

00:29:46.980 --> 00:29:48.019
 Brood of vipers!

00:29:48.419 --> 00:29:50.559
 And with many other words, John preached good news.

00:29:51.259 --> 00:29:52.480
 Good news?

00:29:53.099 --> 00:29:53.519
 What?

00:29:54.919 --> 00:29:55.439
 What?

00:29:56.319 --> 00:29:58.039
 John was preaching good news?

00:29:58.879 --> 00:29:59.319
 Gospel?

00:30:00.459 --> 00:30:01.039
 Hope?

00:30:01.039 --> 00:30:01.119
 Hope?

00:30:02.240 --> 00:30:04.819
 That's exactly what it says, John.

00:30:04.879 --> 00:30:06.700
 It hasn't sounded like good news, has it?

00:30:07.379 --> 00:30:08.079
 When we read it.

00:30:08.119 --> 00:30:08.879
 It sounds difficult.

00:30:09.039 --> 00:30:10.480
 It sounds like he's calling them out.

00:30:10.639 --> 00:30:15.319
 It sounds like he's asking them to consider their hearts and to make religion be more about

00:30:15.319 --> 00:30:19.539
 just going through the motions, but to be deeper and truer than that.

00:30:21.220 --> 00:30:22.399
 What's John been doing?

00:30:22.980 --> 00:30:25.200
 He's been pulling away all their other hopes.

00:30:26.220 --> 00:30:27.339
 All their other idols.

00:30:27.980 --> 00:30:28.299
 Stop.

00:30:28.399 --> 00:30:29.339
 Stop chasing them.

00:30:29.339 --> 00:30:34.019
 Their cultural or religious pride that they may have had.

00:30:34.740 --> 00:30:39.539
 Their religiosity, their outward performance and formalism.

00:30:41.059 --> 00:30:44.240
 And now watch what Luke does in this story.

00:30:44.819 --> 00:30:47.379
 He pulls John himself off the stage too.

00:30:48.679 --> 00:30:49.419
 Verse 19.

00:30:49.420 --> 00:31:05.480
 John had been calling Herod to repentance too.

00:31:05.880 --> 00:31:07.279
 And Herod shows a side note.

00:31:07.960 --> 00:31:12.200
 It's easier to shut someone up who's calling you to repentance than actually deal with it,

00:31:12.240 --> 00:31:12.539
 isn't it?

00:31:12.539 --> 00:31:15.980
 Herod said, I know what to do with this guy.

00:31:16.619 --> 00:31:18.200
 I am in power.

00:31:18.659 --> 00:31:20.200
 You will not speak to me that way.

00:31:20.259 --> 00:31:21.319
 You will go to prison.

00:31:21.859 --> 00:31:25.819
 And so through this little snippet, Luke pulls John right off the stage.

00:31:26.200 --> 00:31:26.700
 Here we go.

00:31:27.220 --> 00:31:28.700
 They're starting to think you're the Messiah.

00:31:28.879 --> 00:31:29.079
 Nope.

00:31:29.379 --> 00:31:29.940
 That's wrong.

00:31:30.619 --> 00:31:31.579
 Let's get you out of the way.

00:31:31.639 --> 00:31:32.240
 Because what?

00:31:32.240 --> 00:31:35.160
 What happens as John gets pulled off the stage?

00:31:35.940 --> 00:31:38.279
 Jesus steps into the spotlight.

00:31:38.680 --> 00:31:39.500
 As the hope.

00:31:40.559 --> 00:31:45.440
 The way has been cleared through John's preaching and now through getting John out of the way.

00:31:45.559 --> 00:31:51.099
 For Jesus to step into the spotlight and be the hope for the repentant in an amazing way.

00:31:51.180 --> 00:31:51.839
 Look what happens.

00:31:51.960 --> 00:31:52.559
 Verse 21.

00:31:52.559 --> 00:31:54.559
 When all the people were baptized.

00:31:55.700 --> 00:31:57.359
 And when Jesus also had been baptized.

00:31:57.480 --> 00:31:58.539
 Who baptized him, by the way?

00:31:58.619 --> 00:31:59.799
 We know from the other Gospels.

00:32:00.539 --> 00:32:00.960
 John.

00:32:01.379 --> 00:32:04.019
 John was there, but Luke's moved him off.

00:32:05.179 --> 00:32:07.440
 Jesus had been baptized and was praying.

00:32:08.059 --> 00:32:13.659
 The heavens were opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove.

00:32:13.659 --> 00:32:15.720
 And a voice came from heaven.

00:32:16.220 --> 00:32:18.220
 You are my beloved son.

00:32:18.659 --> 00:32:21.200
 With you I am well pleased.

00:32:22.559 --> 00:32:23.919
 Do you hear what their hope is?

00:32:25.419 --> 00:32:25.980
 Jesus.

00:32:26.799 --> 00:32:28.879
 The beloved son.

00:32:29.899 --> 00:32:32.179
 The voice of God speaking.

00:32:32.639 --> 00:32:34.500
 The spirit descending like a God.

00:32:34.599 --> 00:32:35.700
 The trinity present.

00:32:36.379 --> 00:32:39.759
 There's a new son for the repentant.

00:32:40.000 --> 00:32:40.819
 What does that mean?

00:32:41.139 --> 00:32:43.019
 Son is full of rich meaning.

00:32:43.139 --> 00:32:44.419
 I won't talk about all of it.

00:32:44.819 --> 00:32:46.619
 We'll get to some more in the next couple weeks.

00:32:47.099 --> 00:32:49.659
 But in Old Testament language that these Jews would know.

00:32:49.660 --> 00:32:52.320
 Saying that Jesus is the son.

00:32:52.860 --> 00:32:53.560
 The Jews would know.

00:32:53.620 --> 00:32:55.380
 Who's God's son in the Old Testament?

00:32:56.080 --> 00:32:57.400
 It's the nation of Israel.

00:32:57.680 --> 00:33:00.100
 Is spoken of as God's son.

00:33:00.600 --> 00:33:03.480
 And so we need a new Israel.

00:33:03.980 --> 00:33:04.540
 Don't we?

00:33:05.680 --> 00:33:08.820
 Because we just heard that Israel needed cleansing too.

00:33:08.980 --> 00:33:10.019
 Not just the Gentiles.

00:33:10.180 --> 00:33:11.980
 But the Jews too needed cleansing.

00:33:12.200 --> 00:33:14.200
 And here's Jesus himself doing what?

00:33:14.519 --> 00:33:15.800
 Being baptized.

00:33:15.799 --> 00:33:16.319
 Baptized.

00:33:17.079 --> 00:33:20.180
 But you know who was particularly God's son in the Old Testament?

00:33:21.700 --> 00:33:23.559
 The king on David's throne.

00:33:24.240 --> 00:33:29.480
 The Davidic king was the one who represented God's people in that special way before God.

00:33:29.859 --> 00:33:31.539
 Psalm 2 and many other places.

00:33:31.700 --> 00:33:35.200
 The king is referred to as God's son.

00:33:36.319 --> 00:33:40.259
 And so as the king was standing before God.

00:33:40.339 --> 00:33:42.159
 Supposed to be the ideal Israelite.

00:33:42.159 --> 00:33:44.859
 The one who represented God's people before him.

00:33:45.859 --> 00:33:50.419
 Jesus is now the new representative of God's people.

00:33:50.979 --> 00:33:52.299
 You see some sons.

00:33:52.500 --> 00:33:55.979
 Some of those kings as they represented God's people did really well.

00:33:56.159 --> 00:33:58.159
 And others did really terribly didn't they?

00:33:59.139 --> 00:34:02.199
 Did evil in the eyes of the Lord and so forth.

00:34:02.639 --> 00:34:04.959
 How does God feel about this new representative?

00:34:06.039 --> 00:34:07.299
 What's his evaluation of him?

00:34:07.339 --> 00:34:07.819
 Did he do evil?

00:34:07.879 --> 00:34:08.539
 Did he do good?

00:34:08.859 --> 00:34:11.400
 He's my beloved son.

00:34:11.400 --> 00:34:13.940
 With him I am well pleased.

00:34:13.940 --> 00:34:19.440
 The smile and the pleasure of God finally earned by one.

00:34:19.599 --> 00:34:20.980
 We've been told this is going to happen.

00:34:21.099 --> 00:34:24.619
 Isaiah 42.1 says when the servant, the Messiah shows up.

00:34:25.000 --> 00:34:27.320
 He's going to be the one in whom God delights.

00:34:28.220 --> 00:34:29.280
 And God says he's here.

00:34:29.980 --> 00:34:31.500
 He's my son by relationship.

00:34:32.619 --> 00:34:36.720
 He's the Messiah I'm telling you by the role that's been given to him.

00:34:37.659 --> 00:34:39.740
 God's salvation has come.

00:34:39.980 --> 00:34:40.500
 Verse 6.

00:34:40.500 --> 00:34:41.599
 Everyone's going to see it.

00:34:41.840 --> 00:34:42.699
 Here he is.

00:34:43.539 --> 00:34:44.920
 In the person of Jesus.

00:34:45.880 --> 00:34:48.000
 Salvation has come and he's here.

00:34:48.579 --> 00:34:50.800
 That's why repentance is good news.

00:34:51.800 --> 00:34:54.239
 We relinquish our grasp on idols.

00:34:54.500 --> 00:34:58.760
 Our pursuit of ourselves and our human ceremonies.

00:34:58.760 --> 00:35:01.400
 So that we can embrace the son.

00:35:01.400 --> 00:35:04.000
 The one who brings salvation.

00:35:04.260 --> 00:35:05.900
 Who gives to us salvation.

00:35:06.040 --> 00:35:08.320
 And the smile of God to be ours forever.

00:35:09.880 --> 00:35:13.100
 Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

00:35:14.680 --> 00:35:17.420
 John preached good news.

00:35:18.040 --> 00:35:22.200
 Jesus is good news himself.

00:35:22.199 --> 00:35:26.319
 It's a beautiful passage.

00:35:28.159 --> 00:35:29.819
 It's a challenging passage.

00:35:31.239 --> 00:35:33.399
 I tell you as I read this week.

00:35:33.539 --> 00:35:36.759
 I asked myself what you may be thinking right now.

00:35:38.139 --> 00:35:39.239
 Which one is it?

00:35:40.539 --> 00:35:42.059
 Do I just need Jesus?

00:35:43.379 --> 00:35:48.899
 Or do I need all that fruit of repentance stuff that you were talking about in my life?

00:35:48.900 --> 00:35:51.619
 Pick one pastor.

00:35:52.639 --> 00:35:54.220
 Tell me is Jesus enough?

00:35:54.280 --> 00:35:56.059
 Or do I need all the other stuff?

00:35:57.880 --> 00:35:59.559
 What does this mean for us?

00:36:00.019 --> 00:36:03.340
 I think what we learn about repentance really helps us here.

00:36:04.000 --> 00:36:04.639
 That repentance.

00:36:05.700 --> 00:36:07.300
 We've learned in this passage.

00:36:07.960 --> 00:36:09.160
 Begins with the heart.

00:36:09.360 --> 00:36:09.800
 Doesn't it?

00:36:10.039 --> 00:36:11.079
 That's the root.

00:36:11.840 --> 00:36:12.760
 That's where we start.

00:36:12.860 --> 00:36:15.280
 The root is valuing Jesus.

00:36:15.280 --> 00:36:19.800
 It is absolutely true that our hope is only in him.

00:36:19.960 --> 00:36:21.380
 That he is all we need.

00:36:21.620 --> 00:36:22.800
 Our hope's not in ourselves.

00:36:22.980 --> 00:36:24.480
 It's not in our fruit production.

00:36:24.760 --> 00:36:27.000
 That we do enough or perform well enough.

00:36:27.180 --> 00:36:29.500
 Our hope is in our relationship with him.

00:36:29.640 --> 00:36:31.400
 That we are connected to Jesus.

00:36:32.580 --> 00:36:33.300
 That's our hope.

00:36:33.540 --> 00:36:36.860
 That he will perfectly represent us to the Father.

00:36:37.080 --> 00:36:44.460
 So that we live today and every day and forever with the smile of God daily and eternally secure.

00:36:44.460 --> 00:36:46.619
 Because it's never moving off of Jesus.

00:36:46.820 --> 00:36:49.320
 So connected to him it is never moving off of you.

00:36:49.539 --> 00:36:50.300
 That's our hope.

00:36:50.380 --> 00:36:50.519
 Amen?

00:36:51.260 --> 00:36:52.079
 That's it.

00:36:54.300 --> 00:36:54.840
 And.

00:36:55.099 --> 00:36:55.920
 Not but.

00:36:56.199 --> 00:36:56.659
 And.

00:36:57.220 --> 00:37:01.240
 When the root of valuing Jesus is present in our hearts.

00:37:01.480 --> 00:37:05.300
 We will bear the fruit of following Jesus.

00:37:05.300 --> 00:37:05.500
 Jesus.

00:37:07.060 --> 00:37:08.120
 So it is true.

00:37:08.240 --> 00:37:09.980
 If you don't see any repentance.

00:37:10.260 --> 00:37:12.440
 Any evidence of fruit of repentance.

00:37:13.200 --> 00:37:14.400
 In the way you're living.

00:37:14.820 --> 00:37:16.460
 You need to heed the warning.

00:37:18.800 --> 00:37:21.019
 The warning not to work on the fruit.

00:37:21.480 --> 00:37:23.019
 But to examine the root.

00:37:23.900 --> 00:37:26.400
 If the fruit is not there at all.

00:37:26.780 --> 00:37:28.440
 It's because the root.

00:37:29.160 --> 00:37:30.440
 Needs to be addressed.

00:37:30.440 --> 00:37:33.740
 It's the relationship with Jesus that you should be questioning.

00:37:34.159 --> 00:37:36.420
 Do you truly love him?

00:37:36.500 --> 00:37:39.460
 Are you genuinely in relationship with Jesus?

00:37:39.720 --> 00:37:44.019
 Or have you learned through your life how to pretend and go through the motions?

00:37:45.800 --> 00:37:48.619
 Do you value him above all else?

00:37:48.720 --> 00:37:53.840
 Are you willing to give up everything for the sake of knowing Jesus your savior?

00:37:53.840 --> 00:37:57.600
 Because of the greatness and worth of Jesus Christ my Lord?

00:37:57.720 --> 00:37:58.320
 Paul says.

00:37:59.240 --> 00:38:03.079
 That's the question that we all must ask.

00:38:03.740 --> 00:38:05.420
 Because if you truly love him.

00:38:05.700 --> 00:38:08.079
 If there's true repentance in your heart.

00:38:08.240 --> 00:38:10.460
 At the root so to speak.

00:38:10.660 --> 00:38:14.320
 That relationship will bear fruit in your life.

00:38:14.460 --> 00:38:15.480
 Not perfectly.

00:38:16.700 --> 00:38:17.920
 But fruit.

00:38:18.680 --> 00:38:21.280
 Nonetheless it will look like something.

00:38:21.280 --> 00:38:26.240
 Let me explain this with an example from marriage and we'll be done.

00:38:27.519 --> 00:38:30.180
 Marriage is a relationship and it's not the only one.

00:38:30.420 --> 00:38:35.300
 But it's one relationship that changes the things that we value over time.

00:38:36.600 --> 00:38:37.580
 For instance.

00:38:38.740 --> 00:38:41.000
 I by nature am a fixer.

00:38:41.920 --> 00:38:43.760
 I like to hear a problem.

00:38:44.740 --> 00:38:46.340
 A difficult situation.

00:38:46.760 --> 00:38:47.500
 And fix it.

00:38:47.800 --> 00:38:48.200
 Quickly.

00:38:48.620 --> 00:38:49.980
 So that everybody is happy.

00:38:49.980 --> 00:38:51.940
 And we can go back to carrying on with life.

00:38:52.000 --> 00:38:52.679
 Very efficiently.

00:38:52.880 --> 00:38:53.740
 And everybody will be happy.

00:38:53.820 --> 00:38:54.880
 Don't you love people like that?

00:38:55.019 --> 00:38:55.940
 Don't they make your life easier?

00:38:56.000 --> 00:38:57.539
 They fix everything up and send you on your way?

00:38:59.119 --> 00:39:02.079
 Not everybody likes to work that way.

00:39:02.179 --> 00:39:03.460
 Early on in our relationship.

00:39:03.679 --> 00:39:05.980
 I learned that Christy values sympathy.

00:39:08.240 --> 00:39:08.639
 Listening.

00:39:10.039 --> 00:39:11.960
 She's actually smarter than I am.

00:39:12.039 --> 00:39:14.940
 So all of my wonderful solutions to fix her problems.

00:39:15.079 --> 00:39:16.860
 Were not things she was unaware of.

00:39:16.920 --> 00:39:18.400
 She didn't need to hear them from me.

00:39:18.400 --> 00:39:20.619
 She wanted to know that I cared about her.

00:39:20.920 --> 00:39:23.639
 And that I understood how difficult the situation was.

00:39:23.680 --> 00:39:24.440
 She knew the solution.

00:39:26.579 --> 00:39:28.780
 I didn't just need to throw solutions at her.

00:39:29.019 --> 00:39:35.440
 But loving Christy and learning what that looked like meant me functioning outside of my comfort zone in that regard.

00:39:35.440 --> 00:39:41.440
 It meant me learning to value entering in that relationship.

00:39:41.980 --> 00:39:46.539
 And learning to listen and love her in difficult times.

00:39:46.760 --> 00:39:55.760
 It meant me learning to value that process together in our relationship more than just fixing things and having solutions and cold heart efficiency.

00:39:55.760 --> 00:39:58.760
 And that was new to me.

00:39:59.340 --> 00:40:00.780
 But because I love her.

00:40:00.840 --> 00:40:01.860
 When I love her.

00:40:02.660 --> 00:40:04.100
 My heart really is there.

00:40:04.240 --> 00:40:05.820
 I want that.

00:40:06.260 --> 00:40:10.120
 Our relationship gives power in that sense.

00:40:10.280 --> 00:40:12.260
 For me to put her needs ahead of mine.

00:40:12.360 --> 00:40:13.760
 For me to adopt her values.

00:40:15.040 --> 00:40:18.820
 Rather than the ones that are more natural and comfortable for me.

00:40:18.820 --> 00:40:23.019
 So here's the deal in our relationship with Jesus.

00:40:24.220 --> 00:40:28.539
 The need for change is way greater than in marriage.

00:40:29.019 --> 00:40:30.059
 And it's big in marriage.

00:40:31.940 --> 00:40:33.500
 Everything is on the table.

00:40:33.940 --> 00:40:35.660
 Everything has to change.

00:40:35.940 --> 00:40:37.500
 Every area of life.

00:40:37.580 --> 00:40:37.780
 Right?

00:40:38.039 --> 00:40:39.820
 We must value what he values.

00:40:39.940 --> 00:40:40.860
 His heart for the poor.

00:40:40.980 --> 00:40:42.240
 His passion for the lost.

00:40:42.600 --> 00:40:44.640
 He prioritizes time with the Father.

00:40:44.639 --> 00:40:44.759
 Father.

00:40:45.239 --> 00:40:49.319
 He loves seeing the values of his kingdom reflected in your corner of creation.

00:40:49.480 --> 00:40:50.719
 Everywhere he's put you.

00:40:50.900 --> 00:40:53.839
 It's supposed to change because of your relationship with Jesus.

00:40:56.259 --> 00:40:57.139
 Your family.

00:40:58.039 --> 00:40:58.859
 Your vocation.

00:40:59.400 --> 00:41:02.119
 All the things we've been talking about in the fruit of repentance.

00:41:02.519 --> 00:41:03.759
 They do become different.

00:41:04.480 --> 00:41:06.879
 Sarah Nemitz wrote a great article for Branches.

00:41:06.980 --> 00:41:08.279
 You're going to get this in the mail this week.

00:41:08.339 --> 00:41:09.480
 I'm encouraging you to read it.

00:41:09.559 --> 00:41:11.239
 I'm only going to read you part of the last paragraph.

00:41:11.980 --> 00:41:14.619
 It's a corporate challenge to us in this respect.

00:41:14.639 --> 00:41:15.179
 She writes,

00:41:15.639 --> 00:41:19.480
 I'm desperate to move beyond trite sayings and theoretical ideas.

00:41:19.659 --> 00:41:23.739
 There's too much hurt and suffering for us to linger in meaningless talk.

00:41:24.239 --> 00:41:27.819
 If we say Southwood is in the community for the community,

00:41:28.159 --> 00:41:29.799
 if we're here for others,

00:41:30.119 --> 00:41:33.659
 then there should be practical implications both for our corporate gatherings

00:41:33.659 --> 00:41:35.839
 and for our individual lives.

00:41:36.559 --> 00:41:38.500
 So consider this reality on your way to work,

00:41:38.719 --> 00:41:42.039
 walking around heyday with guests or wherever you are.

00:41:42.039 --> 00:41:47.579
 Read it because there's tangible practical things in there that say it looks like something.

00:41:47.900 --> 00:41:50.800
 What Sarah's saying is we can't just talk about it.

00:41:50.840 --> 00:41:51.719
 There's got to be fruit.

00:41:51.800 --> 00:41:53.559
 It's got to look like something.

00:41:53.800 --> 00:41:55.320
 It looks like fruit.

00:41:55.579 --> 00:41:59.559
 There must be change because of our relationship with Jesus.

00:42:00.300 --> 00:42:01.139
 And guess what else?

00:42:01.840 --> 00:42:04.039
 The need for change is great,

00:42:04.039 --> 00:42:09.679
 but there's even greater empowerment for fruit in our relationship with Jesus.

00:42:09.900 --> 00:42:14.139
 Because we're not just motivated by the sweetness of my wife's spirit

00:42:14.139 --> 00:42:18.699
 or Christy batting her eyes at me so that I'll do what she wants.

00:42:18.759 --> 00:42:19.659
 And that's a motivation.

00:42:19.659 --> 00:42:28.519
 But rather motivated by the love of one who lays down his very life for us.

00:42:28.519 --> 00:42:34.019
 Who this passage says sends us his Holy Spirit to live in us day by day,

00:42:34.259 --> 00:42:41.259
 to empower us to bear fruit, fruit of the Spirit in our lives.

00:42:41.619 --> 00:42:43.739
 It's a life-changing relationship.

00:42:44.159 --> 00:42:44.719
 Oh, hear me.

00:42:44.799 --> 00:42:47.179
 The relationship with Jesus is primary.

00:42:47.179 --> 00:42:52.099
 It is absolutely the only thing that matters for the smile of God to be on you.

00:42:52.279 --> 00:42:55.259
 But the relationship that you have with Jesus is transformative.

00:42:55.859 --> 00:42:56.639
 He does that.

00:42:56.839 --> 00:42:59.019
 There's no other kind of relationship with him.

00:42:59.440 --> 00:43:03.159
 That's what happens when he enters into your life and shakes things up.

00:43:03.199 --> 00:43:08.579
 When he sends you his spirit to remake you and empower you for following him.

00:43:10.440 --> 00:43:11.879
 So how do you deal with that?

00:43:11.980 --> 00:43:14.159
 Where do you focus if you're not seeing the fruit?

00:43:14.239 --> 00:43:15.699
 You focus on the root, don't you?

00:43:15.699 --> 00:43:19.879
 In a marriage, it would be on valuing and loving Christi.

00:43:19.939 --> 00:43:22.399
 And if I really do, things will look different.

00:43:23.659 --> 00:43:26.159
 On valuing and loving Jesus.

00:43:26.859 --> 00:43:29.739
 And that will produce the fruit that we pray for and long for.

00:43:29.899 --> 00:43:35.379
 As my heart turns from the lesser selfish loves back to him.

00:43:35.480 --> 00:43:36.799
 You can't reverse the order.

00:43:37.119 --> 00:43:40.339
 You can't go out to produce fruit and ignore that the root's not there.

00:43:40.340 --> 00:43:44.260
 You have to start with the root and the fruit will follow.

00:43:45.579 --> 00:43:46.700
 One last thing.

00:43:47.559 --> 00:43:48.500
 I know it's late.

00:43:48.500 --> 00:43:56.099
 I hope it won't surprise you to know that I still struggle in my marriage.

00:43:56.440 --> 00:44:00.400
 That I still sometimes function as a fixer.

00:44:00.760 --> 00:44:02.219
 And I fail to listen.

00:44:03.119 --> 00:44:05.059
 And I fail to sympathize.

00:44:05.739 --> 00:44:11.260
 And I fail to walk alongside my wife and in many other ways blow it as a husband.

00:44:11.260 --> 00:44:14.820
 I'm naturally more comfortable that way, right?

00:44:15.320 --> 00:44:17.140
 I fall back into that very quickly.

00:44:17.500 --> 00:44:22.740
 And while I do love Christi and that changes me, I often love myself more.

00:44:24.060 --> 00:44:24.820
 That's true.

00:44:25.120 --> 00:44:26.060
 It's still true.

00:44:27.960 --> 00:44:29.480
 That's an ongoing struggle.

00:44:29.480 --> 00:44:34.599
 That's what it looks like in a marriage that means I have to repent.

00:44:35.159 --> 00:44:39.039
 Not just one time a few years ago when I figured this out the first time.

00:44:39.159 --> 00:44:41.559
 But again, probably this afternoon.

00:44:42.079 --> 00:44:43.300
 I have to repent.

00:44:44.059 --> 00:44:45.240
 And be forgiven.

00:44:45.980 --> 00:44:51.400
 And then be renewed in my love for her because of that forgiveness that I've received.

00:44:52.280 --> 00:44:55.179
 That's actually what this passage is talking about.

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 The good news is not that you can repent once.

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 The good news is a lifestyle of repentance.

00:45:00.880 --> 00:45:02.059
 Remember Luther said that?

00:45:02.300 --> 00:45:03.240
 And Calvin said that?

00:45:03.400 --> 00:45:04.980
 And now John the Baptist has said it?

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 And Jesus is going to say it before we get too much further in Luke?

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 A lifestyle of repentance.

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 Not where you can just apologize for your sin once upon a time.

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 But where you can live in that kind of relationship with Him.

00:45:18.200 --> 00:45:21.220
 Where you can turn back again today.

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 And need Him today.

00:45:23.260 --> 00:45:26.960
 And today turn back to God.

00:45:27.200 --> 00:45:29.040
 And know His forgiveness.

00:45:29.700 --> 00:45:30.700
 So you repent.

00:45:30.820 --> 00:45:34.560
 You turn back to Jesus and find your sins are forgiven by His blood.

00:45:34.860 --> 00:45:39.160
 Your righteousness is secure because of His perfect obedience.

00:45:39.820 --> 00:45:44.980
 And the smile and pleasure of your God rests on you.

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 Because you know His beloved Son.

00:45:49.039 --> 00:45:50.480
 In whom He is well pleased.

00:45:51.480 --> 00:45:52.240
 Let's pray.

00:45:57.639 --> 00:46:00.440
 Father might we repent again today.

00:46:01.579 --> 00:46:04.960
 Because it makes us so excited that we'll get Jesus.

00:46:05.699 --> 00:46:08.780
 That when repentance happens the Messiah shows up.

00:46:08.780 --> 00:46:09.440
 The Savior.

00:46:10.440 --> 00:46:11.320
 Our hope.

00:46:13.280 --> 00:46:15.880
 Oh for the joy of just having Him.

00:46:16.180 --> 00:46:18.100
 And the glory of knowing Jesus.

00:46:18.260 --> 00:46:21.820
 Might we be willing to turn from our sin.

00:46:22.180 --> 00:46:23.940
 And the things that we chase after.

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 To have Him.

00:46:26.380 --> 00:46:28.240
 To know your smile.

00:46:29.680 --> 00:46:31.460
 Because we're in Jesus.

00:46:32.620 --> 00:46:35.180
 Father when that happens may our lives never be the same.

00:46:36.100 --> 00:46:38.040
 Do that work we ask in Jesus name.

00:46:38.420 --> 00:46:38.620
 Amen.

00:46:38.780 --> 00:46:46.060
 For more information visit us online at southwood.org

00:46:46.060 --> 00:46:46.080
 For more information visit us online at southwood.org