“GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION” FEBRUARY 6, 2011

MATTHEW 3:1-17
FEBRUARY 6, 2011

“GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION”

A preacher told his congregation that he was going to preach on honesty the next Sunday and he asked everyone to read Joshua 25. The next Sunday arrived and the preacher asked how many had read it? Half the hands in church were raised. The preacher said, “Great! Now you’re the ones I want to talk to. Joshua has only 24 chapters, and I am especially concerned about you.” In our culture lying has become an art form. What is most troubling is when people lie to themselves and will refuse to face the truth even when the truth will save them.
God called John the Baptist to preach a message of repentance to the nation of Israel. John did not open up his ministry in a big town but in the desert south of Jerusalem. Matthew 3:1-3 (NIV) John’s message was not new but followed the pattern of all of the prophets that God sent to awaken the people to the truth they needed to hear.^{1 “}In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert 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 desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'"
The message of repentance is sometimes confused with being remorseful or sorry for what the person has done. This is only part of repentance. True repentance calls people to a change in attitude toward God, which then impacts one’s actions and overall direction in life. “External signs of repentance included confession of sin, prayers of remorse, and abandonment of sin.” (NIV Application Commentary, Michael Wilkins) Repentance is a radical change of behavior. If there is no change in behavior then being sorry for one’s sins is only regret, which implies that a person is being dishonest with themselves. They are not facing the truth of their sinfulness and making a change in their behavior. John was calling the people to clear away any obstacles in their lives that hinder them from responding to God. He told them to prepare their heart and their life so they would be ready for the kingdom of heaven. A person who is not truly repentant is not ready to respond to the forgiveness that Christ offers. When we choose to follow Christ we will be headed in a new direction.
Matthew records the clothing of John, but for what purpose? Matthew 3:4-6 (NIV) “⁴ John's clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. ⁶ Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.”
It sounds like John was extremely weird! Matthew was providing us with this information so that we would understand that John was very poor. Poor people used the hair of goats and camels, which when woven provided a thick, dark cloth that was almost waterproof. It would be worn like a cloak or poncho with a leather belt around the waist. John was not a snazzy dresser wearing the finest silks or Egyptian cotton. His food sounds gross. Yet even today in many parts of the world grasshoppers are dried and then ground into a flour. This meal is very nutritious as it contains protein and fat and with the wild honey provides a balanced diet. Yet it is food that only the poor choose to eat. I’m sure that type of meal did not attract a lot of drop in company. “Is not life more important than food?” said Jesus. John lived what he taught. John was more concerned with turning people back to God than in enriching his own life.
John’s ministry attracted a lot of attention as it was close to Jerusalem. The Pharisees and the Sadducees traveled down to check John out. The Pharisees were lay people involved in the local synagogues and were very committed to the oral traditions of the law. The Sadducees were from the priestly families involved with the Temple. These two groups were often opposed to each other. Yet they both came down to observe. Matthew 3:7-10 (NIV) “⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸ Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. ⁹ 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. ¹⁰ 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.” John called both groups a “brood of vipers”. Vipers are a small poisonous snake that are usually born in groups of twelve or more and are noted for subtle attacks, as was the serpent in the Garden of Eden. John accuses them of having ulterior motives instead of coming to get right with God. Both groups were very prideful and thought well of themselves. They thought that simply being born a Jew gave them the upper hand in dealing with God. Even today many people brag about their heritage. It is not unusual for someone to boast of descending from a long line of Christians. Yet John states that their parent’s beliefs will not save a person. God can raise up children from rocks if He chooses to do so. Judgment day is coming to everyone who does not live by what they say they believe. John called the religious leaders to repent. Talk is cheap and hypocrisy is real. John called them to be honest with themselves and to see their need to open their hearts to God.
John tells the people whom he has baptized to get ready for the coming Messiah. Matthew 3:11-12 (NIV) “¹¹ "I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. ¹² His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire." The Messiah was to come both with pronouncing judgment and to bring healing by the Holy Spirit. The Gospel is both good news and bad news. Notice that there is no indication of a middle ground. We will either be wheat or chaff!
It is at this time that Jesus appears before John. John recognizes Jesus as being the promised Messiah and is surprised that Jesus desires to be baptized. John did not understand because Jesus did not need to be baptized. So why did Jesus ask to be baptized? Jesus was beginning his ministry and wanted to be identified with his people in their need. Jesus came to save us from the consequences of our sins, which was death. Remember that Joseph was told about the child to be born to Mary. Matthew 1:21 (NIV) “²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." ²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³ "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us." Jesus, the Son of God, came to be with us sinners.
Jesus began his ministry by identifying with the lost. Matthew 3:16-17 (NIV) “¹⁶ As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. ¹⁷ And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." In this scene we see the Trinity revealed as God reveals his approval of His Son, “Immanuel"--which means, "God with us." The Spirit descended as a dove. John the Baptist later spoke of this time. John 1:32-34 (NIV) “³² Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. ³³ I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' ³⁴ I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."
What we need to understand is that becoming a Christian involves being completely honest with ourselves. Without Christ, we are lost and will remain hardened to the truth of our utter sinfulness. Every time we feel repulsed by the sins of someone else we should be aware that our own sins repulsed a Holy God. It is only by the sacrificial death of Jesus, who took on our sins that we are able to stand clean before our God. 2 Corinthians 7:10 (NIV) “¹⁰ Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” The walk of faith always begins with repentance. Without repentance there is no faith and no salvation. Proverbs 28:13 (NIV) “¹³ He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” I invite you to be honest with yourself. If you have not been honest and think that your goodness wins you a place in heaven then you have deceived your self. Ephesians 2:7-9 (NIV) “⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast.” Christ stretches out His Hand to us and asks us to acknowledge our utter sinfulness and then accept the gift of his grace, the forgiveness of our sins. If you have never asked Christ to do this for you I invite you to do so now.
Let us pray.