WORD OF REPENTANCE

LUKE 3:1-20


      The preaching of John the Baptist broke up the long, prophetic silence. Now, at the age of thirty John fulfilled the prophetic call and began preaching the gospel.


  I. Begin with repentance (3:1-6)


      The first word of the gospel is repent. The message of the gospel began with the preaching of repentance. John MacArthur said, “Repentance is at the heart of the gospel call. Unless we are preaching repentance we are not preaching the gospel our Lord has charged us to preach.” Endnote


Lk. 1:80. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.


Lk. 7:24. And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind?


      A. Politics at the beginning (1-2)

 

•          Tiberius–Lk. 3:1; Mt. 22:20; Jn. 19:12 (A.D. 14-37, Augustus’ adopted son–suspicious and cruel)

•          Pilate–Mt. 27:24; Lk. 3:1, 13:1; Jn. 19:6-12; Acts 4:27, 13:28; 1 Tim. 6:13 (A.D. 26-36, Josephus recorded Pilate’s attempts to abolish Jewish laws [Ant. XVIII, iii, 1], his thoughts to take Temple money for an aqueduct [Ant. XVIII, iii, 2], and his massacre of Samaritans [Ant. XVIII, lv, 1, 1]. Eusebius reported Pilate’s death by suicide.)

•          Antipas ruled Galilee and Perea from 4 B.C. to A.D. 39. (Mk. 6:17–rebuked by John; Lk. 13:32–called “fox” by Jesus; Lk. 23:7–helped Pilate try Jesus).

•          Philip governed several provinces as tetrarch from 4 B.C. to A.D. 34 after the death of Herod the Great (appointed tetrarch of Trachonitis, Gaulonitis and Paneas).

•          Annas and Caiaphas. After the arrest of Jesus in Gethsemane, the soldiers led Jesus first to Annas and then to the house of the high priest Caiaphas for a hasty religious trial by the Sanhedrin. Jesus first satisfied the curiosity of Annas, a Sadducee and the father-in-law of Caiaphas the High Priest (Jn. 18:13). The Romans appointed Annas in A.D. 7 and deposed him in A.D. 14 for exceeding his jurisdiction. Annas sent Jesus bound to the High Priest Caiaphas, a position given by the Roman governor to the highest bidder. Caiaphas lasted until the removal of Pilate in A.D. 36.


      B. Preaching in the beginning (3)


Lk. 5:32. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.


      Hughes wrote, “While no amount of repentance can ever merit forgiveness in the sight of God, without repentance no soul will ever be saved.”

“If you think you are saved but do not have a repentant spirit, you are perhaps not saved at all.” Endnote


          1. Baptism of repentance (confession of sin–Acts 19:18; Jas. 5:16; freely, publicly, openly, acknowledge Endnote )


2 Cor. 7:10. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.


          2. Remission of sins (release, letting go, pardon Endnote )


Lk. 1:77. To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,


      David Smith wrote, “These were the themes which on the lips of George Whitefield melted the hearts of the colliers of Kingswood, till the tears poured from their eyes and ‘made white gutters down their black cheeks.’ Twenty thousand gathered to hear the message, and ‘hundreds and hundreds of them were soon brought under deep conviction, which happily ended in sound and thorough conversion.’” Endnote


      C. Prophecy about the beginning (4-6)


Lk. 1:17. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.


 II. Baptize with repentance (3:7-9)


      Repentance means more than regret or remorse (Mt. 27:3). Repentance means to change one’s mind (Acts 26:20; Rev. 2:5). Endnote In remorse (metamelesqai) a man sees the bitter end of sin, in repentance (metanoein) he breaks free from it. Endnote J. Edwin Orr described repentance, “It clearly involved a thorough revolution of intellect, will, and emotion.” Endnote


Acts 16:33. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed [their] stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.


      A. Facade of repentance (7)


Acts 8:13, 21. Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

 21. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.


      B. Fruits of repentance (8a)


Mt. 7:17-19. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

 18. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither [can] a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

 19. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.


Rom. 6:22. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.


Acts 26:20b. Repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.


      A. W. Tozer said, “The trouble is that the whole ‘Accept Christ’ attitude is likely to be wrong. It shows Christ [appealing] to us rather than us to Him. It makes Him stand hat-in-hand awaiting our verdict on Him, instead of our kneeling with troubled hearts awaiting His verdict on us.” Endnote


      C. Family of repentance (8b)


Lk. 13:28. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you [yourselves] thrust out.


Lk. 16:23. And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.


Jn. 8:39. They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.


Rom. 9:7. Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, [are they] all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.


      D. Fire of repentance (9)


Jn. 15:6. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast [them] into the fire, and they are burned.


Rev. 20:15. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.


III. Behave with repentance (3:10-14)


      A. W. Tozer said, “The Lord will not save those whom He cannot command.” Endnote John MacArthur wrote, “This new gospel has spawned a generation of professing Christians whose behavior often is indistinguishable from the rebellion of the unregenerate.” He said, “Enthusiastic converts to this new gospel believe their behavior has no relationship to their spiritual status–even if they continue wantonly in the grossest kinds of sin and expressions of human depravity.” Endnote


      Robertson stated, “John puts his finger on the weaknesses of the people right before him. Endnote “


Acts 2:37. Now when they heard [this], they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men [and] brethren, what shall we do?


      A. Charity (10-11)


Mt. 5:40. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have [thy] cloke also.


Eph. 4:28. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with [his] hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.


      B. Integrity (12-13)


Lk. 19:8. And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore [him] fourfold.


      Vincent wrote of publicans, “They were often chosen from the dregs of the people, and were so notorious for their extortions that they were habitually included in the same category with harlots and sinners. Endnote


      C. Authority (14)


1 Tim. 6:8. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.


      Charles G. Finney once outlined how to preach a sermon so as to convert no one. He said, “Denounce sin in the abstract, but make no allusion to sins of your present audience. Endnote Finney taught, “General confessions of sin will never do. Your sins were committed one by one; and as far as you can come at them, they ought to be reviewed and repented of one by one.” Endnote


 IV. Believe with repentance (3:15-17)


      In repentance, one turns from sin and then in faith turns to Christ. John’s baptism fell short if it did not point to Christ (Jn. 3:30).


      A. Better than John (15)


Lk. 7:19. And John calling [unto him] two of his disciples sent [them] to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?


Acts 13:25. And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not [he]. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of [his] feet I am not worthy to loose.


Acts 19:3-5. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.

 4. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

 5. When they heard [this], they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.


      B. Baptism of Jesus (16)


Jn. 1:33. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.


Rev. 4:5. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and [there were] seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.


      C. Belief or judgment (17)


Mt. 13:30. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.


Lk. 11:23. He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.


Jn. 3:36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.


 IV. Battle with repentance (3:18-20)


      John spoke the truth and suffered the treatment. Herod Antipas imprisoned John the Baptist nine miles east of the Dead Sea in the fortress Machaerus. The gospel will not allow a neutral response.


      A. Conviction at the Gospel (18-19)


Mk. 6:18, 20. For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.

 20. For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.


Lk. 7:29-30. And all the people that heard [him], and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.

 30. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.


Jn. 3:20. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.


Jn. 16:8. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:


Eph. 5:13. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.


      Josephus wrote (Ant., XVIII, v, 2), “Now some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod’s army came from God, and that very justly, as a punishment of what he did against John, that was called the Baptist: for Herod slew him, who was a good man, and commanded the Jews to exercise virtue, both as to righteousness towards one another, and piety towards God, and so to come to baptism. . . .”


      B. Closed to the Gospel (20)


Acts 26:10. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against [them].


      John described a highway of holiness–a road of repentance. What does it mean to repent?

•          Resist conviction no longer. Rev. 3:19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

•          Refuse substitutes for genuine sorrow. Heb. 12:17. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

•          Return to first love. Is. 55:7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

•          Remove idols of the heart. 1 Sam. 7:3. And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, [then] put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

•          Renew obedient service to God. Rev. 2:5. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

•          Restore broken relationships. Mal. 4:6. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

•          Receive grace and forgiveness from God. Hos. 6:1. Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.