All right, right on Hey, before the children go back children's stay here for a second. We're gonna do the Advent candle with you all here. So we're going to do the reading really quickly, Bonnie and Brandon, if y'all don't mind, come on up here. And I'm going to grab Hey, Matt, can you grab that for me the table so I can put this wreath on there. And this is the candle of peace, as Mike so this morning was like like this. So that, yes. So Bonnie is going to light the candle from last week and then another purple candle as Brandon reads for us. And I have to say, sorry, Brandon, there's a few names that are a little more difficult. He's probably got the most difficult reading week. So alright, you got this. Let's go.
I was practicing this morning and there was disagreement on how to pronounce them. Just like anything else in church,
right? It's true.
A powerful message from God came to John Zechariah son when he was living out in the lonely wilderness. This prosthetic commission came to John during the 15th year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius son of Caesar. Pontius Pilate was governor over Judea at that time. And tapas son of Herod was governor over Galilee. Herod's brother Phillip was over the region of its area and Troy CONUS. And lesson yes was over Abilene, not Texas. This happened during the days of to high priest, Anis and koffice. John we had preaching and baptized and throughout the Jordan Valley, he persuaded people to turn away from their sins in turn to God for the freedom of forgiveness, fulfilling what was written in the book of the prophet Isaiah. Listen, you will hear a thunderous voice in the lonely wilderness telling you to wake up and get your heart ready for the coming of the Lord Yahweh. Make straight, every twisted thing in your lives. Bring into the light, every dark way. Make right every wrong. Remove injustice. Every harder pride will humbly bow before him. Every deception will be exposed and replaced by the truth to prepare everyone everywhere to see the life of God.
Amen. That's good. What translation was solid. I enjoyed that. Passion, and that was good. Thank you, money. Father, we thank You for Your Word. And we were so excited about the reality that you brought your kingdom near to us Father. What that meant, Lord, I just ask that you would open up our hearts that we will be so just in tune with your spirit this morning that we have, as Mike said, Just ears that just hear. Hear exactly what you want us to hear Lord and and feet that just walk it out. We welcome you. You're here Holy Spirit. But we say we welcome you because we love you so much. To do whatever you desire to do this morning in Jesus name, amen. Thank you all. Alright, the children can go back now. As they're going back, Larissa just handed this to me from the Mitchell Nielsen. Thanks so much. They want to pass this around. They have they they wrote they gave us a card. And a bunch of their teachers sign this. Thank you. Thank you so much. The hands and feet of God, thank you. I mean, just a lot of really, really nice things to say about how much it meant to them. Just a simple act of helping them with don't give them some doughnuts and some coffee. And the Lord touched their hearts. So that's good. That's really good. I might as well say at this point. Tomorrow night. What time Matt seven, seven o'clock. At Taylor place is going to be a meeting for those who want to participate in a brain as he wants to call it a brainstorm. That's dangerous. Stones river folks brainstorming. I don't know, I don't know about that map. We're gonna brainstorm. We're going to look, I'm going to write down the list of some of the things that they add that they mentioned, that we read, what several weeks ago when John and I got up here they could use help with and they're gonna brainstorm how we can help which ones might be the focus if there's anything else we could do or whatever, so that we can just as Matt says, Put what to what what do you always say, Matt? Put it on your calendar. rubber meets the road. He's always matching. We We are blessed to have Matt do you guys y'all know that right? Okay. Because Matt is very organized and some of us aren't as organized. So it's really awesome. Now we have Matt, everyone's super organized here right? Speaking of that, Linda full Gemma led a few people to help another one aborts are one of them. And Seth was one of them and set all this up. So that was more work than I thought it would be but not too bad. That's a huge tree. The Linda has done it every Linda, you know that Linda makes those reads. Do y'all know that? Okay, most of y'all knew that some of you might not. She makes those things. Okay. She doesn't just order them online. She She's, she's very talented. It's amazing. So yeah. And she also likes them in a particular way. When staff didn't have the ribbons. Right? She made them go back up there and put the ribbons. Right. And that's but hey, you put all that work into it. You don't need to hang it wrong, does he? I don't think so. Oh, my goodness. All right, if y'all want to, actually, we're not going to start at that place. Just Just chill for a minute, I guess. I need to say if you want to turn to something we do, but I'm going to start this morning by just reading the question for this week, I sent Larissa, the Advent stuff to send out this morning. So she'll send that out. Maybe now or so you'll have it this week. But just the readings that we're going to be focusing on this week. They really been powerful in my life. And the questions that are asked have really made me think a lot. And the question for this week
is can you think of anything you need to repent of, and change in your life of Christian discipleship? I might change that to disciplemaking. Hi, John, what might help you make that change and make it stick? So this week's theme, not used to doing themes, but this week's theme would be a time of renewal? Like thinking through and for those, if any, I think we've all been here but we were doing Advent, we're looking towards Jesus's second coming in back at His first coming. And this week, we're looking at like, the huge idea and just saying huge is just probably not not big enough to recognize the huge idea of what God is renewing in this world. And what he's doing through Christ, what he did through Christ that now he is doing through us. Is Montt just absolutely huge. Let's just dive in. And let's look, let's look like, Oh man, I hope that I do justice to how big this moment is when John the Baptist is out in the wilderness and, and calling them to repent and calling them telling them the kingdom of heaven is coming near. And it's just, it's a huge moment. So go ahead and pull up my first slide if you don't mind. Okay, boom. If there's a blank one there that, take that one out, I'm on I could have accidentally done that. Just skip past that. And that next time. Okay, right on. So this passage is about John Abbas. Again, this is this is humongous. All right. It's so big that before we actually look at the scripture that Brandon read, we're going to have to go back, we're going to go back, and we're going to look at some of the stuff in the Old Testament. And we're going to look at some of the trials, some of the things that the Israelites were going through to where when he finally says this is huge. This is a huge moment, and then ask ourselves, what does that mean for us like today? Not just like, look at what John did, what did that mean? But what does that look like for us? So the first thing I want to do go to the next slide. Thank you. Who's running this today? Isn't my son up there? Jonah, you better be on this. You love to do that. Thank you, Kyle, thank you for having a church where we can let young people like get better, like learn how to do these things. Instead of saying we have to have the professionals do and they do a good job too. So seriously, that really means a lot a lot. He looks forward to coming on Sunday. And that's one of the reasons right. So I think that's really cool. Anyways, I want to go back just a hair in this story. And then we're going to look at the Old Testament. So it's interesting that Luke opens up his gospel telling the story of John the Baptist, like that's that's how that's this is how this thing opens up. He opens up with a story of Zachariah, who's a priest, and many of us know this, but Zachariah is a priest he they cast lots he goes into offer incense offering before the Lord and is something that he probably never expected in 100 years happens as he goes to offer this instant it's an angel shows up to the right hand of the altar, and it scares him. I wonder what it would be like for us if something like if we were going about doing our daily duties jobs should never do is you go into your cubicle at work and and there's an angel sitting in your desk might startle me to I don't know, am I the only one that would be startled by that? He was terrified. It says I mean, like whoa, what is going on? But the good news is that the angel has good news. It'd be even worse if angel had bad news for you like, Hey, Mike, I got some bad news, bro. No, no, he had good news. And that was that his wife, who they could not have kids and they were well advanced in yours was going to have a son, and this son was going to prepare the way for Messiah to come. I don't even know how a mother or father can receive that news. Like I don't even know where if you have a paradigm in your brain, for even Mary like receiving the news of, of Jesus, like where how do you even put that somewhere? That what Israel is longing for is about to start to take place and your son is going to play a vital role in that. And what I think is interesting too, is that this says that Elizabeth sorry, goodness gracious, Elizabeth, and Zachariah, the story is, it says they were righteous.
So the reason she wasn't she was barren wasn't because she was sinful person. It wasn't because she they walked righteously before God. And it was in her healing and her restoration, that what was going to happen was that it was going to point people are going to go this is something that what is going on with this child. I mean, Zachariah and Elizabeth have tried to have kids for years, all of a sudden an angel shows up Zachariah, then not totally believe in the angel gets muted. And so he can't speak. He can't speak. And now her womb is open. Like think of the talk that had to be going through the toilet tissue here. But Elizabeth, can you believe that she's pregnant? I don't know. I mean, it would be like someone today like, Man, I'm not gonna say any women in this church. I almost was gone. I used like to use examples of people here, but that's a bad one. Did you Brittany? She's 60 years old and she got pregnant. Can you believe that? They haven't had kids their whole life? Hey, there's no way that the gossip is not going to get out about that. Is that right? They had to be going what's going on about that? And he can't talk. That's right. Zack, I mean, he can't explain like he's trying to probably the best version of what is that game that you mind? Things? Charades? Thank you. He's doing his best charades. And they're like, What? Are you hungry?
Yeah. Trying to figure it out. Oh, that is that is crazy, isn't it? That is that was a really interesting. One. I would love to have been there that would have been wild. Not have been wild. But this message that the that I'm going to read just a little bit of the message that the angel has for Zachariah. I'm reading a Luke chapter one really quick. All right, I'm going to start in verse 14. Luke chapter one, verse 14, he tells him right before this to not be afraid. All right, your prayer has been heard your list, Elizabeth will bear son I guess I'm going to 13. So all these years of praying and crying out to God, don't think that God didn't hear you. He heard you. There is a reason in this. For this beautiful moment that's taking place right here in verse 14 says, you will have joy and gladness and many will rejoice at his birth, for He will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink, kind of like a Nazirite vow probably here. Even before his birth, he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. That's huge, because we all hear oh, the Holy Spirit fills us in which is the most amazing about the most amazing truth there is that God has come to temple and to dwell in among us His temple. But back then it wasn't that what Jesus hadn't died, he hasn't resurrected God hadn't sent his spirit. So to hear. He's going to be filled with the Holy Spirit from before his birth. That's real. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God, with the spirit and power of Elijah, he will go before him to turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous to make ready. A people prepared for the Lord. Zachariah, your son is going to prepare people for the king that Israel has long waited the Anointed One who was to come who the prophets have prophesied for hundreds of years, hundreds and hundreds of years ago began the prophecies of this. Yeah, a long, long time ago. This Anointed One is coming in his job is going to be prepared the way that's wild, isn't it? What would you do if you were Zachariah and you heard that? That he is going to be one that he's going to turn the hearts of people like he'll be used to turn Israel's hearts back to God. And think about this in the spirit of Elijah, who is Elijah one of the most powerful prophets of the Old Testament. Can you imagine this is This angel saying your son is coming in the spirit of Elijah, the Elijah to come, the one who did incredible miraculous things who God used to speak to Israel over and over and over again, who didn't even die. That allowed you to come. He's coming. And he's going to be your son, Zachariah. Huge, right? Of course, he goes mute, he ends up they have the child. And he goes on mute whenever he writes on a writing tablet, his name is John, because that's what he was told to do. If you want to go to Malikai, I want to look at Malikai really quickly. Because what I want us to do again, is I want us to have a good idea of how momentous this moment is when he shows up in the wilderness. The prophets have prophesied, Isaiah is prophesied, he's going to quote Isaiah in this passage that we're going to read. But I want to look at Malikai really quickly, because this idea of what we just read this, this voice that's that this person that's going to turn the children's hearts for the parents and the parents, to the children, and he's coming, the Elijah calm is going to be here that isn't that's in the book of Malikai. And so I want to look at this and so quickly, the book of Malikai is a dialogue between Israel and God. Basically, God saying something in the Israelites going, huh, what are you talking about? Even blaming God, I'm just going to hit a couple points like it opens up at the very beginning of this. I said in verse two says, I have loved you says the Lord, and that awesome, and they what is their response? But you say, how have you loved us? Why are they saying this? Because this is after they come out of captivity they've been in captivity for they were captive to the Assyrians, they are captive to the Babylonians like God, what are you talking about? You love us? Like really?
Israel is a is pales in comparison to what it used to be. David's not on his throne ruling. We don't have these great kings. We're under Persian rule right now. We've been sent to captivity, you don't love us? What do you mean God, you love us. And he makes it clear that he does love them, even says in verse six, kind of this back and forth a son honors his father, and servants their master, if then I am a father, where is the honor? Do to me? This is God saying, If I'm your father, where's you're not honoring me as your father? And if I am Master, where's the respect? doomy? Says the LORD of hosts to you, oh, priests, who despise my name, these are priests of God. And Malikai is, this is being spoken to them that hey, God is saying, priests, your despising my name? And then what's their response? Or it says, there was what is their response? Excuse me, you say, how have we despised your name? And so this, this book, this prophetic word is back and forth. And there's so many times where God talks about we we robbed me. What do you mean how we robbed you? You robbed me with ties, it offerings, right? Even here, right now, whenever he's talking to the priest. They're saying, What do you mean we despise your name is like you're offering sacrifices that are not the best use of your sacrifices that are lame, you're offering sacrifice that are blind, like this is a huge deal. And it brought me to thinking as a question of repentance that into you, right, as are their blind spots in my life, where I'm just like, God, I'm doing great. And he's like, not, not really. It's, this is not to depress us and get us down. It's just to have self reflection. You know, one of the words a Hebrew word for prayer, one of the main words is to judge oneself, right? Part of prayer is listening to God, as Mike said, part of her speaking to God and part of prayer is judging oneself in that's good, that's okay. It's how we grow. It's how we get our heart tuned with God. That's all God's trying to get Israel's heart in tune with him, so that they can be that light to the nations like he wants them to be like they should be. So there can be healing among the nations and all these things. That's a beautiful thing. And they need to have some of that, that self reflection, but in the midst of all this back and forth, and is between Israel and God, there's a huge bright spot in chapter three, chapter three, verse one says, See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, in the Lord whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts, but who can endure the day of his coming who can stand when he appears like, this is happening, My messengers coming, but I want you to know, it's not going to be great for everyone. Right? That's, that's what he's saying. In fact, he says, For he is like a refiners fire in like a fuller soap he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver and He will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like golden silver until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. So God's saying that there's there's a messenger coming that's going to bring fire and fire purifies right fire Jesus uses those type of language all the time, things that are wood stubble Hey, that was Paul. But Jesus taught like, like, things that burn up, we're going to get burned up because when God's kingdom comes, it's going to be there's going to be justice, there's going to be purification that takes place the things that are right, the things that are pure, they're going to shine. And he's saying, Listen, this is going to happen. And then verse chapter four, I'm just gonna read it's really short chapter. See the day is coming, burning like an oven when all the arrogant and the evil do doers will be stubble. So that same idea, right? Like there's a refining fire coming to Israel. The day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts so that it will leave neither root nor branch. But there's, there's there's good in this and good stuff here. That's actually good actually, that that stuff is going to be burned up. You got to burn out the injustice and stuff for the righteousness of God's kingdom to come in. But for you who revere my name, I love this verse, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, you shall go out leaping like calves from the stall, and you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes on the soles of your feet on the day when I access the Lord of hosts. Isn't that awesome? For those who fear God's name, you're going to go leaping like calves from the stall? What kind of someone so we're gonna pretend to be a calf from a stall that would have been awesome if as someone dressed like a cab, and they came shooting out of there. That's missed opportunity. Verse four, says, Remember the teaching of my servant Moses, the statute ordinance that I commanded him at Horeb? For all Israel low. So this is what was quoted in
117, or six, oh, no, in Luke chapter one, low, I will send you the prophet Elijah, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes, He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, in the hearts of the children to their parents, so that I will not come in strike the land with a curse. So the idea that the Lord is coming, there's going to be a messenger, Elijah is going to come and he's going to prepare the way. And what does it say that he says that he'll do? He's going to turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and children back to their parents. There's a lot of like, speculation. What does that mean? Like? I'm not exactly you know, I'm not sure what does that mean, or whatever. Um, some people say that it has to do, he calls himself a father in this passage, like, some of it has to do with the fact that God is father, and that he's gonna return Israel back. And I think there's truth to that. I also think there's truth to the simplicity of parents and children like relationships matter, right relationship, our relationship with God, our relationship, one another, really matters to God. And the idea that the Lord of hosts is coming. In that he says that he's going to turn hearts. He's going to turn these back that is it pretty weighty, I think. And I think that's something for us to wrestle with and to think about, man, there's so many things he could have said about, okay, the Lord's coming, what is Elijah going to do? And he says, he's going to turn parents hearts to children and children's hearts back to the parents. So before we dive into the passage, I want to give you all a little brief couple drops of what happens between the end of the Old Testament and the beginning, the the New Testament, many of us have studied this people call it the intertestamental period. That's a big word for me, like between the Testaments, right Old Testament, New Testament, some people don't have what's going on what happened. You know, you have Israel coming out of captivity, you have some of these prophetic words going on. All of a sudden, there is nothing for 400 and something years or so then all of a sudden, there's a dude showing up in the wilderness saying, Prepare the way here we go. Interesting, right? What happened, you know, go to the next slide. I didn't use that one called Malikai. Go the next one. So this is gonna be really quick. In the book of Daniel that we started not too long ago kind of helps with a little bit of this because he prophesied these things when we talked about it. So they're under Persian rule. All right, so they come out of captivity Israel's under Persia rule, go to the next one. Then what happens next the Greeks Alexander the Great comes in. And so Israel still not free. They're like, what's going on? God? We came out of captivity Lord, what do you what are you doing? Like? Why are all these other nations? Why are these empires still in charge? Where's our independence? God what's going on? And you have a you know, again, in over this time you have some of the rulers are pretty nice to the Israel and the Jewish people. Some aren't so nice. So you're living in this like, up and down? Like, where's King David again, you know, where is it? Where are these promised King? Where's this? Where's an anointed one coming? You talk about Elijah come and God it's been several 100 years. And look, the Greeks are still you know, in charge or whatever. And what are you gonna, what's going to happen? And then go to the next slide. You have towards the end of the Greek Empire, this solution guy, King, epiphanies who remember that remember that from Daniel, and Tikus epiphanies are the mad on top of all these things, and these other empires ruling us you guys This guy who says, Alright, we're taking out with Jewish people the Israelites are doing, tells them they can't practice the law goes into their temple and slaughters a pig, which is like the biggest slap in the face that you could do to a group of people. Right? It would be like someone doing something nasty to the cross that we you know what I mean? That like, just I don't care. Forget sorry. Forget you guys. Like I don't, I'm showing you like I just don't care sets up a statue to Zeus tells him you're not, you know, doing any of this. And again, it would be I hate to say like to do comparisons, but imagine a ruler coming into the states or a president or something that says you're not practicing Christianity anymore, that you're not getting together anymore. You're, if you do, you're going to get in trouble. Burn all the Bibles, get them out of here. We're not you can't be seen with the Bible anymore. Every cross that I see, leave the crosses, but desecrate it, make it look terrible. Make them remind themselves of the foolishness of what they what they believe. That was this was the type of evil that epiphany was it was doing in the Jewish people.
There was a remnant. What is just what was just celebrate this last week. Kanaka. Right. This is what they celebrate. The next slide is that a remnant of people from the tribe of Levi called the Maccabees, you guys heard of the mag Maccabees before? Right? They kind of they rebel? Like they say, You know what? We're not This is ridiculous. This is where the buck stops. And pretty much miraculously, they actually win fight after fight. And they don't win them all. But in the end, they actually get freedom for Israel. Right, we're almost done here. Next slide. And that has many an empire kind of spreads about 100 years of independence for Israel. But here's the thing about this time, during this time, there was a ton of internal conflict. Because listen, the the Maccabees came from the line of Levi, not the line of David. And so there are people going, what are you doing? You have no right for the kingship. There are people that are killing family members go back and rediscover just crazy to keep power. It's not like Israel was this great light to the nations like they were supposed to be like they finally get their independence and they're not. And the next slide. Finally, about 100 years after they get the independence 60 Oh, man, I'm losing it. They give away to the Romans. They actually at the beginning, like invite the Romans. But the Romans take charge and Herod the Great. Herod the Great is in charge now, huh? How about that you got we all read through the New Testament. You hear Herod, Herod Herod, there's a bunch of hertz and that's why it's confusing. But it starts with here at the Great. Okay, Jack, I thought that guy died. But he's Goodness gracious. He's alive again, what's going on? Next slide. So this is gonna help us get to the time of Jesus. Herod was brilliant with architectural and building stuff. Okay, this was the temple. Um, this is not the actual temple, but this is a rendition of he made huge improvements to the temple. Okay, he did this is just different things that he did, he did this kind of stuff all over. But towards the end of his life, he got crazy. He got extremely paranoid. I've read some people argue that he had this certain disease and stuff that made him go really paranoid and different things like that. I don't know the root cause of it. But it got so bad to where he killed three of his sons, I believe he killed his favorite wife. Not only did he do that he was the Herod that called for the slaughtering of the baby, the children in Bethlehem in the surrounding areas. So you wonder how could someone this is what happened at the end of his life, like he got, he didn't want to lose his power. So now thinking of that, this is who's in charge, whenever this baby is to be born, God, what are you doing? I thought we had independence. And now we don't and now the Romans are, are leading us in the Romans are ruthless. They can be ruthless people, but they gave them some freedom. So that's good God. But you've got this guy here and here and likes to Jewish people. And yet he's not a Jew. And there's this huge kind of squabble about, but I don't like here that much. And now here, it's kind of going crazy and insane. He's slaughtering people killing his family. Could you imagine having a ruler that was doing that, like legit? That was like, I killed one of my kids, because I thought they were trying to get the throne. Like, in the midst of that Israel is going to have to be going God, you promised an Elijah, you promised that something was going to happen. You promised that there was a Lord, that there's someone that's going to come and set things right. And goodness gracious, how many years ago was that? God? Where are you? Right? In the midst of all that, now we can get to Luke chapter three. I hope that that built up like an understanding of like how important this moment is. chapter three verse one in the 15th, year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor over Judea, and Herod was the ruler of Galilee, and his brother Phillip ruler of the region of its area and tracking Unitas have the ropes are endless. Aeneas, ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of the Lord came to John Son of Zachariah in the wilderness. I think that statement is tremendous. There is no in the canon of Scripture that we have recorded words of the Lord for 400. And something years does that mean God wasn't speaking? I don't know if that's what that means. Some people would argue that, that God has never said anything to anyone. I don't know about that. I'm not going to go down in that direction.
But the people are hungry for a word from God. As I mentioned earlier, the Holy Spirit wasn't indwelling the people of God. There's whispers of this child that was born to this woman who should have never had kids. Zachariah goes mute the priest, he saw a vision he saw this angel. What is that? Who is this kid and all of a sudden, this kid is grown up. And he's out in the wilderness saying, I hear I heard a word from God. How exciting. Is that to be like, seriously, there's a Prophet saying that they have heard a word from God, Romans are ruling us all these things. And people begin to go out to this guy in the wilderness. If you go to the next slide. He was in the Jordanian wilderness. This isn't actually a picture from the modernist wasn't really all that far. It's not from like Jerusalem or whatever. It's just a stone's throw away. Like there's there's wilderness kind of all around if you go to Israel. And so it might kind of be like, I'll use Beverly and Jerry, there's some guy out here, say in Auburn town, not that far, saying out kind of in no man's land out in the desert, saying that he's heard a word from God. As you can imagine, some people are going to be super excited about that. Like, yeah, but then as we'll see, there's other like religious leaders that are like, what, who is this guy? I mean, could you I mean, let's just be real. Could you imagine pastors, some of the pastors go and who is this crazy guy out in Auburn town, Dunkin people, baptizing people saying he's heard a word from God. There's jealousies that are taking place. There's this some kind of crazy guy. It's why Jesus asked the question, he says, Who do you all think John the Baptist? Was he from God or not? And they are so thick headed or whatever they say? I don't know. Because they don't want to admit that he could be from God. Could you imagine that? Well, the pastors come around and go, I don't know. I don't know. John, there's the guy out in Auburn town goes, am I from God or not? And they go well, I don't know. I can't say that. Because I don't want my congregants to go to your church. I don't. I don't want you to have the Pharisees the Sadducees want to influence they don't want to lose their influence they have over the people. Right. And so that's that's that's the that's what's going on here. So there's a guy out and Robert Downey hears the voice of God. It what was his message, it says in verse three, he went into all the region around the Jordan proclaiming a baptism of repentance, for the forgiveness of sin. So this message, as I said, was a message of be immersed. Repent, and that you know, Greek word comes from metamorphosis, that I mean, that's, we use the word repent all the time. It's like, Oh, I'm sorry, that's not what Repent means. It doesn't mean telling God you're sorry. It means actually changing, like changing your behavior. Alright, and so he is he is preaching this. And in Matthew, when it's talking about the story, it says that his message was the exact same message of Jesus repent, the kingdom of God is at hand. So Israel under oppression all these years, some crazy guy out in the wilderness, some guy that would be a prophet out in the wilderness, like Elijah was, Is this the Elijah calm? People are saying, he's out there calling people saying God's Kingdom is coming, now. It's coming. And he's telling them you have a job to do. So it's not like you just sit back and go, alright, God rescue us. He say, No, you have something you need to change your hearts, Israel, go back to Malikai the things that they got, you know, I don't realize that I don't honor you, God and all these things. He's like, No, listen, there are places in your lives Israel you have got to repent of. And that is incredible. Because that means that the idea that God's Kingdom is coming to man, the first thing he says to do is to change your hearts and prepare your hearts meaning God cares about our hearts. He cares about our response to him. Like he is not going to force his kingdom on Beverly if she don't want his kingdom, but she does. And that's what I can say your name but seriously. So he say if you want to be part of this kingdom, you need to change the kingdom of God is at hand it's coming in on top of that, there's definitely, um, the reality that John is out in the wilderness like Israel was in the wilderness is a reality that Israel is saved through water, they are rescued through water, as Egyptians have the Red Sea coming over them. And now he's out, immersing people in water for so that their sins can be washed away. And then it says in verse four,
as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah and I say all that stuff to say, God is bringing a great rescue. That's what he has a rescue mission for Israel right now. So prepare your hearts. I'm actually going to go to I'm going to go to Isaiah really quick Isaiah 40 I'm gonna read this from Isaiah just I'm gonna read a couple verses before, maybe a verse or two after. I've said this many times, whenever someone quotes part of an Old Testament verse, Go and read the whole thing, because oftentimes they have the whole passage in mind. And it can usually bring a lot more clarity to what they're saying. So, as it is written, the prophet Isaiah, I'm gonna read verse, I'm gonna start in verse one real quick. The context of this is God telling Hezekiah that the Babylonians are going to come and take over. All right, Hezekiah is happy because he's like, Well, it's not having my time. That's pretty selfish, isn't it, but he was pretty happy about that. And then the next chapter here, it goes into comfort, oh, comfort, my people says, Lord, Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and cry to her that she has served her term that the penalty is paid. This is talking about the captivity, and that she has received from the Lord's hand double for her sins, for uncovered that it's going to be okay. A voice cries out, this is what he quotes Exactly. A voice cries out in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert, a highway for our God, every valley shall be lifted up, every mountain in hill made low, and the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places in the plane, go to the next slide, and then go again. So it was really hard to get a good picture. This is Jerusalem, okay. And as John has talked about before, the Psalm that says, as a mountain surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds us people, this doesn't this, I couldn't get a good angle. This doesn't do justice for how big some of these hills are the hills that surround Jerusalem. But the point that I'm making is, is he's talking about these, the mountains being made low, the hills, the valleys being raised up, it is so hilly all around there. All right, it's when you go there, it's like, oh, my gosh, it's beautiful, actually. But it's also dangerous because of the hills. Because there are people that can hide in the hills. And they can come and they can jump you as you're going through the, you know, going from town to town, or whatever you want to. And so what he's saying is, he's saying in the wilderness, there's going to be one that is going to make straight His paths, the valleys are going to be lifted up, the mountains are going to be brought down. Oh, he's saying the kingdom is coming. The King is coming in righteousness. He's gonna turn all the crooked things straight. He's gonna take the high things low in the low things, and he's gonna make them level he's going to set things right is what this prophecy is saying. And for the people of Israel, that has to be an incredible, incredible announcement that, hey, we're being oppressed by the Romans. Hey, look at here at the great look at all these things. As I mentioned Narnia last week, I just love that. So I'll just mention again, I know Pat doesn't mind me mention Narnia. But as lands gone and as lands returning, and he's going to set things right, and so the people who love as land in his kingdom are rejoicing and you cannot wait as you anticipate it. But they say hey, if you're in Atlantis, kingdom, get your heart ready. That's important. But those who don't, and who are part of the Queen, they're not going to like it. That's why Malika was telling me, hey, the day of the Lord, it's a big deal. Everyone's not going to love the day of the Lord. But this is saying, The King is coming. So a kingdom is coming. And he's going to set everything right in verse five, it says, Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed. And all the people shall see it together for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. There's more good stuff, even a verse nine says, get you up on a high mountain. Oh, Zion herald of good tidings, lift up your voices with strength, oh, Jerusalem, herald of good tidings lifted up, do not fear. Rejoice, right, the king is coming. Tell it to the mount, tell it from the mountains, tell it to everybody. This, this is this, the kingdom is coming. And that's what he quotes there. I'm gonna read just a little bit more I know that our reading goes through verse six, but I think this is huge for the rest of it are several more verses is used for practical purposes. What do we do with this idea? This is a tremendous idea. God's Kingdom is coming. What did it mean that God's kingdom came? And what does that mean for us today? Right? I missed. It's interesting to listen about but doesn't even have application to our lives that God's kingdom came. And we talked about last week, the tension between God's kingdom coming and dwelling among us in the finality of it whenever Jesus returns, but the idea that God's kingdom has come, changes everything in our lives, it should affect everything our lives should affect our relationships with our spouses or races with our kids, the way we do our work, the way we handle our money. The idea that the rulership of God has come among man is big time is huge. And so, in verse seven, it says, John says to the crowds that came to him to be baptized, You brood of vipers.
In Matthew says, It was the Pharisees and Sadducees, that he that he said this too. And again, if you think about religious leaders, not knowing about who this John the Baptist is, who knows why they were getting baptized, some were probably getting baptized just for the show of it. Right? Obviously, they all didn't have good hearts. If they did, there'd be no reason for John to say You brood of vipers. Right? Could you imagine inviting John the Baptist to preach at your church and he says, Alright, stones river, you brood vipers. We look at John like I love John the Baptist. I don't know, hopefully we would love that some serious stuff. That's a major accusation. But he says, Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? So as these crowds came to be baptized, and these Pharisees and Sadducees, he's saying, Listen, you vipers, who warned you? But here's one of the key parts of this. And I think key parts to understanding like, what does it mean that God's kingdom has come near? What does it mean for us, he says, bear fruits worthy of repentance, do not begin to say yours to yourselves, We have Abraham as our ancestor, For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children, for Abraham to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees. Every tree therefore does not that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So what he's saying is just the idea of washing and being immersed. But it in and of itself doesn't do anything for you. If it doesn't come with a repentant heart, if it doesn't come with a heart that's repentant towards God, and allows God to bring fruit God wants to bear fruit from us. God wants us to reveal what it means that he is seated at the right hand, right now of the Father, what that kingdom means to this world, like our lives are signs pointing towards Jesus and His Kingdom, the releasing of the kingdom on earth. And the reality that he's coming back again, right. And so he's saying, You need to act like that. You've got like that. You can't just say, just follow Jesus, or what? You can't just get washed and say, you know, he's like, your lives should bear fruit. If this is if there's truth that's taking place. You can't just say, Well, I'm a Christian. Like, he says, You can't just say Abraham's our ancestor, bear fruit worthy show, it's not a works thing. It's a if you're truly planted into God, then you will bear fruit. That's just, it's just the reality of things. So bear fruits worthy. So then he goes on to give them that warning that says, there's an axe that's lying at the root of the trees, there's a refining fire coming, which he talks about, in verse 15, or 16, that Jesus is going to come and baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire, there's refining fire. And if you are stubble, you're going to get burned up. It's just the reality. And he's telling this to the people of Israel. So repent, bear fruit, be the kingdom that I've dreamt that you would be, show the world, what it means to live under God's rulership. Israel, you have cried, I've called you to do this for so many years. Just just live it out. And then very practically, the crowds ask the question like even that we could even ask like, Okay, well, what does that mean? I'm glad that you asked bear fruits, were the lie that you said that. What do you mean their fruits worthy of repentance? And this is not at all an exhaustive list. But what is John say? What does John say? If we say that question what what do you mean, I need to bear no fruit worthy. And he and the crowds asked him, you know, then what should we do? In reply? He said, Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none. whoever has food must do likewise. See, there's a deep injustice. I mean, it's not right, that there are people that we have all these things is what John's saying that when God's kingdom comes among you, he sets the wrong things, right. And we are agents of the kingdom, right? Like, how do we say we want to be part of God's kingdom, and then we don't want to do the things that are part of God's kingdom. You know what I mean? Like, this is what God's Kingdom Deus God's Kingdom goes, Man, I've got I got I got, I got a coat at home, I just want to take my coat off. I'm used as an excuse. I've got a coat at home, bro, I want you to have this even looking for those opportunities. Looking for there are people here in Murfreesboro, that are hungry, there are people in our world that are hungry, there are people who are playing the system. I'm not going to get on all that we have to be smart in the way we do things. But like there's a reality that there are, there are hurting people. And John, that's the first thing he says is bring that justice. Let the kingdom justice come into the world. And that stung me this week. Like I thought about like, what am I doing? I'm just being real. Like, what is my lifestyle doing?
Do I have a house and cars and all these things? And there's people that where am I at? Am I really focusing on helping and bringing the kingdom of God on earth? It's a moment of repentance for me this week. Verse 12, says, even the tax collectors came to be baptized and they asked him Teacher What should we do? So the tax collectors want to know what to do? And he says, collect no more than the amount prescribed to you. And we all know that tax collectors extorted money from people, right? He's doing your job with integrity. Stop taking stuff from people you shouldn't do that. Like that's like these are the realities of the kingdom of God. This is what it means that God's Kingdom is coming here. Go read the Sermon on the Mount. These are the things that Jesus talks about. Forgiveness. How do we forgive others like How do we live? How do we love our enemies? How do we treat our spouses? How do we not commit adultery like God wants with, with our, with our minds and our minds, because God is saying these things because we can be this. He's not saying, I'm giving you something that you can't do he say, No, this is what my kingdom looks like. These are realities of God's kingdom. So do your job, right? He came, He soldiers asked him, so now some soldiers come to him. I guess probably some, maybe some Roman soldiers were looking at wondering what's going on? Maybe, maybe not. He said to him, do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusations, be satisfied with your wages. And that's what they would do like, treat your brothers, right. Don't get not free. Don't lower your brother and sisters, so that you can have something to your advantage. Right. That is not the kingdom of God. In the kingdom of God, we're loving, and we're serving one another and we're caring for one another. We're not trying to take from our brothers, we're trying to give to help our brothers and sisters out. Be content with what you have. So he tells the soldiers, you know, be content, don't hurt others as you're doing that. And then he goes on to say the very powerful thing and I'm not going to keep going but gee, there's one that's coming more mighty. He's gonna baptize you with a Spirit and fire. Which is so beautiful. Is winnowing fork is in His hands. He's gonna burn up the chaff, right, like he's coming to refine everything. I know there's a lot in this passage that makes me sit and think and contemplate my own life. And there's also in the midst of that, so much hope for what God wants from his people. Isn't that isn't that beautiful? Like the people of God coming together and go, we're not going to allow this. We're going to allow the justice of God to come through us into our city, into our neighborhoods, into our families. We're going to we're going to allow the love of God, the mercy of God, the grace of God to flow out of us. And we're going to be vessels of his of that. We're going to be agents of the kingdom to come in. When people look at us, they're going to go wow, what is Debra doing man, she just lives life so different than other people. You know what I mean? Like, she's like, she cares about our needs. She's thinking about us all these beautiful things, and they're gonna go, there's something to this idea that Jesus is King. There's something to this idea that Jesus is raining is king, much more than then just a creed, the Creed's are cool. But more than that, it's living it out more than a political party more than any of that these followers of Jesus say that Jesus is King. And they're living like this. Jesus is King. Man, we get that opportunity. We get that opportunity. Oh, let's just take those. Let's take a few moments now. And just listen, Lord, we've mentioned several times. And Mike started us off this morning by saying, Are we listening to you? And I thank you that I know that I believe that we are. And as you are already speaking to us so many ways this morning, we just asked you to continue spirit to speak that you would give us ears to hear and eyes to see. What if there's anything else that you want us to hear? This morning. So let's take a couple minutes here, y'all and just listen to Lord. There's a lot of wrestling. And this is really good as anyone have anything that they feel like they want to the Lord's given them to share about this or about neither message. There's learning to hear together.
Going once, going twice, I say going once going twice, because oftentimes someone goes like they know that the Lord wants him to share something and there's you get nervous, do you know you mean like, oh my gosh, you're like a lot better, you know? That is just, this whole idea is huge. The idea that God and if the Lord if you have something to share, so any point you can just raise your hand or come on up here. But the idea that the Lord is renewing all things in that what who does he choose to do his work us? Like he uses man to be agents of his change that he's trying to that he's doing? So that you and I get to participate in the renewal and the setting things right? is incredible honor. And I just encouraged us to be agents of renewal this week, to look for places things that are wrong, places that are broken and that we can bring healing and reveal the kingdom to others. And even asking our continuing to ask ourselves so what does it mean that God's kingdom has come near? And then as NT Wright said, Is there anything in our life that we need to repent of and change because of the idea that God's kingdom has come here to man, love it.
